Morning Lesson January 20, 2024

Transcription is made from simultaneous translation, which leaves a possibility for differences in the audio.

Part 3:

Baal HaSulam. The Writings of the Last Generation Part One.

 (The paragraph starting at “I know there are ways…”)

Reading. (00:25) “I know there are ways to compel workers to complete...”

1. R. (01:40). In other words, the Communism that they built, that they could build, that they are building, through this revolution where capitalism should become a new regime. Does not give any answer to the strata, to the social statuses that suffer from everything. 

Reading. (02:20) “Had that compulsive government been step toward the…”

2. S. (03:29) Baal HaSulam writes that no training will turn an egoist into an altruist.

R. Correct, can’t we see it evidently?

S. But we say that all we need to do is educate a person, and Baal HaSulam says that through education, you cannot change a person.

R. But we are using the wisdom of Kabbalah.

S. What is the difference between education and Kabbalah?

R. The differences are that first of all, we are doing different operations on planet Earth, and we are joining in a special light that reforms from above.

S. What is a Kabbalistic education? For instance, if we're going to take people who were born and give them our method. What is the method of a Kabbalistic education that can turn an egoist into an altruist and a person will reach that?

R. It is that he, through learning and through connecting to others, draws the reforming light which influences them. In this way, they gradually advance toward understanding, feeling, and finally to doing, to executing, and carrying out.

S. What is the carrying out?

R. When they come into a new connection between them, helping one another.

S. So when they reach a connection between them the Creator is already there, and that’s the Kabbalistic education?

R. Yes, they want to return to the state that existed prior to the restriction and the breaking, the shattering. This is clear, right?

3. S. (05:53) The first people that started Communism, they were not idiots, right? 

R. Of course not.

S. They knew they were taking a few altruistic, they had an idea. And they’re going on the frustration of the oppressed. And they’re going to use them or exploit them in order to start a revolution. Did they really expect this public to go through education, that they thought it would help?

R. I disagree with you, I don't understand what you're saying.

S. Did they expect that the general, oppressed public will go through education and become altruists? That their nature would change?

R. Yes, why not?

S. How did they think education could change an egoistic nature?

R. No because there is the reforming light here.

S. No, for us, yes. Sorry, I will say it again.

R. What regime, what society are you thinking about that they couldn't shift into a corrected society?

S. If I understand correctly, Baal HaSulam is explaining what happened and saying where the mistake was. 

R. Yes.

S. So I'm asking, was that really a mistake, or did they think they could actually change human nature?

R. There were those among them who wanted to change human nature. It was clear to them that without changing human nature, they wouldn't be able to do anything. But there were those who thought it would come over time, “what the intellect does not do, time does.” In this way, they would gradually come closer to the necessity to bring the force of bestowal between them.

S. They thought that really by force and coercion they could cause people to become altruistic?

R. By coercion because that’s the form of people who begin. Who comes into the future society. But afterward, gradually, to the extent that they absorbed, to the extent that they change through such operations. They can already begin to change the order of laws between them, so it is not, it is no longer through pressure or oppression, through blows, but through explanation.

S. So they probably, really thought they could change human nature?

R. I think they not only believed but they really had something powerful in their hands. The only problem is that, well, there are several things to say about this. But the bottom line is that they thought that first it would be done by force. And afterward, because there was no choice, and they begin to force themselves to connect, we will bring them into a connection that is voluntary. That was done by recognizing it.

S. Now let's go of them for a second, and let's go to Baal HaSulam approach.

R. Yes.

S. We are saying that there are a few people who yearn to reach connection with the Creator. And the light works on them, this is our method, of the Tens, the lights, and so on.

R. It is one good group of people, each of whom wants to come to connection with the Creator. Not that they want to be connected among themselves. And not that they want something else, only connection with the Creator. The revelation of the Creator is what hurts them.

S. And he’s saying we organize them in a way that in their connection, they will find the connection with the Creator.

R. Yes.

S. They will understand that they cannot do it otherwise, that's the direction. So now, how do we pass this to the world, to humanity, this message?

R. How should we do this? You’re asking?

S. Yes, how will this spread to humanity?

R. We have to teach humanity how our society, our egoistic society, and our individualistic society each gradually be inverted, be incarnated into a new society. So, what are we lacking? We are lacking, first of all, the revelation of the nothingness of our own strength to do anything good. We have to discover that our attraction is only to each one wanting to be king. That we are egoistic and that in order to come to a good world, we have to educate the entire world or part of it. That there is nothing better than altruism. Today, there are preparations for it, seemingly, from nature’s side. From the side of society, we can already see that nothing can come out because the society is egoistic. Everyone is an absolute egoist, but from the side of nature, we cannot do anything because our nature is uncompromising. That's how He created us, and that's it. Therefore, what we have to do is educate ourselves, artificially, yes, so as to reveal the force in nature that is the force of bestowal.

S. But the opposite of that failing communistic experience, there has to be some ripeness that people will want this change.

R. They did it through terrorism, we want to do it through education.

S. But, also, education, the educator has to want to be educated.

R. This is why we, the part of humanity that suffered the most, on the one hand. On the other hand, it has the intellect and the feeling that is not less and even more than the rest of humanity that do want, after all the suffering they suffered in all the events they will want to exit that state, to emerge from it.

S. So, if we look today, that’s our world Kli. This is those who want to make a change with themselves.

R. Yes?

S. How do we expand it, how does it become bigger? What’s the next stage that we need, what ripeness is there in humanity to get to another stage of this?

R. We thought it could be done by building a small communal settlement, like Kibbutzim for example. And in them, to show the ability to advance, to demonstrate it. We saw that it was not it wasn't working, this is number one. Number two, we are not really seeing masses of people who want to learn and to try to experiment with the wisdom of Kabbalah, as the secret to a new life. In other words, we are still in a state where we don't have before us. There is a way ahead of us but it's still the forces of nature, the forces of society, are not pressing us to take some action that is quick or decisive.

S. We see that the world today, not only Israel but the whole world things are shaken up. We feel that the world is on the verge of a war or a dramatic change. 

R. Well?

S. And a big mass feels it already, maybe I'm mistaken.

R. Yes, yes.

S. A lot of places that are not unstable. 

R. Yes, yes.

S. So, what does it demand of us? What confidence or invitation can we invite people as supposed to what is awakening in the world?

R. What state it is in, we need to explain to the world what state it is in. And that emerging from it can either be through a world war or by taking upon ourselves a new law which the wisdom of Kabbalah says.

S. So to keep explaining the gap between the two?

R. We used to have a desire, the strength to build some communal business, engagement, and development. And to have it as a kind of example for the whole country. Today we already see that this is unrealistic both on the legal side and from the perspective of society, the general, society meaning the people. And also, because it will not convince anyone. On the other hand, we can all agree with this communal plan or program. But we, there is still no one to rise up and do. There is no one to decide on it, to pull. In other words, time is still, we see that there is a war, there are climate problems, and other things. But all in all, these are things that people don't see the end. This is why they cannot begin; they cannot decide finally what they need.

S. So maybe we can have like a virtual business, communal, virtual business. Because there are no limitations there? Like a virtual environment that everyone will want to be in.

R. By all means, it is called a virtual university, call it that. By all means, no one will stop you, why not? Go ahead, from this moment onward, start!

4.S. (20:54) Kabbalists are usually very realistic, they speak about practical things, according to experience. And you look at the world, Communism didn't bring any good things, only trouble, and destruction. 

R. Yes, a graveyard.

S. So why is Baal HaSulam even mentioning it as something ideal that I have to aspire to if we see that everything that happened from that was only bad?

R. No, he says that Capitalism, if you correct it, let’s say, it becomes Communism. It is not talking about Communism in the way egoistic people dreamed about it. But it's impossible because changing human nature, we see we can do it, but we cannot even approach it. Even those who want to change themselves need to go through, to work on it with all their might and even above their might.

S. So how should we relate to this text we are reading?

R. I don't see there is in it a method other than what we already learned several times. We cannot find more than that, anything beyond that in this. Therefore, do you have anything to say? 

5. S. (22:46) The question is how Baal HaSulam connects to Communism if only bad came out. So, he says in the Nation newspaper that the last stage of human development is that we will live a communal life. Meaning the Kabbalistic ideal and Communistic ideal have the same result. And the last stage of development we’ll reach, that’s what Marx said. That’s why Baal HaSulam connects them because it’s the same ideal. What Marx said is let’s do it right away, he gave all kinds of reasons not to wait for nature to bring us and that doesn't work. As Baal HaSulam says, without the Creator it will not work. That’s the problem.

R. In other words, if we pray hard then from the Creator some new network of relationships will come down on us and then we will be new kids.

S. Ask yes, but eventually, until we don't change our nature until we don't reach the Creator's nature. That’s with the upper One’s help. Meaning there's this natural way things happen that a person in corporeality cannot understand or know.

R. Yes.

6. S. (24:15) According to the laws of nature, if we put people in a classroom of Kabbalah, forcefully. Let's say some totalitarian regime decided, we're going to start teaching people Campus One, Freedom of Choice, and Perception of Reality. Could that correct people if we do it by force?

R. No, I think they will become worse.

S. Gradually, an appetite will not come with the meal, as we say, it won't happen.

R. Why should I want to be better?

S. Well, not better, let’s say learn about the influence of society.

R. Well, some people say.

7. S. (25:12) What will we have to add to education so it will change an egoistic nature into an altruistic nature, what’s the addition that’ll help it happen?

R. I don't know, I think that people need to see their future as if we are falling on the sun. And the time will come when we will burn, all of us. And who will not burn? Those who come to the force of bestowal. There's a place where we learn how to acquire the force of bestowal and then we will fly out from planet Earth, or maybe save it! This is what we can offer but other than that.

8. S. (26:42) There's another problem: Baal HaSulam gave an example that not only through terror, but the Kibbutzim performed that ideal of a communitive society. I mean they lived according to that but one generation or two generations after, it ended.

R. Yes.

S. And if we are speaking about us, let's say, we have realized our principles here. How do we know this will not stop after a few generations? How can it be sustained; new egoists will come and education will not help.

R. You are right, yes.

S. So what should we do?

R. What do we do? There’s nothing we can do but quietly work toward the cemetery.

S. What about the children?

R. Children, who told you to have children? That's good, these points are good. We need to awaken more of them and open them up. But now in the meantime, gladly for the upcoming convention.