Morning Lesson December 10, 2021, Transcription
Transcription is made from simultaneous translation which leaves a possibility for differences from audio
Part 1:
Baal HaSulam - Shamati 108. If You Leave Me One Day, I Will Leave You Two
1.Rav’s Introduction: Yes, we will first read this article and then we will talk about it.
Reading Shamati 108 (00:36)
2. R. (13:43) I do not see too many questions, there is nothing to ask it seems.
3. S. (13:59) What does it mean to keep the Torah and the commandments in faith above reason?
R. In our desire to receive there are 613 parts, organs or particles which is called the spiritual body, the desire to receive, so in this desire to receive we have 613 parts, desires and in the desire to receive which is called the spiritual body and we need to correct these desires by rising to work above each of those desires in connection with other desires in order to bring bestowal to the Creator that the whole desire He created will be in the form of bestowal. So to correct those parts of the desire which is completely the body of Adam HaRishon as we call it, this is called to observe the 613 desires as we correct these desires, we are doing the 613 commandments or guidance or the 613 advice or councils or commandments, that the person wants to do, this is a matter of the 613 Mitzvot. So the 613 Mitzvot, we do them in the correction to in order to bestow, this is called the 613 Mitzvot and we correct them gradually.
4. S. (16:24) It is not clear the matter of the creditor and the borrower, at first the desire to receive doesn't want to give strength and it seems that it later becomes the landlord, I did not understand the connection between the two?
R. That we need to slowly, slowly take forces to the desire to receive from in order to receive it is created with to in order to bestow, to perform corrections on the intention from the intention in order to receive which is working for himself to the intention to bestow where he is working for the sake of the Creator, the higher force.
5. S. (17:19) Because of that we receive the descents to scrutinize the degree of our faith?
R. Certainly each and every descent we receive is a feeling that now we are receiving to our authority a new corrupted desire in order to correct it. Meaning that the descent is part of the path of progress towards correction without the sensation of the descents we would not be able to correct those desires with which we are in the descent and to bring them into correction and elevation.
6. S. (18:15) The force we receive in the work we call it the riches of the next world?
R. Yes, the exertion upon each and every effort is connected to many such exertions and they eventually build for us the spiritual wrapping over our will to receive. The will to receive does not change, it is only revealed more and more and we need to wrap it with what we call a screen and reflected light with the intention in order to bestow and this is our work.
7. S. (19:09) How can we work internally in order to invert that idea of working not for our sake and to find a way to think of something other than just for our sake?
R. At first nullify oneself towards the group, towards the ten and then more and more, this is what is given to us in this world by all the means. We discover that we are in some artificial reality, where part of our actions we can do with work with our body, give and take, mechanically that way, where it appears to us as corporeal actions. But in truth they are also spiritual actions, just they in our awareness, our consciousness they are distant from the intention. In truth there is no this world but instead all of my actions towards the environment which I can do without any intentions where I let's say in spirituality I first need to establish and stabilize my intention but if I cannot perform this intention and stabilize it in order to bestow then it turns out that I feel myself as being in some reality called this world. This world is also imaginary, we can say it is spiritual but it appears in me in a way that it is outside of the intentions, that even the intentions in order to receive I am not aware of.
8. S. (21:51) It is not so clear what is the advice for when the will to receive stops me, does not allow me to put in the effort, sometimes the effort is greater than the payment so it does not give us the strength to work?
R. So what is the problem, the problem is only that we forget that it comes from the Creator, we do not feel that it comes from the Creator. But the moment you understand that this is the obstacle that is before you on the way towards the end of correction of your soul then you somewhat advance even despite the fact that this is an obstacle before you. Because here it depends on the importance of the goal, there is a goal before me and an obstacle, is the goal more important than going over that obstacle or the obstacles stops me with the lack of importance of the goal and I surrender, I sit down before the bump, before the obstacle and I do not move. It all depends on the importance towards the obstacle and the goal and here you have the group that can awaken you and certainly the force of the group to begin with is built in a way that you can cross all the obstacles.
S. In that moment I need to ask for strength for the group or pray how to do this?
R. Yes, borrow forces from the friends, from the group, ask that they help you let’s pray together. Because usually what you feel is what everybody feels more or less the group becomes very homogeneous. Meaning that soon we will all emerge to a general, unified level that's certainly each according to his qualities, his attributes, his forces that in each and every one of us are unique to each person but the level altogether in everybody will be equal. This is a sign that we are advancing towards connection and the sign that we are advancing towards the last generation.
S. The thing is that when all the forces run out at that moment, you forget about the prayer for some reason?
R. That's out of a lack of connection with the group. If you are connected with your ten, with the group, then you do not forget. You would work not with your personal feeling but with the general feeling of the group, so pay attention to that.
9. S. (25:38) Is there a difference between saying this world as the world below Assiya or it this world which is the current degree we are in?
R. This world, it is something we cannot say because it does not say anything to us yet, but when we progress, we can say something, just to say that this is this way or that way, it does not change anything for us, we need to start to attain.
10. S. (26:22) When a person draws himself closer to the Creator, does it mean to be closer to the friends in the ten and then it says dismiss reception in this world, how do we dismiss reception in this world, is it restriction?
R. By wanting to come closer to the ten and perform more actions in connection compared to all other actions, it is considered that I am coming closer to spirituality and to the Creator and true correction. This is all expressed through connection, we do not have any other form of the correction other than connecting between us in order to bring back the system of Adam HaRishon to the connection as it was before the sin or the breakage.
11. S. (27:42) In the beginning of the article he writes that he always aspires to the pleasures of this world and later he aspires to the pleasures of the next world?
R. Connect between you, that each of you have the force of the ten and pray to the Creator to give the ability within the connection between you to add additional forces at which will help us rise to the next degree and it is the style of our work, we build connection and give it to the Creator that gives inside the connection the spiritual forces and then you rise to the next degree this is the form of ascent.
12. S. (28:37) To give strength to Israel what does it mean?
R. The desire to receive that is in each and every one prior to its correction, that only wants pleasures, it is called a Goy or Gentile, the desire to receive that is standing for correction and it is gradually receiving a closeness towards connection that is called a proselyte, meaning one who is in transition from in order to receive to in order to bestow. The desire to receive which is already with the intention in order to bestow is called Jew, one that comes from the word “in unification with the Creator” and those three states are in each that is on the spiritual ladder on the path, the goy the proselyte and the Jew and any general nation is called a Goy. Someone who is in transition from in order to receive to in order to bestow is called a Ger or a proselyte and one that already enters to in order to bestow even with some desires is called the Jew, one that by those corrected desires is unified with others and with the Creator.
13. S. (30:44) If the body does not feel joy, why would it work for the Creator?
R. The body is the desire to receive in order to receive. This is usually how we refer to the Guf, the body. The form which is in order to bestow is called a ‘holy body,’ Guf Kodesh. Kodesh, or holy, is a description of Bina, the force of bestowal. To the extent in which the will to receive takes on the form of in order to bestow it is sanctified and becomes more holy. When the body, which is the desire to receive, comes to the intention in order to bestow, it is called holy.
14. S. (31:58) Why doesn’t the stranger receive payment or pleasure from bestowing to the Creator?
R. If he is in the degree of Ger, the proselyte, in the transition where he is moving from in order to receive in order to bestow, then it depends on where he is and what we are talking about.
S. Is this also a form of pleasure?
R. We have to go into the article and see what he writes because I cannot give you a general answer according to your question.
15. S. (32:47) When do we need to observe the will to receive so we are not dependent on it?
R. If you adhere to the group you move from Malchut to Bina. There you go through the entire process of Ibur and Leida, birth, and even Gadlut, adulthood of spirituality, in the connection with the ten and in the connection with the Creator.
S. What does it mean that I take from him and I do not give back with my will to receive?
R. This means that you slowly, slowly start to work with your desires. Let’s say that it is not now yet but it will be in order to bestow. You will identify actions that you have done only in order to receive some kind of profit and benefit, and now you will be doing this in order so those desires will work for the sake of society, for the sake of your group.
S. Does it mean that the body can give me energy with the hope that it can receive something for itself?
R. Yes, just as we read about in the articles that Rabash wrote, to the extent that the friends are precious to him, and there is nothing but the friends and there is no distance between them, etc.
S. So what is the process of transition from a preliminary intention to the other?
R. This process is called correction and it takes place by our work. We try to come closer to one another, to draw the reforming light, and to see results from us coming closer and closer to one another. We become as one man in one heart, in one desire, as we complete our desires and aim them towards the Creator more. That is how we advance.
16. S. (36:06) What is the transition between 'receivers’ and ‘eternal receivers’?
S. The eternal receiver? I don't know. Soon we will read the article again and then we'll talk; you will have more to ask. I did not see a definition of an ‘eternal receiver’ here.
17. S. (37:08) Must we radiate this internal joy that we get from working for the Lord?
R. We have this, and we have that. When a person decides to awaken the friends with it, he then projects this outwards; if not, then he does so inside.
S. Can we pretend joy?
R. Yes, it is worthwhile to do so as long as you awaken the friends.
18. S. (38:10) What is the difference between my personal perception of the creator and my perception of the Creator inside the ten?
R. I think that we need to aim ourselves towards the Creator that is revealed from within the ten. The Creator that I imagine as a personal, individual Creator is not a form that can pull me forward, it is to the contrary.
S. Is there no Creator when I am outside of the ten?
R. How can it be that there is a Creator when you are outside of the ten?
S. So who am I praying to when I am outside of the ten?
R. I don’t know. You have to aim yourself at the ten before the prayer. You have to pray to the force that sustains and stabilizes the ten, and this will be the true Creator, the general force. The ten symbolizes the entire vessel the Creator created, Adam HaRishon, that you wish to establish from shattering to life. You can turn to the Creator only in this way.
19. S. (40:06) Does making actions in the ten during a descent correct our desire?
R. Typically the ascent after the descent corrects everything.
20. S. (40:41) The article describes a state where a person feels that he worked and deserves a reward. What if he doesn’t believe that he worked enough to deserve a reward? How does he get strength to turn to the Creator?
R. Only with the help of the environment. The person cannot do anything alone, he doesn’t have the strength for it. Even the force of scrutiny is lacking.
S. Do we have to pay Him something later when we turn to the Creator?
R. It is certain that everything you are doing should be in order to bestow; it is clarified to you later. This means that you are paying. You are paying by thanking Him for all the actions that you did, which actually He did. He made you in the degree of in order to bestow and you accept this work in order to bestow as the greatest reward possible and you do not need any other reward but the possibility of doing something in order to bestow.
S. What am I paying my ten when I ask from the ten?
R. It depends on the state you are in. You typically pay the ten by participating.
21. S. (42:32) Why does the Creator hate the bodies?
R. The will to receive is opposite to the will to bestow.
S. But we eventually come to bestowal thanks to the desire to receive?
R. It is true; that's why the Creator created the will to receive. He created us in this will to receive so we would have some certain reality, some existence, but for us to be able to change it from one end to the other, from disconnection from the Creator to connection with Him. The Creator does not hate the will to receive; He hates in order to receive.
S. Can you give an example of how to correct a spiritual desire in the ten?
R. Certainly, the desire you need to correct is each and every one of us. Initially it is what the desire to receive wants to enjoy and to derive pleasure from. We are like children who are growing up. A child has a small handful of desires and later a bit more, and a bit more. The more he grows up, the more desires he has and those desires become stronger and combine and merge together. We are concerned if he has no more desires. What’s up with the kid? Is he developing properly? We are the same. The more we grow up, the more we mature on top of the desires that are revealed and work to correct those desires.
S. Do we have such desires on every degree and have to correct all 613 desires on all 125 degrees?
R. Yes. This is what is happening whether or not you like it or understand it.
22. S. (44:55) What does it mean to give strength to the body so it will take?
R. We are going to read the article and then talk about it.
23. S. (45:20) How can we not be tempted by such nice words of the desire to receive when we do not take payment for the desire to enjoy?
R. We will read the article and you will understand; if you don’t, then please ask again.
24. S. (46:06) What does it mean that we do not receive anything for the body?
R. The person grows stronger in the ten. It is not going to work alone, it is a lie, so he grows stronger in the ten. He comes to a state where he can somehow, on a small degree, imagine that he is doing all this only in order to bestow. This bestowal is also from the ego. He is in the ten does not feel right, he doesn’t want to show that he is less than the others. Nevertheless, these actions awaken the reforming light and then he advances.
25. S. (47:40) What does it mean if you leave me one day, I leave you for two days’?
R. If the person leaves the correction, the correction comes back to him in time in a more intense way.
26. S. (48:38) What is the correct intention in faith above reason when we engage in Torah and Mitzvot?
R. It is the same intention that the Creator ordered, to do everything in faith above reason, meaning in bestowal, with the intention to bestow. There is nothing more.
27. S. (49:16) What does it mean to do a Mitzva in action?
R. In practice it means that I am already in the state where my intentions are real. I’m not just saying it but I can realize and implement them in my desire. This is the meaning of realizing the desire with the correct intention.
28. S. (49:54) Are there states where the Creator leaves us?
R. Of course. What does it mean that ‘if you leave Me one day, I will leave you for two’? If you leave Him for one day then he leaves you for two. Of course, you later receive the burdening of the heart and blows and suffering. Nevertheless you need to keep all those things that you looked down at and you did not keep.
29. S. (50:34) It says that ‘the Creator hates the bodies in the work’. If the Creator is absolute love, who is the Creator that hates the bodies?
R. We comprehend the desire to bestow, the desire to give, as the Creator. The force that exists in reality, the force of bestowal and love, shows Himself in several different forms. It is like us relative to children. Sometimes we turn to them with a smiling face, sometimes with a sad face, and so on, in order to awaken certain different reactions in them to help to grow in them various forms of desires and thoughts. This is the same thing that the Creator is doing with us. He wants to grow us, hence he has no choice but to grow the will to receive He created. He must give it the shape of Adam, of man, the one who resembles the Creator, so he makes those different faces games, and all different forms of connection and distancing so we would be impressed by all those changes and correctly put these things together in the ten. We will come to know the Creator from that. “From Your actions we shall know You.”
30. R. (53:14) We need to arrange everybody in tens. What is the benefit of talking to them if they do not want to work? If there is no ten, if they cannot connect at least twice a day to prepare themselves for the following day, read an article, maybe do something else between the friends, it is either connection or it is death. We have to scrutinize this.
S. We have to keep in mind that not all the tens are being broadcast, if there are less than five people, they are not shown, so this is why they have to ask through the Internet.
31. S. (54:07) What does it mean to hear the voice of the Lord in the ten?
R. If we try to connect between us and we have the tendency to connect, a tendency, a disposition then we are starting to reveal between as a certain vibration. vibrations or frequency how to say this, it is like in loudspeaker where the membrane vibrates and then we hear, so if we are connected then we start to receive these vibrations which is the Creator communicating with us
32. S. (55:03) The faith of the Creator stems from our work. Is it faith above reason or below reason?
R. The Creator is glad, the creator is happy this is not belief it is not faith but it is a feeling when we are trying to be in the intention to give ourselves it is not faith
33. S. (55:45) It is written that it turns out that he is distanced from the Creator from wanting to receive the pleasures of the next world. Why is this a transgression to receive the pleasure of the next world since the Creator wants to do good to his creatures?
R. The Creator wants to do good to his creatures, but it is not according to how to receive pleasures as we can imagine or depict to our minds. It's benefiting the creatures in a way that we need to prepare ourselves for that form and then I shall see. Give a little child a certain special book of wisdom, how could he enjoy it and other such examples. Meaning the gift has to be suitable for the one who is receiving the gift so we have to prepare ourselves in this way so we start to feel how much the Creator wants to give us all the good, the world is full of pleasures we are in the world of Ein Sof but how can we feel it, can you feel it?
34. S. (57:09) What does it mean to observe a commandment in practice or an action?
R. A practical commandment means that I have coarseness and on top of it restriction I do not want to enjoy by myself and then the screen when I get to work with this coarseness in refinement with the intention to bestow, Then I turn to the Creator and I make contact with him, I to my beloved and my beloved to me and this way we come to bestow contentment to the Creator
35. S. (57:50) Why do we need to believe that the Creator receives pleasure from it?
R. Because he is the source of all pleasures. Everything we get is basically in order to fill the Creator and the Creator is the force of bestowal, if we want to be in the force of bestowal in order to bestow, to want to give by ourselves, then we derive pleasure from this quality which means that we reveal the Creator
36. S. (58:42) What enables us to always hear the Creator?
R. To always hear the voice of the creator I do not think it is possible, it is possible but only on very high degrees of correction. To be in the force of bestowal this is the meaning of hearing the voice of the Creator. If we have a voice that is not in order to receive but sometimes even to receive in order to bestow when we come to see the Creator. There is the matter of seeing and hearing, that hearing is the degree of Bina and the seeing is the degree of Hochma.
37. S. (59:33) It is written that we need to be in joy, how can a person be in joy when he doesn't have joy?
R. That depends on his values. Who is he connected with? Not sure how much he is receiving but from the room. This is the important thing. This is the matter of love. The revelation of the connection. If I'm in contact with someone who I love I am willing to live with him in any way or shape or form as long as they remain close to them. This is the matter of the correction.
38. S. (1:00:00) How to receive a loan so the forces will go towards work for the sake of the Creator?
R. If we truly want to receive a loan so that all the forces will go towards the connection between us. Later we will be able to present this connection to the Creator of the evil to be revealed and be the right of us this is the correct action.
39. S. (01:01:03) It is written in the articles that we have to reply that I have the faith of the sages and we need have to believe that the Creator commanded for us to receive upon ourselves and he commanded us to receive Torah and Mitzvot. What does it mean to believe in abstract faith above reason?
R. We have the sages from Adam HaRishon, and onwards. People try to come close to the Creator and succeeded. They share with us impressions of the path and the result of the upper force and of our nature. Meaning the Creator and the greater being and what is between them. That is what we are trying to keep, to follow, to learn and advance. Accordingly, building the connection between us in such a way that the Creator will be able to reveal himself and we will have a connection with him. We will never have a connection with one man and the Creator. It will always be with the ten. This is how they passed it and told us about it and, it is clear to us how this should be. The ten is where I can get rid of my personal ego and come to something which is higher than me, called the force of bestowal, above the force of reception called faith above reason.
40. S. (01:03.09) If the body asks what I need to give you these forces to work for and you do not assure me any reward for. He needs to answer that this is what he did for you and hates you as it is written in the Holy Zohar. The Zohar says that he hates bodies. From such an answer can the will to receive really stop the demand and give the energy to work?
R. No, of course not. The fact of Creator is opposite from the will to receive and he is entirely the desire to bestow that means that He hates them. He hates the will to receive us and he desires to receive in order to receive. We need to bring these desires with the intention to bestow.
Then we're getting closer to him. In this way we come closer to Him and we correct ourselves. This is the desired path.
41. S. (01:04:20) How can you not give any nourishment to the will to receive, is it possible to do it alone?
R. We can give nourishment to the will to receive while correcting it and trying to work with it. But not more than what is written, as an ox to the burden and a donkey to the load. Like to an animal, like to a horse you give him food if he works and if he doesn't work then you will not give him food and he understands. It understands that he has to work in return for food. That is how we need to relate to our body to ourselves. Just imagine how we need to treat our body, our world only when he allows us to work in order to bestow it to the Creator.
42. S. (01:05:26) How does a person know that he's bringing contentment to the Creator and how can he justify the Creator when there is no taste in life no matter what?
R. There is nothing easier to check, am I giving contentment to the Creator or not. You check it easy, you check if you are giving contentment to the group or not. There's nothing else I can say.
43. S. (01:05:59) How can I calibrate and balance the contradiction between my desire to receive and desire to bestow to the benefit of the ten?
R. You can't balance it or something. I simply have to try to be in my desire to bestow and disconnect and detach it from the desire to receive. I have to simply rise above my individual desire to receive and I have to come to those desires in order to bestow to the ten. Simply, more and more to imagine to myself that the more I'm inside the ten, the more I am inside spirituality. I'm in the tendency towards the Creator.
44. S. (01:07:12) How do we discover that the Creator's enjoying us?
R. That is a question. We need to believe in advance that the Creator is always deriving pleasure from us in any state that we are in. Because after all we are in the system that is generally drawn towards him. On the other hand, we need to try from all these actions that we're doing. We need to try to give him contentment.
45. S. (01:08:07) If I expect a response from the friends of the ten is that a sign of the will to receive?
R. No, it could be the way in which we are organized when I turn to them. I show them we are in a boat that is not so complete and even though there's some holes here and there we need to correct him. It is not necessary really, do not need to receive and take everything from the ten that it is Holy, no. I need to ensure that, this is the case for each and every one, that our boat will be strong, hermetically sealed and we will be able to use it to travel swiftly and surely towards the end of correction.
46. (01:10:03) Rav Reading Shamati 108
Rav Reads and Explains:
If you leave me one day, I will leave for two. Every person is remote from the Creator with the quality of reception in him. But he is remote simply because of the will to receive in him, however since that person does not crave spirituality but worldly pleasures, his distance from the Creator is one day. Meaning a distance of one day which means that he is far from Him in only one respect, in being immersed in the will to receive, the desires of this world. However when a person brings himself closer to the Creator, meaning he dismisses his reception in this world.
He diminishes it to some extent. He is then considered close to the Creator, but if he later fails in the reception of the next world, meaning he wants to receive more than he did before then he is more remote from the Creator because he wants to receive the pleasures of the next world, and also falls into receiving pleasures of this world.
Meaning he already took a step closer to the Creator he wants to be in bestowal and now he wants seemingly those pleasures that he received more than he had before. Then he is more remote from the Creator because he wants to receive in the will to bestow and he wants to receive for himself, it follows that now he is remote from the Creator two days, he is stepping back he has become remote from the Creator two days.
Rav Reading 1. By receiving the pleasures in this world, to which he has fallen again. 2. Since he now has the desire to receive the crown, the riches of the next world to feel something in spirituality maybe not even in spirituality maybe the connection he had, some prayers or thoughts.
R. (01:12 :05) I don't see questions. If you have questions, ask on the spot.
Rav begins reading:
1) By receiving pleasure in this world to which he has fallen again and 2) since he now has the desire to receive the crown of the next world. To feel something in spirituality.
Maybe not even in spirituality, maybe it is the connection that he had and some understanding because by engaging in Torah and Mitzvot he forces the Creator to reward him. He forces (not himself) the Creator to reward him for his work in Torah and Mitzvot, Torah and Commandments.
Meaning if he went backwards and he wants the pleasures of this world and the pleasures of the next world then he expects the Creator to pay him for everything. It is not in order to bestow rather he is in the heightened increased- in order to receive.
It turns out in the beginning he walked one day and grew closer to serving the Creator. Meaning in order to bestow to the friends and to the Creator and afterwards he walked two days backwards. Thus now that person has become needy of two types of reception: 1) of this world, 2) of the next world. Thus he has been walking in the opposite state. Meaning of this world the pleasures of this world and he wants pleasures of the next world. Thus he has been walking in the opposite state, the opposite direction.
The advice for this is to always go by the path of Torah, which means to bestow. The order should be that first one must be careful with the two bases: 1) the making of the Mitzva [commandment], 2) the sensation of the pleasure from the Mitzva. One should believe that the Creator derives pleasure when we keep His commandments.
R. (01:14:35) The intentions, actions in order to bestow are called Mitzvot commandments. The Creator commands us to come to the intention and the action and if a person tries to be in the action of bestowing or at least the intention to bestow without the action, then it is considered that he is performing the commandants of the Creator.
It therefore follows that one should keep the Mitzva in practice and believe that the Creator derives pleasure from the lower ones, when the lower one is keeping his Mitzvot commandments.
One of the people, the humans, he is trying to do what the Creator is asking, to reach bestowal. In this there is no difference between a big Mitzva and a small Mitzva. That is the Creator derives pleasure even from the smallest act that is done for him.
He derives pleasure from this. Just like a mother that looks at her baby who did something for her, a certain movement she is already full of joy.
Afterwards there's a result which is the main goal here, that one should see to. In other words a person should feel delight and pleasure in causing contentment to his maker.
R. (01:16:16). That I not only keep what the Creator is telling me I might do it reluctantly maybe to avoid getting punished but rather I'm doing it in order to give Him contentment and I don't even care about the punishment or the choice, only to give contentment to the Creator. This is the main emphasis of the work, to come to it, that the reason for me wanting to keep those acts of bestowal is to bring contentment to the Creator. This is called serving the Lord in gladness, this should be the reward for one's work to come to a state where we can give him contentment and to receive delight and pleasure in having been awarded with delighting the Creator.
R. (01:17:41) This is the meaning of the stranger that is in the midst of you shall rise above you higher and higher. He shall lend to you and you shall not lend to him. The stranger is the will to receive, we talked about it today and the will to receive itself which is entirely in order to receive is called. Goy, Gentile and the will to receive is in the process of changing itself in order to bestow is called a Ger, stranger, and when he enters the work of the Creator, he is called a stranger, prior to that he's a complete Gentile, when he corrects himself in order to bestow, he is then called a Jew. Because he enters unity with the Creator. In those states gentile, stranger and Jewish, for each and every person there are degrees by which we step and reach adhesion.
Rav reading: He shall lend to you when he gives strength for work, the will to receive, he gives the strength by way of lending. This means that when a day in Torah and Mitzvot has passed although he did not receive the reward instantaneously, he still believed him that afterwards he would pay for the powers for the work that he gave him.
R. (01:19:33) Meaning this is the right form of the loan that one can give to the other with confidence and hope that he will receive it in return, maybe even with a gain.
Rav reading: Hence, after the day’s work he comes to him and asks for the debt that he had promised him.
R. (01:20:00) This is basically what happens, sometimes we are in some development towards the friends, group, connection, Creator. We have all kinds of thoughts, intentions and actions as if in order to bestow and then we stop and ask for something in exchange, when there is nothing in exchange there is a very big problem for us, we do not know how to answer our will to receive. Because it gave us strength. We do not have any more than they will receive. So it asks him for the reward, for the powers that the body gave him in order to engage in bestowal in Torah and Mitzvot but He does not give him.
The stranger cries that is no longer the will to receive, it is something that has improved a bit, made some actions to bestow. Therefore it is called a stranger and the stranger cries, what is this work, working without reward? Afterwards, the stranger doesn't want to give Israel the strength to work. Hence, afterward, the stranger does not want to give Israel the strength to work.
R. (01:21:18) Israel is already a phase where the will to receive is already working in order to bestow, Yashar Kel, straight to the Creator, Israel.
It says, and you should not lend to him, what does it mean you should not lend to him?
If you give him food and ask that he will give you strength to work then he tells you that he has no debt to pay you for the food you are giving him. How could that be that if I gave, this is what I am told in return, that you don’t deserve what you have given to me, how can that be?
Previously, I gave you the strength for the work on the condition that you will buy me possessions. Hence, what you are giving me now is all according to the previous condition. Therefore now you come to me to give you more strength for the work so that you will bring me new possessions?
R. (01:22:49) I have a problem with my will to receive here, that it got energy and direction and was pushed towards in order to bestow somewhat but now it is being demanded to give more and it doesn't agree. Because on the way, it has to receive something in exchange, some reward, compensation, something and it doesn't have any. It is a different problem here that we, on the way here, we have to change the nature of the payment. The fact that I made an action to bestow if I did as much as I understand in order to benefit the Creator, that is my payment. But if I do not feel the importance of the Creator to the extent that I invested then I get no payment and I demand a regular payment like in this world, pleasures and knowledge and so on.
Rav reads:
So the will to receive has grown clever and uses its cleverness to calculate the profitability of the matter. Sometimes he says to the person that he is content with little, that the possessions he has are enough, Rav explains he does not want to go forward in spiritual understanding and development. Rav Reads: He doesn't want to give him strength and sometimes he says that the way you are going now is dangerous and perhaps your efforts will be in vain. Sometimes he tells them that the efforts are greater than the reward, that it is not worthwhile to invest that much, hence I will not give you strength to work. Rav explains: Then one sits idly and just wants to lay down and do nothing and we feel ourselves that way in many cases.
Rav Reads: Then when one asks Him for strength to work in the path of the Creator in order to bestow and that everything will be only to increase the glory of Heaven, he says what will I get out of this. Then he comes with the famous arguments such as who and what, meaning who is the Lord that I should obey his voice, as Pharaoh’s argument, Rav explains: meaning that the Creator is not great in my eyes or what is this work for you, as the arguments of the wicked, what do I need this for.
All of this is because he has a just argument that this is what they had agreed between them. We will give conditions to one another. Yes, that is what they agreed between them and this is called, if you do not obey the voice of the Lord and then he complains because he does not keep the conditions. But when you obey the voice of the Creator, meaning to go above reason in order to bestow to make a step forward.
Rav explains meaning right at the entrance and he says in parentheses, (entrance is a constant thing,) because every time he has a descent he must begin anew, this is why it is called an entrance. Naturally there are many exits and entrances, he tells his body no,
I want to begin to serve the Creator and my intention is only to bestow and not to receive any reward.
R. (01:27:15) There's a certain kind of a twist which I would call psychological, just to make it clear it is a psychological shift. That if we tell the body that it listens. Rav Reads: You should not hope that you will receive anything for your efforts but it is all in order to bestow. That is how you have to work and if the body asks what the benefit from this work is. Rav explains: Meaning who receives this work that I want to exert and toil with all of my desire that I have to work instead of myself, instead of for myself, for someone else. Or he asks more simply for whose sake am I working so hard. The reply should be, I have faith in the sages Rav explains meaning they were sages before me and they said that I should believe in abstract faith, above reason, that the Creator has so commanded us. Rav explains: Meaning to accept that beyond all doubts, above my mind.
To take upon ourselves faith meaning the quality of bestowal and the force and actions of bestowal that He commanded us to keep the Torah and Commandments Rav explains: meaning all the actions of bestowal that we are going to have to do with our desire to receive. And we should also believe that the Creator derives pleasure when we keep the Torah and Commandments meaning our corrections, the corrections of the will to receive with faith above reason.
R. (01:29:11) Meaning without any basis in your vessels, you cannot be shown any reward of the spiritual degree. You do not have such vessels to appreciate that reward so you have to accept it above reason.
Rav Reads: Also one should be glad that the Creator has pleasure from his work.
Thus, there are four things here:
1) Believing in the sages, that what they said is true.
2) Believing that the Creator commanded to engage in Torah and Mitzvot only through faith above reason.
3) There is joy when the creatures keep the Torah and Mitzvot on the basis of faith.
4) One should receive delight, pleasure, and gladness from having been rewarded with pleasing the King. And the measure of the greatness and the importance of man’s work is measured by the measure of joy that one derives during his work. This depends on the measure of faith that one believes in the above.
R. (01:30:59) Meaning he has to have a connection with the work, that the Creator is as if he is in front of him and he is doing it for the Creator and it gives them fulfillment.
Rav Reads: It follows that when you obey the voice of the Creator all the powers that he receives from the body are not considered as a loan from the body which one should return. As in if you do not obey the Lord and if the body asks why I should give you strength to work when you promise me nothing in return. He should answer because this is what you are made of.
Meaning that the will to receive was created and made only to change to bestowal, to take on the intention to bestow.
To work as the ox to the burden and the donkey to the load. What can I do if the Creator hates you, says the person to the will to receive, as it is written in the Zohar that the Creator hates the bodies, moreover when the Zohar says when the Creator hates the bodies, this refers specifically to the bodies of the servants of the Creator. Since they want to be eternal receivers, as they want to receive the crown of the next world too.
R. (01:32:55) This is only for those who work in spirituality, they each time acquiring new desires and until they correct it each time, the grown will receive, they go through very big descents which means they want the reward of the next world.
This is considered, you should not lend. This means that you do not have to give anything for the strength that the body gave you for the work but if you lend it, if you give it any pleasure it is only as a loan. You can only give it as a loan, it should give you strength to work in return but not for free, like with a horse or donkey that you give them food so that they can work. It must always give you strength. Meaning for free. You do not give it any pleasure and you always demand of it to have strength for the work since the borrower is the servant to the lender. Thus it will always be the servant and you will be the master.
It is a very beautiful article but actually not that difficult.
47. S. (01:35:00) What is the difference between the pleasure and joy a person has from keeping the Torah and Mitzvot the Commandments by wanting the pleasures of the next world that distance him 2 days away?
R. The difference is in the direction towards the purpose of creation or the other way around. He makes two steps backwards and not a step back forward.
S. That’s not clear, it’s written, work the Creator with gladness that a person should have pleasure from working for the Creator from keeping his commandments.
R. But in order to bestow.
S. What is the difference?
R. The difference is in the essence of the work: either you work for yourself because you enjoy it or you enjoy letting the Creator enjoy, allowing the Creator to enjoy. In what vessels in other words. What vessels bring you joy and what vessels do you receive the relationship with the Creator, the upper light, in order to receive or in order to bestow. In order to receive you are limited to the point that you stop seeing progress and you go into darkness. If it’s in order to bestow you are not limited, you're sympathizing with the light and then the process becomes more and more filled by the upper light.
48. S. (01:36:59) The fact that the Creator hates the bodies of the workers of the creator, is that about all the desires or the gentile’s desires?
R. Only the desires of strangers. The desires, called gentiles, there's nothing to relate to them, they're all in order to receive and they only have preparation from above to gradually transform themselves to strangers. Therefore the hatred appears as they begin to correct themselves and also that hatred is in order to provide the person with discernments of what desires he should work with.
49. S. (01:38:04) The reward is to bring gladness to the Creator. What does it mean to get pleasure and joy and happiness in order to bestow? What is hiding in these words?
R. To the extent that you cling to the Creator in order to bestow to him otherwise you can’t adhere to him and then you discover that accordingly he’s bonded with you and he wants to bestow to you and that’s the revelation of the pleasure from the Creator to the created being and from the created being to the Creator. Me to my beloved and my beloved for me.
50. S. (01:39:13) How do I know the Creator's getting pleasure? What efforts do I need to make for that?
R. If you, through the group feel pleasures, that’s a sign the Creator derives pleasure from you, that is it, simple.
51. S. (01:39:39) What are the signs? How do we know we gave contentment to the Creator?
R. The sign is that you are enjoying your connection, and in bestowing to him.
52. S. (01:40:01) Let's say I do not see and I don't believe that the creator is happy from the work but the Kabbalists say that I have to believe. What does it mean that I’m not believing the Kabbalist or faith below reason?
R. Where did you see faith below reason? Why do you go into philosophy? Below reason, above reason, within reason. Just say it in clear words, other words.
S. I heard from you that the religious people that just say, “I believe” and they don’t check that.
R. Let's see that is so even though with regards to Kabbalists too there’s also below within and above reason, all those states, but what’s the question itself?
S. To believe that our goal is to give commitment to the Creator but there is always a confusion on which way to check it. Are we enjoying the path, maybe it is my egoistic desires that are enjoying it? It’s also not clear if the friends are enjoying it or we’re still acting, so it could be that I think I am giving to the friends but I am not giving anything. How can I check all of this? If I don’t check, is it below reason?
R. If you inside the group want to bestow the friends and all of you together want to bestow to each and every one of you, to each other why with intention that from that you want to bestow to the Creator that you establish him from your connection at the center of your connection than by that you are doing work of faith above reason.
53. S. (01:42:27) What should a person do for the body to be a slave because he does not have the forces to work for the Creator?
R. The importance of the goal that he receives through the group. Then it will not be difficult for him. He will be happy and easily do actions of bestowal if he receives such an impression from the ten towards himself.
54. S (01:43:20) At the end of the text it says the borrower is the servant to the lender - are these two different actions from the same person?
R. All of these actions exist within the person, with the group, with the image of the creator and everything. The will to receive, the will to bestow, it is all existing within the person.
55. S. (01:44:10) Still there is a matter that is not clear. Baal HaSulam writes that for him to receive pleasures there has to be a reward for the work, then he will get pleasures and reward and punishment from being able to give contentment to the Creator, that is the stranger. In the next paragraph he says at the end of the day he comes and demands that he return his debt. So the question is, why does the stranger not get the payment as pleasure for giving joy to the Creator?
R. Please read exactly where it says that.
S. That should be a reward for his work so he will receive pleasure and punishment by giving joy to the Creator.
R. So what is the question?
S. Let me rephrase my question. Baal HaSulam writes that he has to receive pleasure from reward and give joy to the Creator but the stranger at the end of the day when he performs the commandant, he wants his reward. Why didn't he get that pleasure as a reward?
R. His intention, was it in order to receive or in order to bestow? He made efforts so his efforts are correct but his intention is not correct. That is why he does not receive a reward.
56. S. (01:46:58) This is so impossible the possibility of exiting the desire to receive. The more I try to exit the more it pulls me down and makes me bleed. What is the indication that I'm trying to give to my ten or to the group?
R. You are right, you are correct but we do not need to exit the will to receive, we just need to replace the intention. For whom are we working with the will receive, for our own sake or for the sake of the Creator? If it is for the sake of the Creator we rise to degree of the Creator if it is for our benefit than we bury ourselves.
S. What is the indicator to let me understand I'm working in the right actions, even though I'm bleeding but I'm going in the right direction?
R. The indication that you are going in the right direction is only in working in the group. There's no other way to check whether you are on the right track or not. Therefore after the desire was created, in order to bring the desire to sympathize with the Creator meaning with a force of bestowal, the desire was then shattered into many pieces and now it corrects itself with those pieces to be in order to bestow.
57. S. (01:53:26) Does a state of leaving for one day definitely causes you to leave for two days and if so, why?
R. Day isn’t day and night according to the sun and our rotation around the axis of the Earth, but it is a period that you disconnected from the Creator. So you’ll need to complete this period and know that bad part about you leaving and advance to a better state. Meaning you have the work of two days. You don’t completely lose the day, it comes back in a way that you’ll need to work and complete it.
58. S. (01:54:33) If you feel pleasures from the group, it's a sign that the Creator derives pleasure from you. Sometimes in the ten we enjoy the connection between us but how do you know it's not egoistic?
R. If it is aimed through the ten in order to reach the Creator, in order to give Him contentment, and that is possible if you want to give contentment to all your friends. By this you want to give commitment to the Creator. So it is the right direction.
59. S. (01:55:14) The article emphasizes that the will to receive controls the created being. How can the created being resist the will to receive and be strong enough to say I have faith in the sages?
R. Only through the group. One person cannot resist his will to receive. It is not built in such a way. We come out of the complete system that was shattered for us to correct it, and by correcting it we discover an extra force called the Creator, come and see. That is why our entire work is to find Him in the connection between us.