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

Daily Lesson (Morning) October 17, 2024.

Part 2: Sukkot – Selected Excerpts from the sources.

Reader: We're reading selected excerpts from the sources on the topic of Sukkot. The study material is on Sviva Tova and the Arvut system. You can also ask questions. Anyone who's asking questions in the study hall, please hold the mic close to your mouth and speak clearly and loudly. Excerpt number one, on the topic of the Sukkah.

Reading: (00:29) Sechach [Thatch] 1. RABASH, Article No. 284, “I Have a Minor Mitzva [commandment], Whose Name Is Sukkah” - Twice.

Sukkah comes from the word Sechach [thatch], which covers the mind, since faith is considered specifically above reason.

Question (Petah Tikva Center): (01:22) What reality could there be above reason?

M. Laitman: I don't know, but all of the spiritual reality is above reason.

Student: He writes, and we also read in the previous article that the person's hand can't touch.

M. Laitman: Yes, that's right. He's speaking about a regular person, but whoever wants to attain it, to reach it in his faith, to go above reason, so he can come there? 

Student: How, at the time when a person is still not in above reason, how can he depict to himself where he wants to reach? What is the outcome of his efforts?

M. Laitman: I don't know, but a person who wants to reach faith above reason has to depict to himself that there's a state above his reason, and he accepts it. According to that, he wants to work, to exist, to connect to the others, and so on.

Student: In every place Kabbalists write that the person has no existence there, that he is the absolute zero. He himself does not exist there.

M. Laitman: We're above reason?

Student: Yes.

M. Laitman: I don't know what you mean. I don't know. The truth is that a person reaches it. There are people that raise themselves to faith above reason.

Student: Meaning, it's imperceptible?

M. Laitman: Right. 

Student: So how can we ask for a reality that's imperceptible? 

M. Laitman: You have to ask for faith that it will be above reason. Next, Reader. 

Reader: Excerpt two.

Reading: (04:17) 2. RABASH, Letter No. 36

The thatch is the shadow of faith, called “faith above reason.” This is opposite to reason, for reason brings him into waste, to barn, and to winery.

That is, from the perspective of reason, the way the corporeal eyes see it, there is room for waste of barn and winery. This in itself makes a shadow, and he sits under it. That is, he makes for himself a seat out of all those lowest and worst things, and through the waste observes the Mitzva (commandment) of Sukkah.

Most importantly, he derives joy from this Mitzva because faith above reason is called “joy of Mitzva.” It follows that all the quandaries and questions that exist in reality are corrected in the Sukkah, for without them it is impossible to make a thatch.

Question (Petah Tikva Center): (07:24) What does it mean to, through the waste, to observe the Mitzvah of Sukkah? 

M. Laitman: You build a Sukkah from the waste of wine and barnery. 

Student: What is that work of waste between us? 

M. Laitman: You calculate what you have in the work and what the waste is from it. 

Student: We know that the heart-to-heart connection between us is important, the friends are important, the greatness of the goal. If that's not important enough, is that called waste which I need to build from that a thatch? Does it depend on my importance? What is this waste that we reveal?

M. Laitman: What do you think? 

Student: I'm asking, I don't know. 

M. Laitman: A person, throughout his work, reaches a state that only above reason he can perform an action. The action of the thatch of the Sukkah, the cover above his head, and from that, he has happiness. 

Question (Petah Tikva Center): (10:34) Rabash writes about a Mitzvah of sitting in the Sukkah. Is that a remedy for bringing us to above reason? 

M. Laitman: Yes.

Question (Petah Tikva Center): (11:01) What turns waste into a thatch? What action? 

M. Laitman: The actions a man does, that he hears the Creator, the will of the Creator, and performs it in faith above reason. And in this way, he raises the thatch, the waste of barn and winery to the degree above his head.

Student: It sounds as if in every state that we go through in reality, we need to first oppose it, resist it, not agree with it, because if we do, it enters the vessels of reception. And then, what is the place for action? What does it mean to go above reason?

M. Laitman: A person doesn't want to perform actions within reason and he raises himself above reason. So there, he can do it all.

Student: Where do we act? In what field do we act? And what do we need to do? So that it's considered that a person elevates himself above reason.

M. Laitman: In all the commandments. 

Student: Should we resist receiving within reason everything, or doing within reason everything?

M. Laitman: It's not. You don't have a commandment to resist everything. 

Student: Yes, but then, just like earlier we read, it's to be satisfied with little, or to be satisfied with what does reveal, and the answer to the prayer, and then the person feels okay. He doesn't really have a need to exert more.

M. Laitman: You're searching for something good?

Student: No, I'm seeking for where's the correct exertion. 

M. Laitman: The exertion is above reason.

Student: I know. Let's say I succeed to understand what does it mean to not receive within reason, but I don't succeed to understand where do I exert above reason.

M. Laitman: In every commandment you have an opportunity to work above reason.

Student: Does it depend on the importance of the connection with the Creator, with the goal? 

M. Laitman: Yes. Yes. 

Question (Petah Tikva Center): (14:23) A question about exertion. At the beginning of the path, the exertion, without a doubt, it's much harder. When we read the previous article, I really felt that someone gave the whole path that I went through. Does it work out that it's harder for me to? Does exertion become harder as we progress? Because we need to seek the exertion. So, does it actually become harder because we need to do more and more effort? 

M. Laitman: Yes.

Student: So, at any stage it never becomes natural, right? 

M. Laitman: No.

Student: Or does it need to become natural?

M. Laitman: No. Okay, no.

Student: Because I saw that yesterday I spoke with the friends about childhood, and I spoke with a friend from childhood, and it's a lady who cares about me. All day long I'm with the Ten, and with the articles, and with the sources, and in a lesson, and then I discovered how much we're distant from each other. And at some point, I thought maybe I need to exert here to return, or maybe to try to bring it to her, or I don't know, or maybe the exertion is just toward the Creator.

M. Laitman: Exertion is towards the Creator.

Student: I understand. Thank you.

Question (Petah Tikva Center): (16:19) I'm going to read Excerpt No. 5, because I think it's going to give answers to a lot of things. 

M. Laitman: We didn't get there yet.

Student: I understand, but I feel it gives an answer to what a lot of friends are asking here. I can also give a physical example on what is a thatch of a sukkah.

M. Laitman: Well.

Student: I asked from a reader, but I'll read it. 

Reading: (16:52) 5. RABASH, Letter No. 12b

A Sukkah means thatch, which is the waste of barn and winery. A thatch is called “shade,” and shade is called “concealment of the face.” In order not to have the bread of shame, we have room for work, meaning that we can engage in Torah and Mitzvot although we feel no flavor or vitality. Naturally, afterwards we can receive the vitality and not blemish the gift, meaning that the gift will not be blemished due to the shame that is present in the receiver.

Student: I'll give a very simple example from our Ten now during Sukkot, from now in Sukkot. I said I invited my friends in the Ten to my Sukkah at home and another friend built a Sukkah and also wanted to invite the friends there to have a Yeshivat there, gathering of friends, and I said if that's a situation so I concede my pleasure, it's seemingly, it's for my will to receive, so I concede that pleasure and go to bestow. Thank you.

M. Laitman: You're taking apart your Sukkah? 

Student: Because that's made in the will to receive and not in the will to bestow. So, the Creator is giving me that pleasure. 

M. Laitman: Okay, that's your calculation.

Student: That's clear. 

Question (Petah Tikva Center): (18:26) If we return to the excerpt that we read, he said that all the difficulties, all the questions that are in reality in the world, they become corrected in the Sukkah, meaning all the deficiencies, all the difficulties that awaken in us, everything is so that we will get, this need for help from above. How does a person reach that? That matter, that everything that happens with him and around him is only for him to be, to have this need for help from above. 

M. Laitman: Because he builds a thatch from the waste of barn and winery and by that he raises all of his work above reason.

Student: That's already when a person has something in terms of development, in terms of the solution in his hands.

M. Laitman: Of course.

Student: But how does he get to that in advance, that's what it depends on,   everything taking place with him, it's all for that.

M. Laitman: So, he has to go through everything that's happening to him, like you say, and to raise his relation to the thatch, the force of faith above everything.

Student: Is that also a revelation from above, that state?

M. Laitman: In his efforts. 

Question (Petah Tikva Center): (20:24) Yesterday, all of the society received this talk between you and your Ten and everyone spoke about the future of our organization. You are a revolutionary, you built this huge tool, this huge Kli all around the world. Rashbi even didn't do that, neither the ARI, nor Baal HaSulam. No one did such a thing in all the world. Maybe in internality, but the Creator gave you this privilege. I'm asking, we're a bit relaxed in our state, even in that talk between you and your Ten, we are a bit calm, where everything's organized for us, lessons, the Sukkah, we philosophize nicely, talk nicely. I'm asking, where does the breakthrough need to come from? Today, too, you said you guys are ready to sit all the time and just sit with your arms down and to sit on one hand. Yes, we're ready to sit, and we're ready to do everything you say, but where is that barrier so that we will break through that barrier like we used to shout 20 years ago? Everything's very calm now, we have the community, the Sukkah, it's a small one, but… and if someone jumps up, why should I listen to him? With you, you have the… you have the word. Now you say that if it's Sukkot or it's Pesach, we do whatever you say. If someone else leaps up and says something else, why should I listen to him? And if we don't leap and jump up, so then everyone's just sitting with their hands down. So, our organization, what do we live from? We understand that we could also close ourselves in the Ten and all the revelations are in the Ten, so that also calms us down on one hand.

M. Laitman: Yes.

Student: So how can we not be calm, but always to seek? 

M. Laitman: So, man will help his friend. You have to turn each other around.

Student: In the Ten?

M. Laitman: In the Ten, in this whole public, in the whole world, world Bnei Baruch.

Student: If I jump up and try to manipulate things, why should I be the one who's the guy who's doing that? Why shouldn't it be someone else?

M. Laitman: There's no difference between each and every one. 

Student: If you say something, we're all ready to do it and to annul towards it. If someone else stands up and says, let's go to an attack, why should I listen to him?

M. Laitman: I don't know what to answer you. You must relate to every friend in such a way, under the condition that he's normal, let's say. 

Student: And then you also said, in addition to the friend, there needs to be some kind of management, some kind of ideological head, a united one that you can go after. 

M. Laitman: You have that.

Student: But it doesn't appear to be burning, at least to me, personally. 

M. Laitman: Warm them up? I don't know. I'm trying to do it as much as I can. Really, the fact that you are sleepy most of the time, it's felt. What do you recommend?

Student: We have recommendations here. Even in this lesson, we can be in the Ten, work in a Ten, connection, dissemination. We have rules for everything. And we have these followers now who have all the recommendations, and we have the rules for everything, and instructions for everything. But it's a matter of a breakthrough, to break through everything.

M. Laitman: So, learn that.

Question (Petah Tikva Center): (24:57) I don't know if it's on the same topic, but this week, in a Ten meeting that we had, a friend came and sat with us. And one of the significant things that he said was that he feels that what's happening here, we don't care about enough to give to the World Kli. We're not caring enough to take the World Kli and to insert them into everything that's happening here. So, I wanted to ask if you had any advice on that topic.

M. Laitman: He could be right. 

Student: He surely is right.

M. Laitman: I don't know. I do not know. As much as you grow, I have less of an ability to interfere. I wasn't born to be this huge manager over something broad. I don't know what to do with it. You need to be in a strong connection, everybody together, and to advance, push yourself. 

Question (Petah Tikva Center): (26:48) You're  saying that as much as we grow, you have less and less of an ability to get involved. 

M. Laitman: Yes.

Student: On the other hand, all the eyes are looking at you, and they're looking at you to tell us what's the next stage.

M. Laitman: So, you look at each other and organize yourselves as a vessel that is leading itself.

Student: Until that happens, the eyes are all focused on you. We're waiting for you to give us the next breakthrough, the next innovation, the next idea, the next convention. Well, give that to us. How can we give birth from ourselves? 

M. Laitman: These are things that you need to decide on your own. What to do, and when to do it, and how to do it. Sit. Sit silently.

Student: Already don't remember. No more. 

M. Laitman: Okay. 

Question (Petah Tikva Center): (28:07) You truly built this spiritual empire, glorious worldwide organization. There's no such, there's no example like that. And I'm also influenced by this talk that you had yesterday, which is living in the group. I have a rather heavy impression from that, as if you... I don't know. As if you want to leave this matter. I don't really have the words to express it. And our organization, which is wonderful, and administrative, and ideological, and everything, it's all amazing. But who is the spiritual leader? There cannot be an organization without a spiritual leader. Who do they go after? We will connect, but there needs to be some spiritual guidance. 

M. Laitman: Like you're saying, it's the leadership. It's a few people that take upon themselves to organize the work. All the work. I think that you can do it.

Student: There was never an example like that in history. There was always one person that everyone would follow. 

M. Laitman: Yes. And you can be the ones the Creator is giving us and the reigns is into our hands.

Question (Petah Tikva Center): (30:03) If we need to lead a lesson, like what Dudi said, if there's this team that's guiding,  that the whole world Kli is looking at you. So, let's say tomorrow a team is leading a lesson. How does that look? How many people? Is it always different people from that ideological team? How do you see? Or maybe there should be a recording of you. How do you see that state?

M. Laitman: You need to let them, give them, give them a date. That in such and such a date, they need to give you a certain message. That's it. And that's how they will have to conduct themselves. Until you don't get there and start organizing. Start organizing. Otherwise, it won't happen. It won't happen on its own. 

Student: There is organization even now with the lesson. There's the time that you give, and then there's that social session there that we do by ourselves. There's something that seemingly fills that time between us. But it's still not really a team that is really leading the society. We're working with a text in the matter of drawing the reforming light, which is a great and very special thing. But it's not a replacement for Rav. If you're saying that if that team needs to be a replacement for Rav, how does that team, how will this lesson appear? How do you see it being observed? Not just a talk every now and again. Let's just say every day that team needs to lead us.

M. Laitman: You have the sources. There's nothing to argue about that. There's a reader, right? You can't argue about that. The reader reads the sources, right? And what do you?

Student: Yes, today we read the source and you answer questions. With the questions you give the spiritual perspective, spiritual outlook on what we're capable of absorbing.

M. Laitman: You together can discuss the original text and open it just as we're doing now.

Student: So that team will open that text for the whole society?

M. Laitman: Yes. These things, like this, happened many times throughout history. And it's too bad you're not listening to that. You're really rejecting it as if it's things that you're not allowed to accept. But let's say I'm not here a year or two years, what's going to happen? 

Student: That's what I'm asking about.

M. Laitman: And I'm also saying it. You need to be prepared to take the management and the flow of the lesson.

Student: Management, there's no doubt about it. Friends do some wonderful work. I'm asking more in relation to the spiritual operation of the society. Let's say three, four, five people are sitting leading the lesson. Will it be always the same people or that team? How is it going to work?

M. Laitman: I think that you can realize it. The problem is to gather your heads and to decide on the process. That's it. I'm sure you'll be able to do it.

Question (Petah Tikva Center): (35:05) It seems that everyone in this room here came to Bnei Baruch because of you. Everyone within themselves want to be like you, wants to be in spiritual attainment, wants to break through to the spiritual world. Nobody came here because of some kind of organization, because of meals, because even to study. Beyond this, there is this feeling that everyone wants to be like the Rav. In the upper worlds, like Rabash, Baal HaSulam, and to attain that degree of man. That's what we were born for and that is our privilege. We didn't come to some organization or anything like that. So, that's a question. And I think everyone is asking that question within themselves and wants to know who is this spiritual person who has the keys, who can take us to be a man just like you. It's not a matter of whether you will be here or not. Where is our chance to become human in a spiritual sense? 

M. Laitman: Your chance is that's what we're constantly speaking about. We're not speaking about one person that will be instead of me or instead of Rabash. But we are talking about an organization, a group that will conduct itself and through them all the people in that society will reach the spiritual goal. That's it. And don't dream of anything else. That will not happen here. That's it. So, think about it. How you do it? Women don't. That's it. So, you have to sit down and think.

Question (Petah Tikva Center): (37:27) You have been directing us for some time for that in which we will need to work together, not toward a Rav or one teacher. And I think that what we lack is not to be afraid of mistakes, that we'll just learn how to do that gradually. It's forbidden for us to be afraid of mistakes. We just need faith. Faith that the Creator does everything exactly as it needs to be. We just need to be with a face looking forward, toward Him, and it's important to do it all together without any kind of even small desire to divide.

M. Laitman: Yes.

Question (Petah Tikva Center): (38:29) Rav, you gave advice to sit together and discuss it. How should we discuss in Tens? Once we had a format of a major discussion forum where we'd be able to discuss, make decisions. Now everything in terms of spiritual development is in the Ten. These two formats as if contradict each other. So, what does it mean to sit together, to think, and to make decisions? What does that mean? 

M. Laitman: I am not going to organize this and do this all instead of you. That's what I can say. No, I don't want to hear. There's a thousand ideas now. So, what else do we need to do?

Reader: Nothing? The lesson's finishing and then we have a prayer and a meal.

M. Laitman: Prayer and a meal. That's it. Let's advance to the prayer and to the meal? 

Reader: Announcements. Let us end with a song.

Song: (40:33)