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

Daily Morning Lesson: June 11, 2025 

Part 1: Recorded lesson – Oct 2, 2021 – Baal HaSulam, Shamati 6. What Is Support in the Torah, in the Work?

Reader: Hello everyone, we are learning from the writings of Baal HaSulam, Article 6, Shamati, What is Support in the Torah in the Work? You can find this in the Arvut system and on our site. You can also ask questions through the chat and the questions will be answered during the course of the lesson. Article 6, What is Support in the Torah in the Work?

M. Laitman Introduction: (00:28) Yes, it is just that several people approached me a few days ago, and it's actually not the first time. They approached me and asked to learn the articles of Shamati in order so we can, at least, go over them once. So we will have a clear and agreed-upon basis in the uniform understanding. So, that on that basis we will be able to relate to the purpose of life and the purpose of creation, to our development in a uniform way, so that it will collect us and connect us and we will be able to advance more toward our goal. 

Therefore, we will try, each day, to go over an article or part of an article depending on how long it is, from Shamati until we go over all of them. Of course, there is a lot of material before us. There are long articles of Baal HaSulam that have to do with science, the perception of reality; there is Zohar. There is a lot of material, we have the study of the Ten Sefirot (TES). We have these mountains – these high mountains in the horizon – but advancing towards them has to be with the right tools so that when we come to them, we will know why and how to approach them. How to relate to them, how to study them, and what vessels within us we need to fill up with this material when we reach them. 

In the meantime, we have the articles of Shamati ahead of us. It is certain that you have already read all of them or most of them, but reading together is something else. If we read it together and together means that we yearn for one purpose, understand that it is unattainable alone, but only together. Therefore, our efforts are toward connection, on top of the material of the article. We should not leave the connection between us and along with the connection, we go into the article; otherwise, the result will be far less effective, far less powerful than it should be. Go ahead. 

Reading: (03:41) Shamati Article 6. What Is Support in the Torah, in the Work?

“When one learns Torah and wants all his actions to be in order to bestow,”

M. Laitman: By which he equalizes with the Creator.

Reading cont.: one must try to always have support in the Torah. Support is considered nourishment, which is love, fear, elation, and freshness and so on.

M. Laitman: This is what sustains him and directs him toward the Creator, toward adhesion with the Creator.

Reading: One should extract all this from the Torah, meaning the Torah should give him these results.

M. Laitman: In other words, learning Torah means we have to accept all those love, fear, elation, freshness, so we will have it when we turn toward the Creator.

Reading: However when one learns Torah and does not have these results, it is not considered Torah since Torah refers to the light clothed in the Torah,

M. Laitman: This light should give us these feelings, this relation to reality, to the Creator, to the society, to everything, everyone. If we study and it doesn't open our hearts, our feelings, our minds—brings us closer to the society and through the society to the Creator, then we are probably not learning Torah.

Reading: As our sages said, I have created the evil inclination and I have created the Torah as a spice. This refers to the light in it since the light in it reforms him.  

M. Laitman: What we said, that it is love, fear, elation, and freshness etc.—all of those are results of the light that influences as we learn. If we don't have these results from the study, then there is no light during the study and it is probably that we are not learning Torah. We can read and we can know what is written; we can be very astute in this, intellectually clever. But it doesn't create changes in us and this is why it's not considered learning Torah, but knowledge.

Reading: (06:45) We should also know that the Torah is divided into two discernments: 1)Torah, 2) Mitzva [commandment]. In fact, it is impossible to understand these two discernments before one is awarded walking in the path of the Creator by way of “The counsel of the Lord is with those who fear Him.” This is so because when one is in a state of preparation to enter the Creator’s palace, it is impossible to understand the path of truth.

However, it is possible to give an example that even a person in the preparation period can somewhat understand. It is as our sages said (Sutah 21): Rabbi Yosef said, ‘A Mitzva protects and saves while practiced. The Torah protects and saves both when practiced and when not practiced.’

The thing is that, when practiced, refers to when one has some light. One can use this light that he obtained only while the light is still with him, as now he is in gladness because of the light that shines for him. This is discerned as a Mitzva, meaning that he has not yet been rewarded with the Torah, but elicits a life of Kedusha, holiness, only from the light.

This is not so with the Torah: When one attains some way in the work, one can use the way he has attained even when he is not practicing it, that is, even while he does not have the light. This is so because only the illumination has departed from him, but he can use the way that he attained in the work even when the illumination leaves him.

Still, we must know that while practiced, a Mitzva is greater than the Torah when not practiced. When practiced means that now one receives the light. This is called, practiced, when one receives the light in it.

Hence, while one has the light, a Mitzva is more important than the Torah when one has no light, meaning when there is no vitality of the Torah. On one hand, the Torah is important because one can use the way one has acquired in the Torah. On the other hand, it is without vitality, called, light. In a time of Mitzva one does receive vitality, called, light. Therefore, in this respect, a Mitzva is more important.

Thus, when one is without vitality, he is considered wicked, since now he cannot say that the Creator leads the world in a manner of The Good Who Does Good. This is called that he is called, wicked, since he condemns his Maker, as now he feels that he has no vitality, and has nothing to be glad about so he can say that now he thanks the Creator for giving him delight and pleasure.

One cannot say that he believes that the Creator leads His guidance over others in a manner of good and doing good, since we understand the path of Torah as a sensation in the organs. If one does not feel the delight and pleasure, what does it give him that another person has delight and pleasure?

If one had really believed that Providence is revealed as good and doing good to his friend, that faith should have brought him delight and pleasure from believing that the Creator leads the world with a guidance of delight and pleasure. If it does not bring him vitality and joy, what is the benefit in saying that the Creator does watch over his friend with a guidance of good and doing good?

The most important is what one feels in one’s own body—whether he feels good or bad. A person enjoys his friend’s pleasure only if he enjoys his friend’s benefit. In other words, we learn that with the sensation of the body, the reasons are not important. It is only important if he feels good. In that state, he says that the Creator is, good and does good. If one feels bad, he cannot say that the Creator behaves with him in a manner of good and doing good. Thus, precisely if he enjoys his friend’s happiness, and receives high spirits from this, and feels gladness because his friend feels good, then he can say that the Creator is a good leader.

If one has no joy, he feels bad. Thus, how can he say that the Creator is good and does good? Therefore, a state where one has no vitality and gladness is already a state where he has no love for the Creator and ability to justify his Maker and be happy, as is appropriate with one who is granted with serving a great and important King.  

M. Laitman: I think that we should try to understand the article thus far – and the other half we will study it in another lesson. What is your impression? Should we read like this, or in a different way, or maybe go piece by piece, according to questions and answers? Or should I maybe should try to explain? It's difficult for me to explain without questions and answers because I don't know how you feel about the article, how you see it. First of all, tell me, what is your impression? Is it easier to listen in this way or should we divide it into shorter pieces?

Question (PT 10): (15:19) You said to approach the article from connection. That if not for connection, the article, we can't receive it. How to hold onto this, maintain it?

M. Laitman: We have to constantly see how we accept the article with a common heart and a common ear. And how it can affect us, when we try to be connected. And how the article affects us when we want to be connected – when we want to relate to the Creator who connects us – like that.

Question (Latin 1): (16:15) On one hand, you asked about learning the articles in small portions, and I feel so, yes? On the other hand, what do you mean when we we’re talking about the happiness of the friend, here? Is this joy like a child has? What kind of joy is spoken about, here?

M. Laitman: I am speaking about the joy from learning the articles and trying to connect in order to understand them because if we don't connect, we won't understand the essence of the article. Because, then, all we will get from the article is knowledge or intellect. But if we want to get the reforming light, we have to be connected among us. In other words, there is a source, a higher source which influences us. If we are separate as after the breaking of Adam HaRishon and we are separated pieces. It influences us with knowledge on each and everyone. If we try to connect among us, then it influences the effort to connect. And then by organizing the connection between us then we feel the Torah; in other words, our process of advancement toward the light, towards the Creator.

So, here it is very important how we learn: By connecting among us and then we are learning Torah. Or by each one, with his own intellect, according to his own intellect, and then we are learning knowledge, this is the main point. The articles of Shamati are especially in order to learn Torah, meaning the reforming light. Because if we exert to be connected together the light influences our efforts from above and creates a connection between us. To the extent of the connection between us, we begin to feel the spiritual system between us, the connections between us which are already called, attaining. The connection and love and in it—we feel the upper force – the Creator, which in this way, builds in us a corrected vessel. According to the building of the vessel, He is revealed there.

Student: Maybe there is a mistake in the translation. I meant that this part Baal HaSulam writes, that Rabash told us about, it says that someone has to look for the joy in his friend. What joy are we looking for in the friend?

M. Laitman: I'm not exactly sure what you mean. I don't know. Where is it written that we have to look for?

Reader: It is in the middle here, it’s written that, specifically, If he enjoys that his friend has good, he receives upliftment from this and receives joy that his friend feels good, that he can say that the Creator is a good leader. The friend is asking here, what is this about feeling joy for the friend and so on?

M. Laitman: It is when I want to see the friends happy and that makes me happy, too. Perhaps, I am in the opposite state, but if I look at them and I see that they do feel the Creator as good then I connect to them in order to justify the Creator. Then, I too enter that good, as well.

Question (Africa): (21:16) Reading the articles, paragraph by paragraph, when you explain the paragraph, I think that probably is the best way to learn.

M. Laitman: Okay, we will take it into consideration.

Question (Hungarian-Polish): (21:45) I agree with the friend, that this article has a thought that needs to explain a process and is very emotional and practical. Your input at each and every paragraph will be really important because we can get completely lost in so many discernments, one after the other, and some even are completely new. I wanted to say thank you for the friends who came to see you to ask for this systemic review.

M. Laitman: Okay, I got it.

Question (W INFO): (22:42) What is Torah and what are Mitzvot, according to the article?

M. Laitman: The Mitzvot, commandments, are actions by which we get closer to the Creator. For every such move closer, we have to get reforming light, first of all. And, through it, get closer, and according to our approaching, we receive, within us, inner light, understanding, attainment in the Creator. This is the commandment, when we take actions step-by-step, which bring us closer to the Creator. And then we feel how we are marching along the way, that is on one hand. On the other hand, the Torah is called the general light that reforms meaning promotes us, we have Torah and Commandments. And besides, we have the learning itself which is unrelated to the spiritual advancement but only to knowing that it is written in the books, in the articles. 

A person learns according to the point in his heart, according to his disposition towards the purpose of life. If it worries him, he advances, and if it doesn't worry him, then he is not learning Torah, he is just learning knowledge. There is a difference if you are learning Torah or knowledge and it does not really depend on the person, but on the root of his soul. If his inner point in the heart shines, burning, then he needs the Torah. And if the point still is not burning, then he is learning philosophy, he is learning a certain approach, he is learning knowledge, information. This is a big difference between people who approach both life and all the teachings, and especially the wisdom of Kabbalah. Because many people come to the wisdom of Kabbalah out of curiosity, but those who stay in it are those who really want to get closer to the meaning of life, essence of life, to reveal the Creator. Those, for whom, it's not important—the essence of life, the purpose of life, why we live—they are just happy knowing about the systems, about the knowledge, the philosophy about what is happening, psychology, they kind of circle it. 

In short, each one is drawn, in the end, according to the desire in his heart. We normally see it in people who come to us. Those who stay with us are those who have no choice. They cannot leave because they cannot—through any other method – philosophical, psychological, historical, geographical, you name it—they can't satisfy their inner desire in the heart and that desire demands of them to know, what am I living for? That is why they stay, and the rest although they were good friends of ours at the time, they feel they have more of an inclination to other things, things that are seemingly close to the wisdom of Kabbalah, to history, geography, religion, and other things, so they leave, that’s it. We will go to read the article again, let's see what's happening; try to, afterwards, try to ask afterwards according to what we will read. I recommend that you erase, switch off all of the questions and ask only according to what we will read, now.

M. Laitman Reading: (28:11) Article Number 6, What What Is Support in the Torah, in the Work?

When one learns Torah and wants all his actions to be in order to bestow.

M. Laitman: Which is already his direction, he already knows that this is so, that this is what he wants. 

M. Laitman Reading: One must try to always have support in the Torah.

M. Laitman: Meaning support. 

M. Laitman Reading: Support is considered nourishment which is love, fear, elation, freshness, and so on. 

M. Laitman: They help him because they are a result of the correct learning. 

M. Laitman Reading: One should extract all of this from Torah, from learning, meaning the Torah should give him these results. 

M. Laitman: Of love, fear, elation, and freshness, and so on. If something is not clear, you can ask.

M. Laitman Reading: (29:17) However, when one learns Torah and does not have these results, it is not considered Torah since Torah refers to the light clothed in Torah.

M. Laitman: What does it mean that I'm learning Torah? When I hope that in what I read or hear there is some inner force that influences me and changes me. It opens my heart, opens my mind; it directs me to feeling the inner force of creation. And that I will feel this mainly in the heart because the heart is my feelings and man is emotion. We are only a desire to receive, so for my will to receive to open up and be more sensitive to all the influences from learning Torah. The more that I am connected to the friends, I seemingly, want to emerge from my ego, expand my tools of perception. And the more I want to receive from learning the source of the Torah, the upper light, in developing my vessel, my heart, through connection with the friends and in drawing the upper light on me through learning what I am reading. I create a meeting between my desire that has been expanded through the friends and the upper light which I draw through Torah. In this way, I begin to work on myself.

M. Laitman Reading: (31:32) However, when one learns Torah and does not have these results, it is not considered Torah since Torah refers to the light clothed in the Torah. In other words, as our sages said, I have created the evil inclination; I have created the Torah as a spice. This refers to the light in it since the light in it reforms him.

M. Laitman: In other words, this is what I intend: I am aiming for the upper force or through my preparation in connection with the friends, and by yearning for this upper force, what do I want? I want it to open up my desires and the friends' desires, connect us, give us an expanded vessel. And, in this vessel, we will begin to feel all kinds of phenomena. By this, I emerge from myself and I will stop being afraid of losing myself, what will come of my ego. On the contrary, I will rise above it and connect with the general, the common desire. Let's say, from my Ten to the Creator.

M. Laitman Reading: (33:03) We should also know that the Torah is divided into two discernments: Torah and Mitzva, commandment. In fact, it is impossible to understand these two discernments, Torah and commandment, before one is awarded walking in the path of the Creator by way of “The counsel of the Lord is with those who fear Him.”

M. Laitman: In other words, before we take a few steps forward, we cannot understand the difference between the Torah and the commandment.

M. Laitman Reading: This is so because when one is in the state of preparation, and we are in preparation with you, to enter the Creator's palace. 

M. Laitman: The place where we feel what is the upper light, who we are, and what is the difference between us, each one in the group where we are.

M. Laitman Reading: it is impossible to understand the path of the Torah, the truth, impossible. 

M. Laitman: Therefore, we do this gradually; However, it is possible to give an example, says Baal HaSulam. That even when a person is in the preparation period, he can still somewhat understand even though we still don't feel what is the light of Torah according to our connection or how we receive it. We expand more, connect more, the light influences more. When we fold a little bit, the light influences less, or the other way around – when the light influences us, we open up, when it influences less, we kind of fold in. It is when a person is in a state of preparation to enter the Creator's palace, where he is before the lights, before the Creator, it is impossible to understand the path of truth. We are still relatively in the dark, we don't know the reason for everything that is happening to us and how we through our operations draw the light in this way or another way.

M. Laitman Reading: (35:30) However, it is possible to give an example: That even a person in a preparation period, we can still learn something from it, can somewhat understand. As our sages said, how do we learn these things? According to what they said, Rabbi Yosef said: A commandment protects, saves, and saves while practiced. The Torah protects and saves when practiced and when not practiced. 

M. Laitman: In other words, that’s the difference between the Torah and the Mitzva, commandment. The commandment is a certain light that operates and while it operates, we can use it. The Torah is the general light that shines on us, covers us, wraps us, envelopes us, and accordingly, we also operate. So, which is more important? He is telling us that 

M. Laitman Reading: when practiced, he is talking about the Torah, which refers to when one has some light that shines on him a little bit, he feels it. One can use this life that he obtained only while the light is still with him. Because now he is in joy because the light shines on him, and this is called, commandment, Mitzva. 

M. Laitman: Meaning when the light shines and we feel it, and accordingly are happy, this is called commandment. Meaning he has not yet been rewarded with Torah, but he has his general feeling and it doesn't matter what state he is in.

M. Laitman Reading: But the commandant is something concrete, which now shines, and therefore it sustains him. Only from the illumination he brings out liveliness of Kedusha. Rather Torah, he attains some way in the work, then this that he attains he can make use of it even in a time when he is not practicing it.”

M. Laitman: Meaning, even when he is in, let’s say in zero – in darkness – in any case that same light that he had now too in some manner is in him, although not like it was. And in this it holds and maintains him and, in any case, he doesn't lose his way. 

M. Laitman Reading: Meaning, even at a time when he does not have this illumination, he still holds onto the way. And this is because only the illumination has departed him, that the way he has acquired in the work, he can make use even when the illumination leaves him. 

M. Laitman: So, it is like we are driving in the street, we have our lights, we're driving in the darkness, everything is fine. But let's say we don't have lights, there is no illumination. But we know that there is a path, there is a way, and the problem is with me and not the path. Then, in any case, I make an effort to progress somehow so that I don't lose connection with the path. This is called that, I am still in the aspect of Torah. This, that it illuminates to me in the time of action, of practice, this is called a commandment, a Mitzva. That which I lose – the light – and I'm still able to progress, this is called, that I am in the aspect of Torah. Then he continues:

M. Laitman Reading: (39:53) Still, we must know that while practiced, a Mitzva is greater than the Torah when not practiced. Meaning, when practiced, means that now one receives the light when he practiced. This is called, practiced, when one receives the light in it. Hence, while one has the light that illuminates to him, it is more important than the Torah when one has no light. Thus, the Mitzva, when his illumination is more important than Torah, when he has no illumination.