Reader: We are reading selected excerpts from the sources on the topic of Faithful To The Path: Following In The Footsteps Of Our Teachers, Excerpt Number Seven. You can find the study material in Svirat HaVa and Ahavut. You can ask questions there. Anyone asking a question here in the study hall should stand up, hold the microphone close to his mouth, and speak loudly and clearly.
Reading: (00:31) Excerpt No. 7. From the written agreement of the group of the sages of Egypt, among them the ARI, 1558
We, the undersigned, confess to tying a strong and tight connection of love and brotherhood and peace between us … as though we were one body, as though we were brothers from a father and a mother from pregnancy and birth our whole lives … And from now on, we, the undersigned, revoke any grievance that could in any way, shape, or form, cancel this strong connection we have made.
M. Laitman: Nice! Yes, that is from a written agreement of the group of the sages of Egypt. Are there questions about that?
Question (Petah Tikva Center): (01:51) It's interesting that they write it in retrospect, we have already attained that connection. They commit to keeping what they've attained.
M. Laitman: I guess that's the style, I don't know?
Student: We often try to write, or compel, ourselves into something we haven't attained. We still haven't attained the connection that will hold us in real connection, and today, in the preparation, we also dealt a little bit with this connection, on this point: What commitment do I have toward my friends? We also know that our commitment has to be connected, something that keeps our commitment. So, this point, this matter of committing ourselves is very difficult to do. on the one hand, a person can't make a commitment if he already understands that it's the Creator who should keep that commitment. But, yet, if he doesn't make that commitment on his own part, the Creator won't agree, so, how do we really get into a connection that is dependent on each other?
M. Laitman: I don't know how to tell you but, like it's written, with God's help.
Student: Well, that's the thing. So, we can really continue and hope that we will come to a degree where we attain our connection, to commit to a connection?
M. Laitman: Yes, the Creator is the one that is obligating.
Reading: (04:01) Excerpt No. 8 From the written agreement of the group of the sages of Egypt, among them the ARI, 1558
We have taken upon ourselves to all behave with love and brotherhood, and to care for each other’s honor as toward our own honor.
Reading: (04:25) Excerpt No. 9 Rav Chaim Vital, Shaar HaGilgulim, Introduction, 38
My teacher cautioned me and all the friends who were with him in that society to take upon ourselves the commandment to-do of “Love your neighbor as yourself,” and to aim to love each one from Israel as his own soul, for by this his prayer would rise comprising all of Israel and will be able to ascend and make a correction above. Especially, our love of friends, each and every one of us should include himself as though he is an organ of those friends. My teacher sternly cautioned me about this matter.
Question (Petah Tikva Center): (05:34) Can a person take responsibility and make efforts to commit to love the friends, to treat them with respect? But he's not responsible for how the friends will relate to him, or how the rest of the friends will relate to other friends in the Ten?
M. Laitman: Well, if he gives such an example to everybody, so from such examples, each one influences the friend.
Student: Because we're talking about a commitment of the Ten, not of one person.
M. Laitman: Yes?
Student: How can there be a commitment of a Ten? How can one person influence the whole Ten?
M. Laitman: By awakening the Ten, and pushing the friends also, his friends, that they will keep the same condition.
Student: If he still doesn't see it?
M. Laitman: So, what can you do?
Student: Example, prayer?
M. Laitman: Yes, example, of course, that's clear. What else?
Reading: (06:54) No. 10 From the written agreement of the disciples of the ARI with Rav Chaim Vital [after the passing of the ARI], 1575
We, the undersigned, have taken upon ourselves to be in one society to serve the Creator and to engage in His Torah [law] day and night, according to any instruction that our teacher, the Godly and complete sage, our teacher Rav Chaim Vital, instructs us. We will learn with him the wisdom of truth, and we will be faithful in spirit, covering everything that he might say to us, and we will not trouble him and implore him too much on matters that he does not wish to disclose to us. Nor will we reveal to another any secret from all that we will hear from his mouth in the path of truth, nor of anything that he had taught us in the past, or even what our great teacher had taught us, our great and honorable teacher Rav Isaac Luria Ashkenazi [the ARI], and even what we heard from our teacher, our great aforementioned Rav. We will not be able to reveal it without his permission, since we did not understand the matters except through him explaining them to us.
We accept this as a solemn oath with the consent of our great teacher Rav Chaim, and the continuation of this reception is from this day and for ten consecutive years. This was on the 12th of Av, Hey-Shin-Lamed-Hey [1575], here in Safed [Tzfat], and it is all valid and true.
Question (Petah Tikva Center): (09:36) If a group decides and agrees on it, and signs on it, what guarantees that they will not break it in the next moment?
M. Laitman: I don't know, everything comes from above.
Student: What is it for, it's just pretty words, we commit to?
M. Laitman: No, each one has a deed of commitment before him.
Student: At what point does the Creator come in? As you say, everything is from above, so, at what point does the Creator come in and hold us? So, we'll really realize that, it won't just be lip service?
M. Laitman: They are all turning together to the Creator and that's what they write, this is what they want to be in.
Student: This is true for the time of writing these words or maybe a few days forward but, eventually, it all dissipates.
M. Laitman: We don't know what's going to happen in the next moment. That's why we're turning to the Creator and we want Him to be responsible for this. We pass it on to Him. The force, the right to do it and everything.
Student: And what guarantees it He will be responsible? We only ask Him but where is the guarantee?
M. Laitman: You want Him to sign on it?
Student: Yes.
M. Laitman: So, ask for it. Ask.
Student: We're reading texts from hundreds of years ago, from different groups. What can we learn from this, if you look at the axis of history?
M. Laitman: That we want to resemble that same group that the ARI put together and look at what they're writing. That it'll be for us like a beam of light in the darkness.
Student: Because from here, you can learn that the Torah, the teaching is eternal, there's something that's fixed. It doesn't change, even the language doesn't.
M. Laitman: Yes.
Student: Was there a connection between the different groups?
M. Laitman: Different groups?
Student: Yes, all those groups, throughout history.
M. Laitman: I can't say that but the fact that they're all studying the same books, and almost all of them are keeping the same times, yes.
Question (Petah Tikva Center): (12:48) We see a direct connection between the constitution they wrote and what they said that only Chaim Vital can engage. It sounds a little personal for them because of what the ARI explained to them. I wanted to ask if we, Bnei Baruch, can also, what you received from Rabash and you're passing on to us. Can we also build the right relationship that we have to?
M. Laitman: Do it.
Student: Is it worthwhile, should we?
M. Laitman: What do you mean worthwhile? It's according to your desire.
Student: What does the constitution do to a group, if there is or there isn't a constitution in a group?
M. Laitman: Constitution is a piece of paper; the main thing is what you write on your heart.
Student: Yes, is it something we have to agree on together?
M. Laitman: Yes, of course.
Student: We, Bnei Baruch, at least in Petah Tikva, we've been divided into Tens and it feels like a big society was divided into Tens. Each Ten, should it build for itself this thing that they signed on the hearts of the Ten? Or is it better for the general society to say which is right?
M. Laitman: No, not general society, we need to learn from Baal HaSulam and Rabash's writings what correct means, that's it. We're not counting on any advice.
Question (Petah Tikva Center): (14:56) We read before that they have committed to love each other as if we were brothers from pregnancy and from birth. When a person says I commit to love the friends, by what force does he commit to such a thing? From what does he have the strength?
M. Laitman: In somewhat, he is connected to the idea and to the group that came before his environment, and he wants it to be that way.
Student: In other words, the word, committed, it?
M. Laitman: It already organizes him, directs him to be, to follow, some kind of image of a group that he sees before him. And that he follows that, as if he joins them.
Student: And this wanting to be like this, is that what it is? This wanting to be like this?
M. Laitman: Yes.
Student: What does it do with the realization that, from moment to moment, he'll be powerless, he'll have different desires in the next state?
M. Laitman: So, he counts on them in that case, too; that the Creator is watching over him by clothing in that same group and shining upon him.
Question (Petah Tikva Center): (17:03) In the excerpt we just read, the disciples make a solemn oath for ten years. In excerpt number four, the Ramchal disciples say that this study is not a vow, so they don't break a vow. It sounds contradictory, which is the right approach?
M. Laitman: I don't know, I wasn't in their place.
Student: If I understand, correctly, the fear in making a vow is that a person will break it and then he commits a sin.
M. Laitman: I do not know, you're asking me about some deeds.
Student: I'm trying to continue the scrutiny with the friends: What kind of commitment a person can take on himself or a Ten can?
M. Laitman: As much as he understands that he can.
Student: Should we say we're taking something on ourselves, even if we're not certain that we can stick with it?
M. Laitman: No, it'll be a lie.
Student: So, what's the meaning of writing those constitutions that they write?
M. Laitman: They wrote it for themselves, not for you.
Student: Yes, but, we too, want to write something for ourselves.
M. Laitman: Write it.
Student: So, when we write, should we jump into the water like Nachshon and guarantee that so and so?
M. Laitman: No, no. A commitment has to be serious.
Student: What is a serious commitment, something I feel that I can uphold?
M. Laitman: How much can you check yourself that you can hold it? So, let go of it.
Student: I don't understand, on the one hand, we want to increase our level of commitment all the time. And it's clear that our next level of commitment is beyond what I can keep, right now. But we want to aspire for it, so, it's not clear.
M. Laitman: So, take upon yourself every day, new conditions that are more difficult, that bring you closer to spirituality.
Student: Is this group work to phrase these conditions or should each one do it?
M. Laitman: No, you don't have to sit down and write and, it's the work in a person's heart.
Student: Personal?
M. Laitman: Personal.
Question (Petah Tikva Center): (20:08) About what he mentioned, that it's like brothers that were born from one mother. Would it be right to check the relationships and love in the Ten, compared to the love of my family and my children, can it be a right measurement?
M. Laitman: No, there is no such measurement, here.
Student: What love should I expect from the friends in the Ten? Because the love I know is love of this world. So, how to check my love, according to what?
M. Laitman: That you can be in any place instead of the friend.
Student: In everything we read today and yesterday, in the agreements of these groups, they warned not to tell anyone what they heard from their Rav. It's strange, I mean, I understand the wisdom of Kabbalah is a secret but who can even understand? I see if I tell anybody what I'm studying, how can it corrupt a person, you can't even? What's the corruption by telling something what they heard from the Rav? Why was it such a prohibition that they kept mentioning?
M. Laitman: Well, they were different people.
Question (PT 22): (21:38) What does it mean to accept the deed of love your friend as yourself? What can you really do for the friends?
M. Laitman: Basically, according to the definition, everything, everything.
Question (Women Rehovot): (22:06) What's the difference between a friend committing before the Creator and a Ten committing before the Creator?
M. Laitman: It's to the same extent, toward the friend or toward the whole group.
Reading: (22:52) No. 11 A letter of agreement of the disciples of Rabbi Avraham, the son of the Sayer from Mezeritch, 1777
We have bonded in our souls and spirits [Nefesh-Ruach-Neshama] to adhere to His attributes, purportedly, by wholeheartedly and willingly assuming the authority of the holiness of my teacher and Rabbi Avraham, son of the great Rav, the Holy Sayer from Ravna [the Sayer from Mezeritch] … and to be adhered to him … and every word he utters from his holy mouth, we must observe right away with true devotion, and by this he will elevate us on the ladder of God together in one unity with him … We ask … that as soon as this first connection for ransoming of the soul is given from our hands into the His Holiness, he will impart upon us from his holy spirit.
Reading: (24:13) No. 12. A letter of agreement of connection of friends established by Rabbi Feibush from Zbarez, author of the book Yosher Divrey Emeit [Sincerity, Words of Truth], a disciple of the Sayer from Mezeritch, 1780
The Lord has awakened our spirits and we have connected with a tight bond, so that our connection will exist in this world and in the next world, we have connected together to study the Six Orders of the Mishnah, and Tractates in this year, and to set each day times for the Torah. Anyone who is signed here has been tied together with his friend, so that each one has a share in his friend’s learning, and everyone is responsible for one another in this study. If one does not study, they will be divided in the portion of the sages to the next world in a way that he will observe all the conditions stipulated here.
Reading: (26:16) No. 13. Regulations for a society established by Rabbi Tzvi Elimelech of Medinov, 1883
For the individual to be in wholeness, how pleasant is the matter that is done in the assembly of friends, and to speak every issue for His name, to carry out unifications in the world, and at least in the assembly of a holy association of ten, who are aiming for the ten Sefirot, which is the full stature.
To this, we, the friends who are listening, having seen that the fencers of the fence are gone—namely our holy teachers who were the light of our eyes—therefore, we, the friends who are listening, have agreed today to gather our sacred group, demanders of truth and justice, who seek justice and humbleness, and who seek to return with all their hearts to Him in order to purify the afflictions of the soul. Every counsel we have agreed upon, we have written in the scroll of the book to be a book of remembrance for a time when we might complain before our Creator.
It will be before the eyes of our group to pray for each one in particular that the Creator will help him in the ways of thinking. When we have already come to the love of truth by agreement, as well as to pray for our whole group and all the other necessities in this world.
Not to disclose our secret and our thoughts to any person, and not to speak with him on matters of Torah and work, unless that person is already agreed upon by the members of our society that his heart is whole.
To practice ample admonition toward a friend so he will not be angry even at his kin.
Love of friends: to love all the members of our group with great love.
We have taken all this upon ourselves, without a vow, and thanks to this, we will be written and signed in the book of the living.
Question (Petah Tikva Center): (29:18) First of all, these excerpts are wonderful. They show that what we're doing today isn't different when what happened 500 years ago, 300 years ago, 200 years ago. It just gives us confidence that we're continuing the chain of the work of love of friends that was always there! But still, what's unique in our generation, what's different now, specifically? What's our role more precisely?
M. Laitman: To do what we need to do in our generation, meaning, we must be connected to each other and behave with each other as we should to give good and correct examples, each one to everyone. And in this way, each day to set examples to the friends, each friend toward the friends, and to learn, and to pray.
Student: Is it somewhat different from the ARI students, the Megid students?
M. Laitman: No, in the end, no, the conditions we're in are probably different. But it's not like we have to behave differently or accept them in a specific way, no.
Student: The difference in the conditions and the generation doesn't change the style of work?
M. Laitman: No.
Question (Petah Tikva Center): (31:21) A few things: First of all, we know that in the work, it should be new in our eyes every time. I can understand that in a moment of uplifting, a Ten writes an agreement, and then every day they look at that agreement and to see where every friend can see where he is before that agreement, it can serve us daily. If I understand, correctly, back then there weren't the Rabash writings in such a deep way how Rabash explains it. So, should the Ten write themselves the conditions that they want to work in love of friends? Or every day, to look at what Rabash wrote and use that as a way to check where my heart is? Is there even a point that a person writes it from themselves or the Ten?
M. Laitman: Yes, perhaps we need to write.
Student: Because today we're used to, I remember, I heard that in the past, we used to write something. We used to try and write such writings in the Tens but we're used to coming to the lesson and every day in the preparation to observe the writings that are about connection and love of friends and to try and warm our heart towards that state. Do you think that if I would write for myself, together with the Ten, write such a writing and then look at that. Would that help in my work, as opposed to just looking at what Rabash wrote?
M. Laitman: No, it wasn't customary in the days of Rabash and this is why I, too, don't make such things public, I don't advertise them.
Student: I see that there's a difference if I try to depict to myself that these groups were in that same city. The way the environment influenced them, they used to come to the same area, they were very close. Our generation, we’re people that come from all over the world. And the connection between us, we need the cohesiveness of the whole world to bring into here. So, I'm just stating that it can be that there's a big difference.
M. Laitman: There's a fundamental difference because, here, we truly are a collection, an assortment of many nations, and many forms of connection, and manners of societies, of all kinds. But, accordingly, we feel that our planet Earth is small and it doesn't really separate us. We all understand, everyone understands everyone, the same questions, the same problems, the same things.
Student: The last thing that I heard, what I felt during the time is that, me as a person, I don't believe in commitments in writing so much. But more of what a person can give of himself every day.
M. Laitman: Yes.
Student: That is truly what a person can commit to. That every day he can give a bit more and a bit more.
M. Laitman: You're right, you're right but what can you do? Still, we need to be in some way that is presentable to everyone.
Question (Petah Tikva Center): (36:08) What does a vow mean? Why is it important that every group, that it says without a vow?
M. Laitman: Because each group makes a commitment and feels that now it has to be obligated to each other.
Student: It's a type of a vow, isn't it?
M. Laitman: It doesn't matter what kind but that's the way it seems.
Student: Maybe, I don't understand, what they meant by a vow?
M. Laitman: I'm not sure how to translate a vow into English.
Student: Yes, a vow.
M. Laitman: Okay.
Student: Why is it written without a vow, why did they do it without a vow? Because they mention it again and again. That we'll do it without a vow.
M. Laitman: No, it's just a figure of speech, that when I say something, I say it ‘without a vow’. It's not something serious.
Question (Petah Tikva Center): (38:18) I think that, without a vow, it's supposedly, that I'm aware of my will to receive that can every moment break my vow. That's why I'm not giving a vow because we need an upper force to really stand the vow.
M. Laitman: Okay.
Student: And if I know that I can't really vow, we still want to have like this agreement of our own. That, by the way, we used to do it in the past, we used to write agreements of Bnei Baruch. And I've read them and I saw that there's no way I can keep them. So, it just gives us a line of things that we have to be in? Or are we really committed to be in them?
M. Laitman: Yes.
Student: So, is it a line or an obligation?
M. Laitman: It's a line, and in the end it's a commitment.
Student: Should it bring us to a state of a feeling of despair from our own forces, and then it can only happen with the help of the Creator?
M. Laitman: Only with the help of the Creator, that's for sure, but we want it to be so clear and existing, that it will come true.
Student: So, what is beneficial by making such an agreement again?
M. Laitman: I don't know, think, decide.
Question (Petah Tikva Center): (40:04) I don't want to confuse, so if I can ask also about the women's Tens.
M. Laitman: No, there's nothing to ask.
Question (Petah Tikva Center): (40:28) Yesterday, we read a few excerpts of this in the Ten. It awakened a lot of love, it was really, there was fire in the Ten, thanks to this. One of the things we got an impression of is that one of the groups just said before the Creator that even if one of the friends doesn't keep one of the conditions, so it won't harm the Ten. They didn't explain why but it sounded like they're ready to cover for anything a friend doesn't do. That they had such an Arvut, that it'll watch over them.
M. Laitman: Well, this is what they think.
Student: Yes, so the question is what does it mean to compensate for a friend where he doesn't do something, wholeheartedly?
M. Laitman: Exactly as you said, to compliment a friend in something, wholeheartedly.
Student: Now, if I attempt to do such an action but criticism and anger awakens in me, is that a correction? Is that a place for correction or is it natural and upon that I have to?
M. Laitman: It shows you how much you disagree.
Student: But it's a place for correction, it's not something I have to complete.
M. Laitman: Yes, yes.
Question (Petah Tikva Center): (42:04) Can we say that everything we read, here, is a foundation to go above reason?
M. Laitman: That's also true.
Student: A person sees his current state and his desired state, and then he?
M. Laitman: Yes.
Question (Petah Tikva Center): (42:24) First of all, there is a lot of scrutiny if we are able to keep the agreement or not? Also, yesterday when we read it, sometimes it seems like, and we were really inspired in the Ten. That it's less of the agreement but more of the letter of connection, a covenant, that is written between them after they already have some attainment. All these texts start from, let’s say, the Creator has lightened our souls and we connected in a tight connection. Or we connect in our Nefesh, Ruach Neshama, it all starts from a true spiritual, deep, strong, stable connection. And then they write the covenant, as we know for the future. So, what is the importance of what we're studying now? To try and find a way for us to write a covenant in our heart or to establish some agreement between us, there's a difference?
M. Laitman: I think a covenant.
Student: So, about that: The writing, these words we wrote, that it'll be as a memory when our heart becomes bitter before the Creator, it'll be in front of our eyes, and so on. Meaning, the covenant is something we can hold on to while there's a distance or a closeness?
M. Laitman: Yes.
Student: So, sometimes a person can, let's say, read such a text, or today we have more means than a text. Let's say, to watch a recording of this Ten that's very emotional, that’s something that really glued everyone together. So, it really depends on a person's state, how he comes to it. He can look at it and be full of criticism and just disregard it, that it’s all a lie. And, on the other hand, he can come and see it as something that just takes him out of the darkness and raises him up and brings him back to adhesion in the friends. So, how to work correctly with such a covenant because it depends on the state a person comes to the covenant with?
M. Laitman: I don't know, scrutinize it, scrutinize it.
Reader: (45:19) Announcements.