The transcript has been transcribed and edited from English simultaneous interpretation, thus there may be potential semantic inaccuracies within it.
World Kabbalah Convention: Rising Above Reason, May 19, 2024.
Part 1. Lesson 4: “Happy in Faith Above Reason.”
Reader: Hello everyone. We are in the fourth and the last lesson of the World Kabbalah Convention. Topic of, “Rising Above Reason.” Friends, we are in a very internal convention. Let's reveal our responsibility toward the questions that we ask Rav and try to keep them solely on the topic of the lesson. Ask questions about dissemination, social issues and political and others, we will leave time for them after the convention. If asking a question in the front hall we ask you to raise your hand so the usher can see, keeping your hand up until the permission to speak. Those sitting in the back of the hall, please move forward to the question stations. Those on the Arvut systems are welcome to hit on the question mark. Friends please make sure your mobile phones are turned off and let’s help the friends be in a complete concentration for the lesson.
Question (PT 27 and Moscow 7): (01:55) Dear Rav, Beloved Rav, on behalf of our Tens, Petah Tikva 27 and Moscow7, and I think that also on behalf of all the friends that are here, and all the friends that are all over the world; we would like to thank you, we would like to thank you for teaching us day in, day out. That you're investing in us for dozens and dozens of years already, that you're giving us an example of what it means to be in faith above reason. That daily you show us what soul devotion to the path, to your teacher, the Rabash, which is also our teacher, thanks to you. To Baal HaSulam, to the writings. We truly love you and would like to thank you.
M. Laitman: (03:31) I'm very excited. Excited from what you're doing for me. There is no greater joy for a teacher, for someone who teaches Torah and the Wisdom of Kabbalah especially, there is no greater joy than when the teacher sees; how his students, that he sees them as his own children, right? That they come closer to attainment to the revelation of the Creator. To join all these degrees which the Creator has arranged for us, on which we need to further rise and rise and rise until we reach the purpose of creation, our purpose.
I think that you're yet to feel from this Congress what it has planted in each and every one of you, and how you continue it forward. In the near future, you will start to feel its results. So, my joy is in that, that many people have been in this Congress, this convention of connection, and saw themselves on the degrees of ascent. And now, let's go to the lesson. Lesson number 4, “The Joy Rising Above Reason.” They call this lesson, Happy in Faith Above Reason.
Reader: (06:55) Excerpt Number 1. RABASH, Article No. 12 (1991), "These Candles Are Sacred."
The most important is the prayer. That is, one must pray to the Creator to help him go above reason, meaning that the work should be with gladness, as though he has already been rewarded with the reason of Kedusha, and what a joy he would feel then. Likewise, he should ask the Creator to give him this power, so he can go above the reason of the body.
In other words, although the body does not agree to this work in order to bestow, he asks the Creator to be able to work with gladness, as is suitable for one who serves a great King. He does not ask the Creator to show the greatness of the Creator, and then he will work gladly. Rather, he wants the Creator to give him joy in the work of above reason, that it will be as important to a person as if he already has reason.
M. Laitman: (08:33) This is actually what a person needs to demand of his state, where he starts going in faith above reason. Starts, meaning that in each and every moment he starts and starts again and starts and thus advances.
M. Laitman Re-reading: The most important is the prayer, that is, one must pray to the Creator to help him go above reason, meaning that the work should be with gladness, as though he has already been rewarded with the reason of Kedusha, and what a joy he would feel then. Likewise, he should ask the Creator to give him this power, so he can go above reason, above the reason of the body.
In other words, although the body does not agree to this work in order to bestow, he asks the Creator to be able to work with gladness, as is suitable for one who serves a great King. He does not ask the Creator to show the greatness of the Creator. He does not ask of the Creator to show him his greatness, and then he will work in joy. Rather, he wants the Creator to give him joy in the work of above reason, that will be as important to a person as if he already has a reason.
M. Laitman: (10:32) So far good? So far, it's clear? Everyone's quiet. Even those that I usually see that are always ready to ask, what's up? No. Yes.
Question (Petah Tikva Center): (11:04) In what a person is glad about if he has no greatness of the Creator? What is he happy about?
M. Laitman: He's happy for being on the path, and he still doesn't deserve for the Creator to reveal his greatness to him. But, at least he's happy that now this is what he has.
Question (Petah Tikva Center): (11:34) Good afternoon, Rav. Thank you for this amazing convention. How to ask the Creator something that the body resists so much, the desire really resists this request?
M. Laitman: This is already a degree where a person discovers that the body doesn't want, resists, disagrees; and a person sees that he has his own opinion, which is opposite to the opinion of the body. And then, both of them are one opposite the other.
Student: And then what does he do when he is not able to bring out the prayer?
M. Laitman: Then he has an opportunity for prayer, at least prayer. There are even greater means and more principal ones.
Student: What are these means that he has beyond prayer?
Rav Laitman: You need to start with prayer, and then later add to the prayer. There are more conditions and other means, further ahead.
Student: Is it possible to ask another thing? Before I heard you, that it's a matter of agreeing, it's a choice of a person. So, that means in an early stage a person needs to agree, or it's what's happening to me now?
M. Laitman: No, it's just the initial condition; and afterwards, on each and every step, man needs to realize this condition.
Question (Petah Tikva Center): (14:09) The gladness feels more like something that spreads, radiating from the inside to the outside. It's not felt as a fulfillment, it's felt like bestowal.
M. Laitman: Right.
Student: What is it birthing or what is the work between us, the discernments we need to pay attention to after we felt the gladness from a good deed in the work?
M. Laitman: That we have this gladness, happiness, and that we continue with it on the path. And what's most important is not to lose this happiness on the way, because our entire existence depends on it, and the rest of our path.
Question (Petah Tikva Center): (15:19) Dear Rav, in this convention you taught us something very internal, which is to yearn for, the day of the Creator, and to advance, and to ask for the strength to go above reason. How to build a prayer of many with this internal work?
M. Laitman: The conditions, and sensations, and calculations that are becoming revealed in you now, and many other people here too, are actually the conditions upon which we now must build the further future degrees; that elevate us higher and higher through the ladder of degrees toward the Creator. Good luck.
Question (Petah Tikva Center): (16:43) What's special about a prayer that a person needs to be in constantly, and do we need a special prayer for gratitude to the Creator?
M. Laitman: A person needs to all the time be in a prayer to the Creator to turn to Him.
Student: What unique prayer does he need to compose, or every prayer is a good prayer, meaning from his heart?
M. Laitman: First of all, the prayer needs to come from the heart, according to what a person feels in his heart. A person needs to always see, can he increase the prayer? Can he elevate it even higher?
Student: Rav, to elevate it do we need a prayer of many or one person can?
M. Laitman: Yes, a person can do it by himself too. And besides that he needn't forget that by his prayer he awakens his friends, and they join him; then they will too reach a state where really they will have a prayer of many.
Student: Meaning the prayer that needs to come from a person is a prayer and a request from the Creator to awaken in our instance, the Ten, that we will all have a prayer from one heart as if it's one heart?
M. Laitman: Right, as though it's from one heart.
Question (Petah Tikva Center): (18:35) We say that gladness is a result of good deeds.
M. Laitman: Right.
Student: So, work above reason is called good deeds?
M. Laitman: Right.
Student: When is this stage of gladness? Because when you're in above reason, when you give up your reason the will to receive is in an uncomfortable state. So, when do you receive the gladness?
M. Laitman: It's not up to us when joy will come; it's up to the Creator. But we need to try and achieve it.
Student: And at the end we need to also examine that this joy comes as a sign that we did a good deed, or not necessarily?
M. Laitman: Right. So it says, joy comes from good deeds.
Student: In essence if we did good deeds then eventually there should be gladness. We don't know when the end of the process is?
M. Laitman: Not for long.
Student: Another question that relates to this, you once told us about Rabash that he suffered and he pointed at the body and said: let it suffer, let it suffer. When he said let it suffer, let it suffer was he in joy on one hand? Because to say about the body to suffer, what is this example? Can you explain it or is it not related?
M. Laitman: Yes, he was in inner joy, that from the outside you couldn't say that he's like a child that is all happy. We're talking about a person who's already kind of elderly. And he always tried to feel that he's in joy.
Student: So, the more we advance in the stage of above reason, when we give up the reason, we'll gradually feel joy? The joy would be?
M. Laitman: If you will work at it.
Student: Yes, if we'll work at it.
Question (Petah Tikva Center): (21:05) Gladness from coming close to the Creator, from feeling that He's close to us. That's the joy we're looking for.
M. Laitman: Yes.
Student: Now, all this connection that we have now, all these people who are here and in the world, how can we feel that it gives joy to the Creator?
M. Laitman: How can we, what?
Student: Give joy to the Creator.
M. Laitman: Feel that it makes Him happy. Add to what you already feel further joy from being close to Him, coming closer to Him.
Student: Meaning this fear not to leave here, that this will not end before we hold in our hands the feeling of the Creator?
M. Laitman: Exactly. This is what you should be concerned with and talk about.
Student: How do we talk between us now?
M. Laitman: Talk about it to everyone, and tell them. Don’t look at me, you need to look at them. This fellow is asking you to connect together and turn to the Creator for Him to come closer to you. All in all, this is what he's asking for, right?
Student: Yes.
M. Laitman: Good, so you ask and tell them. And in this way, each to his friends.
Student: Okay friends, this is the crucial time now that we look at each other. The greatness of this opportunity that Rav is here with us, that the world Kli is literally holding us. Let's for a moment close our eyes and feel how we truly come closer to the feeling of the Creator, that He penetrates into the Ten, into the closest home, to our hearts. How do we continue this feeling between us? We don't want anything for ourselves, to continue this to draw this for our friends for the rest of the world.
M. Laitman: Good luck. Good luck, you'll make it.
Question (Petah Tikva Center): (24:18) Shalom. Hello. Is it correct that in the Ten to ask for the friends that He will give us the opportunity to ask for the friends, or to ask that the Creator will give them the force of bestowal?
M. Laitman: Who are we talking about here? About man in our world, right?
Student: In the Ten.
M. Laitman: In the Ten. And, then he turns to the Creator?
Student: We turn to the Creator from the Ten, for our friends that are not here, that could not make it. We are concerned that they don't feel the feeling of gladness of the connection that we feel at this moment. We want to ask from the Creator that they will feel this force of the connection that we feel right now.
M. Laitman: Very well. Very good. So, it's good to ask the Creator to help us connect and take with us all those friends of ours that are not yet connected between them, and with the Creator. For Him to connect all of us together; men, women, in all languages, all around the planet. That we want to be as one man in one heart, and for the Creator to connect us and bring us closer.
Student: Amen. Thank you.
Question (Petah Tikva Center): (27:04) We are talking about gladness and prayer. I relate to prayer in great caution, because I think that a prayer should come from the bottom of the heart. There is a meeting of the Ten. In the meeting the friends receive impressions, everybody is glad, happy, and tomorrow I want the same meeting, because I was filled. But I have a question, when will I come to a cry, if I am constantly being filled from the impressions in the meetings? What will bring me to this prayer, that it will contain in it that true prayer that we should all reach, this gladness, this fulfillment I receive after the meetings? It seems as if it's diverting me from this goal, and it's diverting me from this cry out.
M. Laitman: There is this prayer that leads to the Creator; and there is a prayer that distances you from the Creator. It depends on what does a person want. So, first of all, we simply want to find out how to unite with one another and the Creator. In order to, I'd say, force Him, force Him to bring us closer to Him, to the Creator. That's the main thing. This is what we want, this is what we wish to achieve first and foremost.
Student: Can I continue? In what can I obligate the Creator?
M. Laitman: By words? Prayer?
Student: But I've heard many times, and I've read that the Creator does not hear our words.
M. Laitman: It's not your words that He hears, but your heart. And as doctors test the heart on some kind of device. It doesn't matter what language we speak. The main thing is, that we'll experience the necessary sensations.
Student: But my heart is busy with fulfillment, with pleasures. There is no room in it for the cry out, for the prayer.
M. Laitman: This is what you need to think about. This is what you need to think about and to resolve: What's more important to me, to feel the fulfillment of my heart or its emptiness? As soon as you want to feel the true state of your heart, meaning its emptiness, you will feel it. That emptiness will tell you how to continue.
Student: So, after each meeting I shouldn't feel satisfied? Like you said, when you came to Rabash you felt emptiness and were annoyed that you didn't understand anything. So, that's what I need to feel after each meeting of the Ten, the group?
M. Laitman: That, and also joy; happiness.
Student: So, I need to be in gladness, and feel at the same time that I did not achieve anything?
M. Laitman: No, suppose so, suppose.
Question (Petah Tikva Center): (33:25) We are talking about joy and I don't have even the slightest doubt that there is not a person in this hall whose heart is not filled with joy for our path. Alongside that, the whole week thinking about the article we learned as preparation to above reason, about the Kabbalist who talks to us about the prisoner in the prison and if he is favored by the warden, then he is allowed to come out and have some air out of the prison and then he comes back. Now, the joy doesn't really sit for me in this context of the prison. How does that joy fit, where I haven't heard any article from a Kabbalist who promises us that we will ever come out of the prison?
M. Laitman: I am hearing words that I cannot agree with. First of all, all Kabbalists tell us about how our world is indeed like a prison. Secondly, that we can advance to a state where we want to come out of it, where we feel that we are in shackles and that other than that, we have who to turn to, the warden, and demand that we have to come out, to leave, under what conditions and circumstances and so forth. But it's all in our strength.
Student: So, actually, that means that we always need to be in a state of demand without looking at the end of things, where we are out of prison or not, but just walk the path and wait for something to happen, according to the understanding of the Creator?
M. Laitman: Yes. We don't understand these things, but it's worthwhile to start.
Question (Petah Tikva Center): (36:12) There's a question from a friend from the Ten: There's my above reason, is there an above reason of the Ten? What is the difference and how to work with that?
M. Laitman: No, that cannot be explained, and we're not working with that. When we rise above reason and begin to connect between us, then we get to new stages.
Question (Petah Tikva Center): (37:05) Rav spoke about this entire congress, he's been talking about the way in which we need to connect, and truly we feel a very strong connection between the friends, great happiness. And there's also great fear of the Creator. But Rav also said that we need to connect the friends to the Creator. That's a point that's somewhat lacking. Now, how do we connect this whole connection here to the Creator?
M. Laitman: In our hearts we connect together to a Ten, and out of that, we connect to the Creator.
Student: It's something that’s very, we don’t feel it yet. Can Rav perhaps explain what it means to connect to the Creator?
M. Laitman: Okay. Make an effort. You and your friends, the whole Ten, that they want to connect together to a single desire, a single point, in order to awaken the Creator so that He will connect you and raise you to Him.
Student: And from that state, there's a very delightful, happy sensation from that point, but there's a feeling that there's this little push, we can't go through that yet. What are we lacking?
M. Laitman: Okay. So more and more and more efforts, and that will help you rise. There's nothing else to do: Continue, keep going, and this is what's called, those who knock for repentance. Just like you're knocking on a door, more and more and more, until the one on the other side of the door listens.
Student: Another small thing. Excuse me, Rav. We had a lesson about prayer, and we really feel how we're all coming to that lesson with fear and indeed inner joy. But it seems to be stuck in each one individually inside, there's no joy that erupts. Do we need to reach that eruption, or is that something that needs to exist inside each and every person?
M. Laitman: An eruption can happen after you connect with the hearts of the friends, and you all try to find the exit, to find an exit, an opening to come out of.
Student: We shall do.
Question (Petah Tikva Center): (40:37) First of all, thank you. This is very, very emotional for me. Now when I think about how the Creator is taking care of my own child, I feel tremendous joy inside, inner joy. So how can I feel that same inner joy when the Creator is taking care of the friends or the Kli? How can I even see that He's tending to them?
M. Laitman: Ask. There's nothing else here to reply. Ask the Creator. Most of our work is to raise pleas to the Creator, and most of the Creator's work is to position us towards questions. And that's how we have to be connected to each other.
Question (Petah Tikva Center): (41:52) I wanted to ask, if I ask for my own child, you mentioned there's a good prayer and a bad prayer, is that an egoistic prayer, when I, as though I'm asking for myself?
M. Laitman: Yes, yes, that's an egoistic prayer.
Question (Petah Tikva Center): (42:17) Rav, do you, as our teacher, feel that we're getting close to the correct prayer?
M. Laitman: Yes, but that doesn't mean anything. You are moving closer, every day you're moving closer, but it doesn't mean that from today to the next day you can already get there. Sometimes one step could take a few months, and other times within a day you can go through many steps.
Student: Do you think there's any point in particular that's really still blocking us?
M. Laitman: Only connection between you. Only the connection between you.
Question (Petah Tikva Center): (43:31) I heard you say before, not to forget that our prayer, my prayer, can also awaken the friends. How?
M. Laitman: If you aim for that.
Student: But how does it act to awaken them? Through the Creator?
M. Laitman: Of course, yes. There's no action, whether corporeal or spiritual, all the more so spiritual, which can pass through, if not through the Creator. Just like that. No such thing.
Student: Even the act of connection we undertake?
M. Laitman: Everything. Each and every thought of man goes through the Creator. All the desires, not even mentioning prayers, it all passes through the Creator.
Question (Petah Tikva Center): (44:38) I want to examine the stages from reason, within reason, to above reason. Is that a kind of trampoline where I jump straight there, or are there stages between them that I need to scrutinize?
M. Laitman: There are many stages that we can study and try to pass through them inside the group.
Student: How can I tell, scrutinize, if that stage is a proper one that helps me advance, or if it's a stage where I'm stuck within reason and which doesn't allow me yet to jump on that trampoline?
M. Laitman: I think that only with the friends, you can scrutinize that, clarify it, and realize it.
Student: It's the heart, in that intermediary stage. Do I need to feel something in the heart? Go between reason and above reason?
M. Laitman: Yes, you're right.
Question (Petah Tikva Center): (46:17) Can I take that pair of words: joy, above reason, and understand from that the degree of happiness I will have when I connect to the Creator? Happiness above reason.
M. Laitman: Try, try it out. You need to turn to the Creator and ask of Him what you want. In whatever words of requests, and joy, and praise and song and whatnot. You can join anything to that.
Question (Petah Tikva Center): (47:23) The question is, is the outcry, the prayer, are they weighted against the joy? Or does the joy have an elevation of its own?
M. Laitman: Yes, joy has a merit of its own. You're right. And by the joy, we can cancel many sad states.
Question (Petah Tikva Center): (48:07) The joy that's in faith above reason. The joy of adhesion.
M. Laitman: We can't hear you.
Student: The joy which is faith above reason is the joy of connection, the joy of adhesion. I hear that this is like the last congress.
M. Laitman: What do you mean last congress?
Student: People are saying that this is the last congress or the implementation of the wisdom of Kabbalah, which is the same thing, which means that continuity through steps, attainments, that will come to be. King David ends his life's work with one sentence: From my flesh, I shall witness God. And my request, my question is: With what sentence will we conclude this congress?
M. Laitman: I don't know. But I think that after all, love thy friend as thyself. That is the most important thing in our time. And I don't have more to say.
Question (Petah Tikva Center): (50:04) You answered a friend: The moment you want to feel the true state of the heart, meaning the emptiness in it, that emptiness will guide you, guide your actions. So regarding the feeling of emptiness, can you describe to us what we'll need to, what we'll feel? Actually, when we feel that emptiness, what do we need to do?
M. Laitman: Emptiness has to appear in us before we fill up the emptiness with what we feel that's lacking.
Student: Emptiness from what?
M. Laitman: I don't know. It depends who, depends in whom.
Student: But the emptiness that we need to attain, which the Kabbalists write about.
M. Laitman: Yes.
Student: What is that?
M. Laitman: Money, honor, power, knowledge, whatever you want. We generally, I would say, want to be awarded with closeness to the Creator, to feel Him that, let's say, just to be next to Him. I don't know. I don't have the words right now.
Student: So emptiness from the nearness of the Creator.
M. Laitman: Yes. From lack of nearness to the Creator.
Student: Yes, from the lack of the nearness to the Creator. So, and you also told him that after every group meeting, there's joy and there's suffering together. What is the suffering from, and the joy?
M. Laitman: Well, suffering from not being able to get close to the Creator, unite with the Creator, and bestow to the whole world whatever I can receive from the Creator. And that's how I feel emptiness in my vessels, in my desires.
Student: And joy?
M. Laitman: And joy from the opposite.
Student: So that I do feel close, this feeling in my vessels?
M. Laitman: Yes, probably.
Student: So you really need to attain these two feelings simultaneously?
M. Laitman: Not simultaneously. We have to try and reach the Creator with a request that He can fulfill, which in fact He can fulfill anything. But what we feel is that I am turning to Him with a serious, specific request, and He has to answer it. He must answer that request.
Student: And that's the joy?
M. Laitman: Yes. I'm having a hard time with you.
Student: I'm sorry.
Question (Petah Tikva Center): (53:43) Perhaps I'll help. It used to be that we never talked about...
M. Laitman: We don't hear you well.
Student: I say that before the coronavirus epidemic, we were very busy, we weren't asking so much what's in our hearts, how much joy, how much emptiness. Almost every evening, we went out doing workshops with people, holding workshops with people, round tables in every city. And after the epidemic, we decided that now it's a new stage, now we're focusing on the inner work in the heart, most of all. And I hear many questions here about the kind of prayer which is correct, appropriate. And I think in the world Kli, I mean in the women's Kli, on Zoom, every evening, we hold a prayer which is very balanced, very respectable. I think that could really help all those asking questions. And I hope that men too, in their Zoom meetings, there's the same thing. And also in the Ten, I'd like to say that I have huge gratitude for my Ten, and every Ten, when we participate, that participates, the group of high five...
M. Laitman: Thank you. Thank you. Thank you very much.
Reader: (55:25) Excerpt Number 2. Rabash, Article No. 28 (1987), "What Is Do Not Add and Do Not Take Away in the Work?"
He must believe above reason and imagine that he has already been rewarded with faith in the Creator that is felt in his organs, and he sees and feels that the Creator leads the entire world as the good who does good. Although when he looks within reason he sees the opposite, he should still work above reason and it should appear to him as though he can already feel in his organs that so it really is, that the Creator leads the world as the good who does good.
Here he acquires the importance of the goal, and from here he derives life, meaning joy at being near to the Creator. Then a person can say that the Creator is good and does good, and feel that he has the strength to tell the Creator, “You have chosen us from among all nations, You have loved us and wanted us,” since he has a reason to thank the Creator. And to the extent that he feels the importance of spirituality, so he establishes the praise of the Creator.
M. Laitman: Questions? Okay, you're gonna have to read again.
Reader: (57:17) Excerpt Number 2. Rabash, Article No. 28 (1987), "What Is Do Not Add and Do Not Take Away in the Work?"
He must believe above reason and imagine that he has already been rewarded with faith in the Creator that is felt in his organs, and he sees and feels that the Creator leads the entire world as the good who does good. Although when he looks within reason he sees the opposite, he should still work above reason and it should appear to him as though he can already feel in his organs that so it really is, that the Creator leads the world as the good who does good.
Here he acquires the importance of the goal, and from here he derives life, meaning joy at being near to the Creator. Then a person can say that the Creator is good and does good, and feel that he has the strength to tell the Creator, “You have chosen us from among all nations, You have loved us and wanted us,” since he has a reason to thank the Creator. And to the extent that he feels the importance of spirituality, so he establishes the praise of the Creator.
M. Laitman: Any questions on that? You sure you want to ask about that?
Question (Petah Tikva Center): (59:22) This text starts with the words you should be able to imagine. Imagination is imagination. How to work with that imagination in a holy sanctified way so as to be?
M. Laitman: Whatever one has that's what he starts from. There's no flaw in that.
Student: So you encourage us to use imagination?
M. Laitman: Yes.
Question (Petah Tikva Center): (01:00:00) He writes here that also when one looks within reason he sees, although when one looks within reason he sees the opposite. The question is the connection between us that we work on, is that the divide between seeing within reason and accusing the Creator or going above reason and justifying Him? Is that what allows us to work above reason?
M. Laitman: Yes.
Student: And we need in that work, do we need to constantly be in that work above reason?
M. Laitman: Yes, I have to live in that, in above reason.
Student: And when to use, as he writes here, looking within reason?
M. Laitman: Perhaps I don't even need to look into it.
Question (Petah Tikva Center): (01:01:10) In excerpt number one and excerpt two, Rabash uses the word as though. In the first text, he says as though one has been awarded with the reason of holiness and then the second one, as though he's been awarded with the feeling of the Creator in his organs.
M. Laitman: Yes.
Student: So he hasn't been awarded yet, right?
M. Laitman: That's what appears to him. That's what it seems to him. You can't say whether it's true or not. Rather, it's according to one's feeling.
Student: The feeling, what is it founded upon?
M. Laitman: On what he feels.
Student: But our feeling is something very...
M. Laitman: No, no, no, no. If a person feels and says, that is how I feel, the Creator takes that into account, because one works according to that.
Student: What I wanted to ask is, if he, let's say, he doesn't feel awarded yet, that as though, does it mean that something else needs to complement that lack of feeling, let's say, the greatness of the goal, the greatness of the friends, faith?
M. Laitman: These are all conditions. These are all the conditions to approach the right feeling, to get the okay for it.
Reader: (01:02:54) Excerpt Number 3. RABASH, Article No. 23 (1990), “What Does It Mean that Moses Was Perplexed about the Birth of the Moon, in the Work?”
We must believe in the sages, who tell us that all our work, however we work, if the person attributes the work to the Creator, even if it is in utter lowliness, the Creator enjoys it. The person should be happy that he can do things while in a state of lowliness.
The person should tell himself that He enjoys this work, which is entirely above reason. Reasonably thinking, this work is not considered “work,” meaning an important act that the Creator enjoys. Yet, he believes in the sages, who told us that the Creator does enjoy, but this is above reason.
M. Laitman: Understood? No. Read again.
Reader: (01:04:15) Excerpt Number 3. RABASH, Article No. 23 (1990), “What Does It Mean that Moses Was Perplexed about the Birth of the Moon, in the Work?”
We must believe in the sages, who tell us that all our work, however we work, if the person attributes the work to the Creator, even if it is in utter lowliness, the Creator enjoys it. The person should be happy that he can do things while in a state of lowliness.
The person should tell himself that He enjoys this work, which is entirely above reason. Reasonably thinking, this work is not considered “work,” meaning an important act that the Creator enjoys. Yet, he believes in the sages, who told us that the Creator does enjoy, but this is above reason.
M. Laitman: Understood?
Question (Petah Tikva Center): (01:05:47) Previously, you gave a recommendation not to look within reason, that it's better to not look within reason.
M. Laitman: Yes.
Student: How can that be done? And if I can add another little question about the text regarding the lowliness, that during the time of lowliness he needs to perform actions, that's the hardest situation for a person.
M. Laitman: Yes.
Student: So how to not look within reason and in such a state of lowliness, so difficult to make a good act?
M. Laitman: It's work. This is the work.
Student: It's inner work for the person.
M. Laitman: It's inner work of the person who has to first raise a prayer upwards so the Creator will help him, so the Creator will raise him, and with him, together, he'll do the work.
Student: So it's as we learned about Passover, where when one is this is the greatest Pharaoh. He needs to invite Moses to come with him.
M. Laitman: Yes.
Question (Petah Tikva Center): (01:07:07) I'm hearing that we're talking about joy as though it's an outcome of something, from what I learned, although I'm understanding that I don't know anything today. So the outcome, usually an outcome, is something corporeal, because we're always saying that spirituality is in the causes and not the effects. Perhaps I'm confused, but could it be that joy is the vessel, is a condition for the reception of the light?
M. Laitman: Joy could be a condition for the reception of the light, yes.
Student: How to establish that joy in attainment, meaning that it's a spiritual action, that it becomes a spiritual action?
M. Laitman: Why can't you?
Student: Perhaps we can, I just don't know how.
M. Laitman: If your actions don't bring you a sense of joy, that is a problem. You need to look into it. Do you perform the right actions? Or they're somehow mixed with some actions or plans that aren't so accurate.
Student: So the joy could be a measure, a gauge, to see if I've performed correct actions?
M. Laitman: Yes.
Student: And it doesn't matter if it's corporeal joy, whereas though I receive joy as a result?
M. Laitman: No, no, no.
Question (Petah Tikva Center): (01:09:50) Is lowliness the recognition of evil?
M. Laitman: And the question?
Student: If it's the recognition of evil, it seems contradictory, with joy.
M. Laitman: Why? If a person expected it, waited for it, and now it has appeared that he's truly in recognition of evil, then why would that not be joyful?
Student: Because, well, it's also written that he, as though he's been awarded with faith in the Creator, in his organs. What does that mean? In his organs, that feeling in the organs?
M. Laitman: All my bones should say, as it's written.
Student: And a friend is asking, how, in an artificial way, in the Ten, can we depict faith above reason?
M. Laitman: You need to better connect the mind with the emotion a bit, and then you could plan that.
Question (Petah Tikva Center): (01:11:21) I'd like to ask if, when you speak about joy, you speak about it as something that's within the body, within the soul, so it doesn't matter what I do. If it's lowly work, it's my feeling of lowliness, the joy is mine, inside, and it goes with me from place to place. Is that what you mean?
M. Laitman: Possibly. Go ahead. So what do you want to ask about it?
Student: I'd like to know if I feel what you're saying correctly, and the text that we've just read. The joy from what I understand is mine, right? It's mine. In my understanding, in my attainment.
M. Laitman: Yes, yes.
Student: So if it's mine, how does it matter what I do, or what I went through throughout the day, or what was told about me, said about me, right? If it's mine, who can take it?
M. Laitman: But what do you do with it?
Student: I enjoy it. I'm happy with it.
M. Laitman: Are you sure that's worthwhile enjoying from?
Student: I think that it increases the love that I feel to the Creator.
M. Laitman: If so, then I have nothing to add.
Student: Thank you.
M. Laitman: You too.
Question (Petah Tikva Center): (01:13:08) The friend before me talked about the prison, that we're in prison. If we hold a congress and come here, does it mean that the Landlord, the Creator, gave us this freedom to come together?
M. Laitman: Yes.
Student: How can we always stay outside of the prison, like we are now in the congress? And as you said, that we'll feel together that all my bones will say, with the force of the Creator.
M. Laitman: Well, what can we do? What you can do is only be happy that the Creator wanted to bring you together, because probably all of you are in His single thought, and therefore He gave you an opportunity to connect and hear these texts and solve your issues of connection, and He's interested in you.
Student: If we have come here, that means He's interested in us, and for that we need to feel joy.
M. Laitman: Yes, that too.
Student: So we need to be joyful. Everyone needs to be laughing now, happy in their hearts.
M. Laitman: Yes.
Student: Thank the Creator. I hope we reach that and always be happy.
M. Laitman: That's up to you.
Question (Petah Tikva Center): (01:14:54) Is justifying the Creator the secret for being in joy in faith above reason?
M. Laitman: Yes.
Student: How is that done, because in lowliness it sounds impossible, or very difficult?
M. Laitman: In lowliness it's very difficult, but unless a person justifies his state of lowliness.
Student: How is that done?
M. Laitman: He understands that what he received was directly coming from the Upper Force, and the Upper Force now gives one the opportunity to prepare himself to the next state. Then a person musters himself and awaits that next state in a way that if it arrives and a person notices it, then he becomes like a lion that is taking a leap. Literally. That's what will happen.
Question (Petah Tikva Center): (01:16:38) In order to do this, we need all the texts we've read say that we should imagine and want it to be within reason and perform all sorts of actions in our thoughts.
M. Laitman: Yes.
Student: So if I'm in a state of lowliness, as a friend now asked, in order to bring myself out to that place of justification, I need to take what the Kabbalists wrote and just, by force, imagine that this is true, the Creator is The Good Who Does Good, and everything we're told to do, and then that force will come from there.
M. Laitman: First of all, we have to aim ourselves towards between us and to that same force, so that it influences us. And I have to awaken it. What thoughts, what actions does it want from me? If I am moving towards that, if I'm expecting that, then it could be that I will feel, in exchange for that, the relation of the Upper Force that will truly change my path. And thus, I'll understand that He is taking me by the hand.
Student: Do I need to feel, in that state, that I'm completely dependent on my friends, and that they're completely dependent upon me, and that I mustn't remain in a state of lowliness, but rather I must rise to that state where…?
M. Laitman: Take them along.
Student: Sorry?
M. Laitman: Take your friends along with you.
Student: Take them where? That's even more… How do I take them? Through the examples I give them? Through the prayer where I want the Creator to take us?
M. Laitman: Yes, yes, yes, both.
Student: The example and the prayer.
M. Laitman: Both example and prayer.
Student: And if I'm in a state of lowliness, how do I use the friends to raise me up to justify the Creator?
M. Laitman: Start with them, and then see how maybe that makes you more capable than them.
Student: What do you mean, start with them?
M. Laitman: Start connecting with them, and then you will feel how there is a force and an understanding and an attitude within you more than them.
Student: And what do I do with that?
M. Laitman: Work with that. Raise it to the Creator, ask from the Creator, demand and cry, and thus realize it; the awakening, that is.
Student: And from the fact we then connect, that will give Him contentment.
M. Laitman: From that, you will first begin to feel that He, it is He who awakens you, and in your connection you bring Him contentment.
Student: And then we'll be able to influence, bestow upon our entire environment?
M. Laitman: Yes.
Question (Petah Tikva Center): (01:20:28) I feel that we have tremendous joy here. My question is: Is it correct to say that this joy is an expression of the joy that exists in the upper worlds?
M. Laitman: We still can't say that decisively. However, I feel, I hope that soon we will begin to distinguish exactly where we get our awakening from, and then we'll rejoice in that.
Student: Is it correct to say that this joy gives us a taste of faith above reason?
M. Laitman: Yes. Yes.
Student: And that we're actually giving that joy back to the Creator?
M. Laitman: Yes.
Student: Is it possible to connect the friends to the Creator with joy?
M. Laitman: Yes.
Reader: (01:22:12) Excerpt Number 4. Baal HaSulam, Shamati, Article No. 42, "What Is the Acronym Elul in the Work?"
Those who want to walk in the path of bestowal should always be in gladness. This means that in any shape that comes upon him he should be in gladness since he has no intention to receive for himself. This is why he says that either way, if he is really working in order to bestow, he should certainly be glad that he has been granted bringing contentment to his Maker. And if he feels that his work is still not to bestow, he should also be glad because for himself, he says that he does not want anything for himself. He is happy that the will to receive cannot enjoy this work, and that should give him joy.
M. Laitman: All right.
Question (Petah Tikva Center): (01:23:42) So, according to the text, I feel joy, I'm happy, I want to bestow, I'm entirely bestowal and joy. Then I go out of here and I lose it all. I begin to think about the corporeal, about the neighbor who took 20 centimeters of my land, about my land, my neighbor, my relative, who didn't invite me to a meal. He helped, but my wife who spends too much with my credit card. When I read this excerpt and I come out of here, I want to be happy. I want to maintain this happiness and be above reason. How do I do that? When I'm here, I'm full of joy. I want to embrace everyone. I want to lift everyone, hold them on my shoulders. But after that, I get, I go out of here and I empty out.
M. Laitman: Yes. So the method to come to joy is called being in faith above reason. Faith is the Upper Force which influences us and raises us, elevates us higher. And we do accept, receive that force of faith above reason, we receive it in our effort to try to keep ourselves above what is happening to us here. With anything I feel in, through my five senses, I don't take all of that into account. I rather only take into account what we can call by the power of faith, the power of bestowal, above my own reason, and then out of that, I come to joy.
Student: Yes, I love everyone except for my neighbors and relatives. That's how it is.
M. Laitman: You're not the only one.
Question (Petah Tikva Center): (01:26:46) Is inner joy, happiness, joy, is inner happiness, joy?
M. Laitman: Inner happiness is what?
Student: Joy?
M. Laitman: Yes, of course, and you bet, unlimited happiness.
Question (Petah Tikva Center): (01:27:16) And I want to raise this prayer. Dear Creator, keep this house, guard this house, bless this place, and as You've blessed Abraham and Jacob and Isaac, bless our love and make his life long. Thank you.
Question (Petah Tikva Center): (01:27:55) We've truly been chosen for such a sublime status here, to be together with you and all of Bnei Baruch here. We were chosen for such a role, to pray and to thank the Creator of the world for having such friends. And I want to ask also for the friend who just spoke, that he loves his relatives and neighbors as he loves us, and that we will love all of Israel above any difference, regardless of how coarse we are, so to speak. With all our love and with this happiness now, I want to ask the Creator to connect together all of Israel, all of the Jews, all over the world, and that we will bring about the wholeness of the soul for the entire people of Israel. And thank you, Rav Michael Laitman, for leading us, teaching, gathering us together. We truly love you. And we thank the Creator of the world for bringing us here and building this temple. We're happy to come here, and we're happy. We want our sons and grandsons to also have this temple, and all the friends. Thank you. Amen.
M. Laitman: This building is truly the temple. It is entirely bought by friends who donated. And we own it, all of us. This building is registered to Bnei Baruch, Kabbalah La'am. And let's hope that we will still be able to host many, many such gatherings here. And everything will end with great love and connection of all of the people of Israel.
Reader: (01:30:38) Excerpt Number 5. Baal HaSulam, Shamati Article No. 96, “What Is Waste of Barn and Winery, in the Work?”
The purpose of the work is in the literal and nature, since in this work he no longer has room to fall lower down, since he is already placed on the ground. This is so because he does not need greatness because to him it is always like something new.
That is, he always works as though he had just begun to work. And he works in the form of accepting the burden of the kingdom of heaven above reason. The basis, upon which he built the order of the work, was in the lowest manner, and all of it was truly above reason. Only one who is truly naïve can be so low as to proceed without any basis on which to establish his faith, literally with no support.
Additionally, he accepts this work with great joy, as though he had had real knowledge and vision on which to establish the certainty of faith. And to that exact measure of above reason, to that very measure as though he had reason. Hence, if he persists in this way, he can never fall. Rather, he can always be in gladness, by believing that he is serving a great King.
M. Laitman: (01:32:37) Meaning, only from relating himself to the Creator. That prevents him from falling from that degree. And thus, he keeps going and becomes sanctified.
Question (Petah Tikva Center): (01:33:27) This excerpt, I've been waiting for it. I'm in a state of lowliness. It hurts for a long time now. But it brought me, truly, to assume the burden of the Kingdom of Heaven. It's surrender. It's surrender. But what's interesting is that throughout this period, my Ten stopped their infighting. Everything is done with love, with laughter, workshops, for seven years, we haven't been laughing like this. So, what's the connection between lowliness and the acceptance of the burden of the Kingdom of Heaven and the fact that I'm seeing my Ten, all of a sudden, loving, laughing? Thank you.
M. Laitman: And you?
Student: I... I cannot tolerate myself. I can't pray for anything except to pray for the Creator to give me the strength to pray for my Ten. Because I... I don't feel worthy of asking Him for anything. So, I'll add to the question: Is this terrible sensation of lowliness, will it accompany me for long? Because, to be honest, I can give it up, right? It's not pleasant.
M. Laitman: I hope that soon you will feel that the total conclusion, that good conclusion of everything you went through. Good luck.
Question (Petah Tikva Center): (01:36:18) This congress is very moving, and I'm very moved. I have a question: There are many people in the world Kli, many women, and you said that thanks to just women, righteous women, the people of Israel come out of exile. And now in the world Kli, there are so many women. It's never happened in the history of the people of Israel. So, tell us, please, what to do in order to bring redemption to the world right now, thanks to the women here and in the world.
M. Laitman: To try, to try and bring redemption to the world. All in all, it's in the desire of the women, and the men should only strengthen that, not more. If women will want connection to happen among them, that there will be one unique force, one unified force of the woman, and that's how they'll connect, then we'll get it all. The world, peace, love, connection, everything will happen. Therefore, the men should first connect among themselves and decide how they're going to support or hold the women, and that all the women will be connected, and then it'll be a general woman, like the mother of the world. And then we'll succeed. We really need the help of women more and more. I'm very happy that we have so many women among us, and I wish for them certainly success in anything possible, and especially success in attaining connection between us. Thank you.
Reader: (01:39:41) Excerpt Number 6. Baal HaSulam, Shamati, Article No. 42, "What Is the Acronym Elul in the Work?"
It is impossible to obtain disclosure before one receives the discernment of Achoraim [posterior], discerned as concealment of the Face, and to say that it is as important to him as the disclosure of the Face. It means that one should be as glad as though he has already acquired the disclosure of the Face.
However, one cannot persist and appreciate the concealment like the disclosure, except when one works in bestowal. At that time, one can say, “I do not care what I feel during the work because what is important to me is that I want to bestow upon the Creator. If the Creator understands that He will have more contentment if I work in a form of Achoraim, I agree.”
M. Laitman: (01:40:49) Okay, no questions. Read on.
Reader: (01:41:00) Excerpt Number 7. RABASH, Article No. 805, "Concerning Joy"
Joy is a testimony. If a person becomes stronger in the matter of faith, to believe that the Creator is good and does good, that there is none above Him, although in the situation he is in right now he has nothing to rejoice with, meaning to be happy about, and yet he reinforces himself and says that the Creator watches over him in a manner of good and doing good, if his faith is sincere, it stands to reason that he should be happy and delighted. And the measure of joy testifies to the level of sincerity in his faith.
By this we can interpret what is said about Rabbi Elimelech, who would say that when he passes away and is told to go to hell, he will say, “If this is what the Creator wants, I will jump in.” That is, this is regarded as Providence of good and doing good. Thus, he is always happy.
M. Laitman: (01:42:35) Questions? Please.
Question (Petah Tikva Center): (01:42:45) First of all, I want to say that the congress is amazing, indescribably so. Just incredible, amazing. The Ten, our Ten were flying around, going, doing everything that is required, that is asked, more so than usual. The friends are usually very heavy, but now because of the atmosphere, because of this huge achievement of this congress. The text speaks about responsibility, about utter devotion. Yes, now we feel that we want to be more involved as partners, take more responsibility in dissemination and so on, asking to be partners in the Creator's work, to help you more, to hear you more, how can we do that? How do we increase our responsibility in the work?
M. Laitman: Each of you should demand from their friend, and all of us together demand from the Creator.
Student: That is what I want to do.
M. Laitman: Yes.
Student: I want there to be a jump inside all of the friends, in terms of their responsibility, their understanding and participation in the process, in terms of their actions, their joy, just to have a jump in every aspect of life, just a jump. Just like dropping a bomb that weighs tons. We want to have such an explosion, such a jump in our hearts, and help you, Rav. There is no friend I hear talking who doesn't want to help you. We want to help you so much.
M. Laitman: If you cannot awaken the Creator, then you can't awaken anyone.
Student: What does it mean to awaken the Creator?
M. Laitman: You can't, so He helps you, so He connects you, so He elevates you. Why? What is it that you can't turn to the Creator? How do you explain that?
Student: That's exactly that. That's what I want to put pressure on. If I'm here, and devotion, according to the Kabbalists, is infinite. There are many examples of devotion. We live in a time where, as Baal HaSulam used to speak to stones, right, he wrote, we see in the whole world there is a national awakening, very nice, but we want right now in the congress to have everything jump up, just to raise it. I want to make a jump in my responsibility towards this work.
M. Laitman: So why doesn't it actually happen?
Student: I don't know. You told a friend to sit and cry, right?
M. Laitman: Yes, maybe we need the men to press the women, ultimately, thanks to righteous women, the people of Israel came out of Egypt. So let's start putting pressure on them. Thankfully, we have a majority of women in our audience. So what's going on?
Student: So, I'm speaking for all the men, if you agree. Friends, do you agree that I make a request from the women? Not just here, all over the world, really, all continents, every place, I ask of all the women: take yourselves seriously, push us forward. We will bring the whale, the Leviathan, here right now, this year. I ask all the friends with all my heart.
Reader: (01:47:20) Excerpt 8. Baal HaSulam, Shamati, Article No. 42, “What Is the Acronym Elul in the Work?”
When one comes to a state where one has no support, one’s state becomes black, which is the lowest quality in the upper world, and that becomes the Keter to the lower one, as the Kli of Keter is a vessel of bestowal.
The lowest quality in the upper one is Malchut, which has nothing of its own, meaning that she does not have anything. Only in this manner is it called Malchut. It means that if one takes upon himself the kingdom of heaven—which is in a state of not having anything—gladly, afterward, it becomes Keter, which is a vessel of bestowal.
M. Laitman: Read again.
Reader: (01:48:26) Excerpt 8. Baal HaSulam, Shamati, Article No. 42, “What Is the Acronym Elul in the Work?”
When one comes to a state where one has no support, one’s state becomes black, which is the lowest quality in the upper world, and that becomes the Keter to the lower one, as the Kli of Keter is a vessel of bestowal.
The lowest quality in the upper one is Malchut, which has nothing of its own, meaning that she does not have anything. Only in this manner is it called Malchut. It means that if one takes upon himself the kingdom of heaven—which is in a state of not having anything—gladly, afterward, it becomes Keter, which is a vessel of bestowal.
Question (Petah Tikva Center): (01:49:58) When a person has grave, serious doubts, does this also count as work above reason?
M. Laitman: Yes.
Student: So, if some trust is broken, whether in the teachers, the teacher, and you continue on and you annul yourself, as we say, is that all regarded as part of our work above reason?
M. Laitman: Yes.
Student: I wanted to ask if you also perhaps experienced some doubts with the Rabash.
M. Laitman: Doubts come to each and every one. They have a very determined, unique purpose. Doubts arise towards the Creator, not just us, the little ones. And each one must find a solution.
Student: Can you perhaps give advice on how you did this?
M. Laitman: No. Only to close your eyes really, really strongly, and come out of the doubts.
Student: Thank you very much.
M. Laitman: That may sound silly, but it helps.
Question (Petah Tikva Center): (01:52:23) Yesterday, there was a friend who asked regarding the ascents and descents after the congress, and you answered him that we have an opportunity to assemble as a Ten, and to prevent the descents, prevent these falls. And now the congress is about to end, and we're again returning to our routine, and I'd like to ask how much benefit can we derive from perhaps one last action with our Tens to assemble together and discuss how to plan the week after the congress so that we can create this blanket of support and love and energy for each other.
M. Laitman: We can grow stronger, we can connect, we can truly get closer to each other, and then in such a way, we will feel how this congress was beneficial. What else? We mustn't let go of the exercises. We must not let go of the connection. We have to start anew each and every day, even a few times a day, and as if everything starts and ends and renews, ends and renews all the time, like a start-stop system, what we have to do. And then, and then, we'll reach the desired state, which is soon. I am very hopeful that people who live not too far, not abroad, that they'll come more often here and connect and make sure they advance with us together. So, I wish you all the best with your families and your kids, and that we will see our small country rising above the nations, and we'll see Israel in the sense of advancing the entire world to the Upper Force.
Reader: (01:55:54) We're now putting the seal on a two-day congress on the subject of faith above reason. How do you summarize everything we went through?
M. Laitman: I think that although it's not clear to a lot of people what above reason means, but they already made contact with this degree, and the rest will attain soon. That's it. And it's not another thing on the path, meaning it is the primary discernment that differentiates between this world and the upper world, and we will unlock it to ourselves. Thank you all and I truly hope that, that whenever you want, we'll have another congress and another one and another connection, no problem.
Question (Petah Tikva Center): (01:57:30) We're responsible for the meal that will be the meal that concludes the congress and all of us here are very much charged, absorbed with many emotions and gratitude and prayer, and we want to really feel like we said that this is the temple. How will a meal look like in the temple where we feel that we are facing the King every moment?
M. Laitman: You don't need anything except for love to fill these spaces in this building; nothing else besides, then you'll feel.
Student: We truly want to ask everyone here in the hall and all over the world Kli to be in some sort of sync. It's not that one group raises L’Chaim, that other people speak, other people are bothered by others or are talking, let's go into one flow, this inner gratitude together.
M. Laitman: I don't think that we need to pressure everyone as though it's an army. That's not good. This is from small mindedness that we want to do that, narrow-mindedness. Each one should feel comfortable the way he is, to be next to the friends, happy to sit together with them in this meal that concludes the congress. Good luck.
Reader: (01:59:26) My friends, thank you to our Rav. Let's all thank him from all our hearts.