Morning Lesson April 7, 2021
Rav talks during preparation: I'd like to add that when it says Israel it means each and every group that is aimed towards the Creator that if they want to exist in such a way to get closer to the Creator, this is how they need to behave and it’s not about some nationality as Baal HaSulam writes, God forbid you should think so that it is some nation out of all the nations but rather it's only according to the ideology, it's only according to the direction of their development. This is how it is with each and everyone, even a single individual who aims himself in such a way to reach coming closer to the upper force is called Israel Yashar El - Straight to the Creator
1. Rav’s Introduction: This is a very important topic for us, patience and persistence, or perseverance, because, according to our education, according to the habits of this world, we are used to the fact that everything depends on our effort, on succeeding, profiting, doing something, whatever we can, in a way that we are doing it. We determine our own future in a way that, whatever we will do, this is how it is going to be. In spiritual actions, in spiritual work, we stumble upon something that we are not so much in control of, and we don't quite understand. Our future depends not on us, but on the upper force. However, by activating ourselves correctly, and the upper course correctly, that is our work. But, nevertheless, our whole work is aimed towards the upper force, from whom comes this action that changes our fate. This is why patience and persistence on the path, these are the most important qualities. We can read a lot about it in all kinds of sources, those of the wisdom of Kabbalah, even those who are not from the wisdom of Kabbalah. Wherever we are in some form connected to the force of nature, to the upper force that eventually manages everything, even though we have to do whatever is up to us, along with that, we need to be equipped with patience and to be persistent in our actions, in order to subjugate ourselves towards the upper dominion and let the upper force do what is clear in the upper system, that this is how it is going to behave towards us. That is, agreement, subjugation. These are very important things in our spiritual progress. This is mentioned quite a few times in the Torah, also, as the degree of humility. Moses was a humble man, the servant of the Lord and other such slogans. It is all referring to the qualities of patience and persistence that we truly have to develop on our spiritual path. This is why we're going to read a few excerpts that we assembled regarding this matter and it's good for us to have these. Truly, we need to have these as we say “as the bread in the basket” of each one of us, so that in tough moments, when one doesn't quite know how to behave, some friend, then he can also turn to such passages and see in them the right guidance towards the purpose of our development.
Excerpt 1 (04:45-05:25)
2. R. (05:25) We learn this. We read this more than once. This is from the article The Wisdom of Kabbalah and Philosophy by Baal HaSulam. The wisdom of Kabbalah requires great sages who examine their hearts, meaning their desires, and to what extent their desires are in congruence with the upper force, who will study it for 20 or 30 years. We saw throughout history that this is how it happens with the great Kabbalists. Only then will they be able to testify to it, meaning they will attain it and understand it, and even be able to reveal it to others, because the wisdom is deep and cannot be revealed by testimony. That somebody heard that somebody learned, this is not enough. We have to have personal attainment. By experimentation, they did some experiments that do not work. A person has to get into a feeling, an understanding, physically, to enter the force of bestowal, the force of the Creator. Only, as it says, to those believers who dedicate themselves to it with all their heart and soul, they are the ones who attain the goal and can testify to it. We need to know only one thing. We have reached this wisdom not in order to invest in it as in some short study of some course...We do have courses for beginners, however, when people come seriously to enter the wisdom of Kabbalah, they need to know that by this, they are actually aiming themselves for a long time, until the end of their life and beyond life. That is, the direction is already for eternity. You cannot change it. We are going forward in order to discover the upper force, in order to connect to it, in order to take upon ourselves a certain behavior, a certain attitude. We need to position ourselves under special higher forces that will influence us, that will make us an inseparable part of the entire system. This is why life has to be such. It's not in order to just come in and then go out. It's not University. It's not school or some other kind of class. We can have home classes, I'm not against it. Everything is wide open for everyone. But those who want, as Baal HaSulam writes here, those who truly want to get into the Wisdom of Kabbalah, and to be a Kabbalist, and to discover the Creator and the upper system, he needs to know that he has to dedicate, to devote, his heart to it. Meaning that all of his desires and intentions will start to take on a special template. How to look, how to feel, how to think, how to accept the whole of reality. Not just ours. This is not what it is about. It's about, in general, that all of reality, that we need to adapt ourselves to receive it. The whole general reality. Therefore, this requires a lot of time from a person. Most importantly, we need this time in order for the upper light to influence us. It doesn't quite depend on a person. A person might even make all the necessary efforts that are required of him, to incorporate with the others, to subjugate himself and to study, and do everything that Kabbalists advise us to do. That is not enough, also. We, nevertheless, need to give nature the upper force, to let it influence us, and gradually, bit by bit, it will change our nature from the nature of reception to the nature of bestowal. It takes time. We see how much in nature the process a slow gradual process is, and what we see is maybe just the upper external layer of what is happening, but in order for something to change in that layer, many internal changes have to occur within the person. Sometimes we feel them. The heart changes a little bit, the look, the opinion, the view changes a little bit. However, we're not still aware of how many internal processes need to take place in each and every one, and also in between us, in order for some small change to occur in our awareness. Look, even in our life, in our world, billions of years were required for us in order for something to exist and to develop. Or millions of years in order, let's say, for the animate world or the speaking world to develop. It's a very prolonged process. Therefore, spirituality, which is a lot more complex and intricate, and it requires even more changes until some change occurs in a person, subconsciously, in the subconscious and all kinds of peripheral, his periphery, many actions need to take place. We will learn this later, but in the meantime, this is why he says that this is only about patience and persistence. Allow the effort force to work on you. This is actually the greatest art that we have in the wisdom of Kabbalah. Hold on to your questions. We’re going to read a few more passages and then we will answer them. Anybody who wants to ask, will ask, but not now, a bit later.
Excerpt 2 (13:11- 13:31)
3. R. We see this...I even remember from school, when I was at school as a child, there were such that said I'm going to go to work, why keep studying? Even in eighth or ninth grade, it's enough. There were those who said, no we're going to take some course after school, or just finish school maybe, or also take some course later, and there were those that said no. We could see in them that they, even to begin with, they wanted to keep studying and they wanted to reach something, some quantity and quality of knowledge, of understanding life, of some profession, so that they will have that. This is what we also see in our life, that one who wants to be an expert, he has to invest a lot of time in it. We see this even in the material world. Some worker is working, and at the age of 60 or 65, let's say, he goes out to retirement. A scientist who reaches the age of 60 or 65, he doesn't go to retirement. They have no retirement. They can keep working as long as they want, and get paid, and all kinds of awards, prizes, without limitation of age. Why is that? Because a person, maybe at such ages, he acquires the artistry of his profession, of his specialization. So, we see when people are in a more complex, more important profession or field, we can see that they keep on working really without any limitation of age and the various laws that determine how things are for ordinary people. This is how it is also in the wisdom of Kabbalah. There is no limitation in terms of age or something. Up to the end of life and also beyond life, you still continue. So, what does he write here?
Excerpt 2 (15:57 - 17:50) Twice
4. R. (17:50) This is how we need to understand it to begin with, that we are getting into a very serious business, which is above life and death, throughout all of the stages and incarnations that we go through. Now, we are really arranging for ourselves the foundation for our eternal development. Therefore, this is how we should also relate to the process, and to the connection between us, and to walking on the path, and our connection with the system of nature. That indeed, we are not just having a life here for a few thousand years in the framework of what we were given, but rather, we are preparing ourselves for the general, eternal, complete framework, and we want to be connected between us and connected to it in a complete spiritual way, eternal way, and to continue like this. So, the most important thing here is not to demand some success, but rather, let the upper force work on you. The quality of subjugation, submission, is the most important one here. I am letting the Creator work on me, that's it. This is how we see that, whether we want to or not, this is how it works in nature. Our degree of agreement should be there, as much as we are capable of lowering our heads and incorporating in what is happening. But actually, whether we want to or not, certainly the upper force will influence us, regardless. It will make us whatever is necessary according to the general goal, and the general system, but as much as we agree with him, to that extent we can bless him, to that extent we are incorporated in him, to that extent we begin to feel him and to discover him. Because agreeing with him is what is most important here. That I'm not standing in the way of the upper force in performing whatever it wants over me. This is related also to the matter of the Tzimtzum, Masach, Ohr Hozer, restriction, screen and reflected light. Subjugation here is the correct quality that we have to achieve. Alright, let’s take a few questions that we have here. Let’s start with Kiev.
5. S. (20:50) How to understand that I am producing such conditions for the Creator to work on me, so I can work patiently and not to rush through the work?
R. We understand that we exist in our force of the will to receive, that the Creator deliberately created in us the evil inclination, the nature that is the opposite of him, contradictory to him, and according to this nature, we cannot agree with him in anything. We always have thoughts, and desires, and views of our own means, that we feel how much I am not content with whatever the Creator is doing with me and then I forget about the Creator maybe, but it is the Creator who is doing everything. Also, here, I need to understand, to be wiser, that whatever I feel and whatever I want to be against the Creator, not agreeing with him, it's also the same force coming to me from the Creator and awakening me in such a way. The Creator seemingly is checking me all the time. What extent am I in agreement or disagreement with him? Then, when I am in between these two forces which he is operating on me...One is that Kabbalists are telling me how much I need to be in self-annulment, and to agree with the Creator, and to subjugate myself altogether. On the other hand, I see how much the Creator is awakening in me each time desires and thoughts that are the opposite. That I don't want whatever he is doing to me, I disagree with him. You can call it the evil inclination or man's ego. But in between these two forces, in between what I get directly from the Creator and also in the opposite form from the Creator, in between these two forces, I need to understand my path of the advancements, and it depends entirely only on me subjugating myself with my ego, with my will to receive, and will let the Creator work on me. It is considered that I am annulling, canceling the force of Malchut, and I wish to elevate myself to the force of Bina. That way I can advance. Subjugation, patience, persistence. Certainly, I have no strength of my own, but rather, everything comes from above as the good force and the bad force, and I need to be in between the two of them on the middle line and let the Creator arrange these relations in such a way that both the good force as well as the bad force, as to Angels, will work on me, and they will reach the correct interconnection between them, and I will acquire both of them.
S. You said that I annul my Malchut in order to rise to Bina. How do you do it? Not to plan anything, but first of all to annul myself and that's it? That's the main work?
R. First of all, we learn, really, that everything starts from the restriction. That I restrict myself. That is, I don't jump, I don't do, I don't even think. That is, I don't think about the responses and my actions, I simply digest whatever is happening. Out of that, I understand that it all comes from the Creator and there is none else besides him, and even if it comes clothed in all kinds of events, incidents of this world, enemies of mine, it is the Creator who organized it and not someone else. By this, first of all, I am giving myself some time to understand who I am getting this from, what I am getting. For sure, it's all for my benefit if I arrange it correctly. The Creator is good and doing good. Even though he operates through all kinds of unpleasant actions, and seemingly bad ones in my eyes, so that I immediately jump against them, I need to think it is so, truly? Maybe, specifically through these actions, I can connect even more to this upper force that is operating them. Specifically, these actions that seem to me as bad, I can turn them into good actions as much as I am capable of it. Nevertheless, it cannot be that there is something in the world that is ultimately working to its detriment, but rather, all-in-all for sure, everything is for the benefit, for the good. Here, a person has to arrange, to organize his response.
S. How, within this situation, when I annul myself, regardless of any situation, to be devoted to the work of the Creator? What do I have to do for him? And not just to wait.
R. No, that's not enough. If you're suffering, then it doesn't matter what the situation is. If you are suffering, then you are not on the side of the Creator. You are on the opposite side. Rather, until you agree with heart and soul to whatever is done to you in life, and the most important thing for you is throughout this whole situation that you feel right now to be adhered to the Creator, because there are no states that come not from him. Therefore, subjugating oneself with patience and persistence, subjugating oneself, so that I agree. I agree. If you truly reach that, that you don't want any other state, the most important is that you want to reach with whatever you feel right now that what you feel for sure comes from the Creator, and in this moment, you want to be adhered to him, that it comes from him. That is, you want to be in agreement. Through this, we already reach the restriction and annulment. It is considered the annulment of existence. You are annulling yourself, and it doesn't matter to you what is going over you. The most important thing is that above it, you want to be adhered to the Creator. He's doing it to you. If you adhere to him, then whatever he is doing to you, things that might seem to you as the worst possible things, they become good because you are now connecting to the source of the good. Then you realize that in such a way, you can correct the whole of reality. That first, it is controlled by the bad force, and you, through your attitude that through this bad you are connecting with the Creator, you invert this reality to good, because towards you, with respect to you, this is how you start to feel. This is actually our whole study and all of our work, to discover the Creator as the good operator. To that extent, we are adhered to him.
6. S. (30:13) In your introduction you said that we should not demand any results but simply give the upper force the opportunity to work on us so here it is clear patience is not to expect any result but what is it is it about persistence?
R. Patience and persistence are about the fact that I have to go through my attitude towards the upper force usually it's through the group through a request a prayer for all of the actions that we study we need to bring ourselves not to some change where we will feel that the Creator is changing with respect to us but rather, we are changing with respect to him. Because each time he reveals in us a greater egoistic desire in which we accept the upper light, the bestowal, the influence that comes from him in the worst manner because in each and every state they are becoming more and more opposite. I become greater in my desire in the light accordingly works on this desire as the opposite force to the desire. It is the bestower and the desire to receive and in so in each and every state along the way on the spiritual path and today nowadays it is even in the corporeal way of the world in each and every state I have to bring myself to a feeling that I am getting good things. That is, I need to realize that whatever is happening right now it is actually the intensification of the upper light, the intensification of the state that is coming to me from the Creator and in such a state that I am in, I need to look for a means for how will I discover in this state that to begin with appears to me as bad and I disagree with it and I am not content, I’m upset etc., etc. How can I see in this state specifically a better state than what I had before then instead of the state of descent I will now feel it as a state of ascent and it all depends on how much we develop correctly and check correctly our attitude toward the Creator through the group, through everything that we study. That all in all through patience and persistence if I look at it not directly from my ego from my own nature but rather that I relate to these things objectively. Objectively meaning from the side that I look at it and I say this is you meaning this is me, I am there, and this is the creator in the Creator is influencing you. You now have an ability to respond, to react to what he is doing. How do you accept his new bestowal of his new influence as good or bad? Nothing bad comes from the upper one only good so why are you accepting it as bad because you didn't yet correct yourself on this new degree. Let’s see how we can do it? it is impossible any other way you won't be able to change the nature of the world nevertheless everyone will advance as it says they shall all know me from the least of them to the greatest of them. However, there are those who get an opportunity to advance towards him and there are those who do not get such an opportunity, or they get an opportunity, but they disregard it. They want to go back to their ordinary life just like an ordinary person. What is the difference between a Kabbalist and an ordinary person? An ordinary person lives according to nature whatever he has he has, and if he wants to improve his corporeal life and that's it. A Kabbalist knows that whatever he's getting he's getting it from the Creator. He has to arrange his attitude to the Creator in that he has to constantly adapt myself, adjust himself to the influence of the Creator in a way that is as correct as possible. That I am getting good from the Creator and if I feel bad, I need to search for how I can change myself in order to feel good until as it says all my bones shall tell. Because otherwise if I am not in joy if I'm not in devotion towards the Creator it is a sign that I did not correct my attitude to him. This is what we should try to do each and every moment and this way our life will be with an inclination towards the good to discover the good and doing the good each and every time until we will truly begin to discover him on a regular non-stop basis. We will actually want then to receive each time something which is against it, opposite it, so that I will have room for work so that I will have place for persistence for patience and so that I will try to exert myself so as to nevertheless search for how I can more and more discover the attitude of the Creator towards me as good and doing good and every situation of mine. Then truly such a person is called one who is working. He is longing for more work, longing more for states where he has a conflict, a struggle with the Creator where he has complaints with the Creator then he has what to do to overcome and how to advance because love covers all crimes. This is how one reaches higher degrees of connection. There is a lot here, many words we can say because this is truly a huge territory for our advancement up to true adhesion at the end of correction.
7. S. (37:47) What changes about the destiny of someone who is an amateur Kabbalist and then becomes a devoted student to his teacher?
R. You don't need to be devoted to the teacher so much you need to aim ourselves more to the Creator. I want you to be very close to me that you all enter into my heart, but this is only for the sake of your advancement towards the Creator. Therefore, we need as much as possible to search for how we can be aimed towards him, that is, the teacher and also the friends, these are all means so that through the teacher and the group I obtained my point of connection with the Creator so that in my heart I begin to feel that he exists, and I am in him and this is how we advance. Therefore, devoted to the teacher means that name that one tries to keep whatever the teacher teaches. Of course, as much as one is capable of it doesn't come in at once we're all learning with you such rules that are truly great exalted rules. These are laws that also exist on the higher spiritual levels and we're studying them even before we enter spirituality, but we want to hasten our entrance therefore this is why we are studying these things. I hope this will work on all of us and that way by helping one another we will push each other through examples by talking and we will truly begin to implement it.
8. S. (40:10) How can it be that in spite of our efforts to come closer to the group to the Morning Lesson the Creator always gives me bigger blows. The more I want to come close relatively speaking he is pushing me further away. How can you explain the Creator doesn't want me to come to lessons or to the send or incorporate in the friends?
R. All of your impressions from the Creator's actions that are pushing you, he doesn't want you to go away. I don't need you. You can even quit, it is all in order to awaken you in the opposite way so that you will be able to make an effort so that you will be able to exert for people whom the Creator doesn't relate to, they are living all around you in the world. They don't feel that the Creator is rejecting them, that he doesn't want them, they are not trying to scrutinize his attitude toward them. Rather people like you, that he is interested in their advancement, let's say he is interested in your advancement so he's actually pushing you and you feel it. You don't want it when you get up in the morning and you don't have any mood, any spirit throughout the day. Suddenly you feel that people are yelling at you and things aren't working for you or you just don't have any good mood or something just like that. People all around you are having a life, they are enjoying life and you are all in a black mood, right? This is suitable for a person who wants to come closer to the Creator who was searching for the upper force, yes, specifically yes. In order for you to want to advance towards the Creator above what he's giving you, whatever he is giving you. Our advancement on two lines, later we will learn about the three lines, but at least the two. The Creator is rejecting, and you are coming closer. The Creator is rejecting, and you are coming closer. It is considered that each time you are rising above the Arvut, the coarseness of the degree to a higher and higher degree even though we don't yet feel these degrees but one who is greater than his friend, his inclination is greater. It turns out the more you advance it will become harder for you, it will be harder. I sometimes saw that usually Rabash didn't want me to see him in such states when he was in very hard states, very difficult states, truly sitting on his bed, like this, can’t move, bent down, and couldn't move. You look at him and he doesn't understand. He looks at you like this, (the blank stare) he doesn't even know you. He doesn't recognize you. So much so, I'll tell you later on about it more when we will advance that a person who goes through spiritual states seemingly is replacing one world with the other more and more, he doesn't live on the plane like us in this world just like for him things change seemingly like the historical periods in the development of the world like millions of billions of years in the evolution of the universe. This is how it changes for him. Suddenly he feels that he's in a different state, worse and then he makes an effort, and each discovers that it's actually higher. We need to understand that we exist in our body but inside we are going through geological eras, historical periods like millions of years from one state to another and this is why I need to know how I accept them. That the Creator is arranging for us each state I feel worse seemingly and I have a bad spirit I'm helpless and I need to understand to realize that this is coming from there is none else besides him, the good who is doing good, and there are no other forces here besides him and so I accept that I get good things and every moment they are to my benefit. However right now I have to persuade myself and correct myself such that I will truly be in this whole terrible state that I am discovering that I will feel the good force. And by what? By me making myself change so that my vessel will be fitting for the light otherwise the light will be in contradiction to the vessel it all depends on the congruence between the light and then I will feel this light as bad or suffering all depends on therefore we need to learn what really well and we can accept the Creator's behavior is influenced on us each and every moment and how do we help each other in that because in that everyone is interconnected and one cannot do anything individually.
9. S. (47:08) What perception do we need to build in our intention to increase our perseverance and patience in the ten?
R. Talk about it more. Read certain things throughout the day. Be in greater connection. It’s very difficult for us to connect and talk but we have to establish it as part of our daily schedule. Because we forget that during the day, we all change greatly. We forget this is the installment the vessel the calibration of our spiritual vessel by connecting together. the more we connect then through of the connection we form during the day you have to see how each time I look at the Creator how do we expect except him how is he revealed between us is there more distance in what way what form and so on and so forth we have to be drawn towards his revelation to see him as present in our vessel according to our vessel.
10. S. (49:08) Where does the patience come from and why is it only in some of the people and above everything why in the wisdom of Kabbalah this is one of the most important qualities for spiritual development?
R. Because patience depends on importance and importance is the most significant thing for the will to receive what is more important? Spiritual life is more important to me than corporeal life is the Creator more important than all other opportunities, possibilities that affect me during the day which is something he is sending me as well. Everything he is sending me relative to him and corporeal things and my mood through family through work through health. Through all sorts of states the world is going through now especially during this pandemic, the Creator is sending all of this so we will establish our connection with him as the highest, most important thing this is our work what is important. This is importance, it is not about the emotional importance meaning more of the practical importance, in other words I can restrict my senses, my feelings and determine what is more important and later arrange my feelings in such a way that I will enjoy pleasure from what is it important what is more important we have to work on that.
11. S. (51:36) I saw in the excerpt the difference between a developed and one who is not so developed but a beginner, as a beginner I want to ask, I didn't develop this quality in my corporeal vessels in the corporeal reality which I live I don't have this attitude this approach. In my life I nevertheless do I have the possibility to succeed in reaching this quality of patience and succeed on the path?
R. This depends on you even more now you how much you are adhered to your environment, if you're in a group that keeps you the example of patients where in spite of their ascent and descents, all those things someone from the group there is always giving you motivation for advancement it could be what we call the Gabai, the person of connection. Someone who according to schedule that we make today, today it's him, tomorrow it is someone else that we have to awaken the society and awaken in it the direction towards the goal and to overcome, patiently all the obstacles because each as every obstacle is an ascent. The fact that it is difficult and something else, but each obstacle is an ascent. In the wisdom of Kabbalah these are not obstacles like in the corporeal world where in the world I have to face them and overcome them using my physical strength but in my spiritual world I have to face them with my attitude. I have to raise the importance otherwise I will not be able to rise above them. Hence each and every state that I accept in life, I have to raise importance towards it, that another second, another moment, another degree, on which I rise, and I step on and I march on, like I'm close to adhesion with the Creator. We have to talk about it in the 10, a person has to hear the morning lesson during the day, and in this way, he will think about it when he is by himself, he will think about how to correctly perform the corrections.
12. S. (55:00) Should we search for a logical explanation, excuses that the Creator is working for the benefit in order to agree with him or does this agreement not require any proof in are my ten?
R. We have to work with our brain and with our mind and our heart the main thing is to constantly raise the importance for spirituality through the group, there is no private state for a person to remain in. Rather the important thing for him to be incorporated in the group and to acquire higher spirits from the group and it doesn't mean that he is running away from your assistance, on the contrary, he exchanges his corporeal attitude for the spiritual attitude. Although it's seemingly very easy to incorporate in the group, he feels himself more comfortable, better he's in the friend's arms and all his sorrow is seemingly annulled, his helplessness, bad mood, they see me to get annulled when he is in the group, when he is influenced by them. That that is not important, the important thing is to justify the Creator as much as possible and if you're doing it using the forces of the society, you're incorporating them it's even better. We don't advance by feeling sorrow we need to try to be in high spirits, good mood that we acquire from the group, it has to be our compass.
13. S. (57:17) Baal HaSulam teaches us that the great sages were researching their heart, in my case when I am really small compared to them, what kind of research should I perform on my heart to contribute to my friend so that they will advance towards the goal?
R. Try to feel, to understand, to detect what is in your heart and what is in your brain even as all coming from above from the Creator. You only need to arrange the correct relationship between them both in your brain and in your heart and this is done by arranging yourself correctly in the group. there is nothing more to add.
14. S. (58:31) How can I help the friends to adhere to this objectivity you talked about, I really like this notion of objectivity?
R. Only through example show them what you do even without explanation just show them they will understand.
15. S. (59:04) How do we expand our patients after many years, I got some answers, but another thing is do we get this choice to arrange things in the right way through the vessels we have, or do we need new vessels for this?
R. We will acquire new vessels, what kind and when it is not important for us, we are to try to justify each and every state that we receive an inch and every moment then we will be called righteous people who justify the Creator up to the highest spiritual level. Then all the bad will turn to good, and we will reach a world that is all good only through justification and the ability to justify depends on the society and on the qualities of persistence and patience that we gradually acquire from experience in our spiritual life. Now it's time for us to pay attention to that as well we're working according to plan don't worry,
S. I'm saying indeed patience is the primary thing here.
16. S. (01:00:49) How can we distinguish patience from this disinterest, indifference, how can we have patience on one hand and on the other hand demand for myself and strong desire to act immediately?
R. I think that after a few years after the first few years this clarity, the desire to jump and reach immediately and right away, gradually extinguishes and it's not happening naturally. Rather we become experienced, it's all happening in the desire, in the combination of desires so it's not that something simply calms down, rather its influence of the corporeal and spiritual environment it's a result of that. We come to a more stable attitude towards reality, towards the Creator, we begin to feel that it is coming to us from the upper force that he is doing it and there is none else besides him. Consequently, we receive from that, the force of patience and persistence, we are under the treatment of the upper one and hence our work is nothing if not to agree and subjugate ourselves. To that extent we subjugate ourselves, we begin to receive our signs. various small influences, we begin to feel them as coming from the Creator. It all depends on the extent to which we, calm ourselves down about responding sharply, harshly, and we accustom ourselves to understand, to feel each state as coming from him. We are truly in a world that is in fact a web or a network of upper forces, in general called the Creator and these forces influence us. Our entire work is to raise our sensitivity for these forces, to agree with them to understand them, to feel them and resemble them until we reach it in with them till, we reach adhesion with them, to reach states where I not only accept them as they are but rather it depends on my correction. I can determine the degree of change in them. This is the meaning of the righteous decrees and the Creator executes. In the beginning, it's the other way around the Creator decrees and the righteous executes and this is called I awaken the dawn and the dawn does not awaken me.
17. S. (01:05:03) You signed mutual guarantee with the Creator and Rabash you gave us so many examples on the other hand is clear that you have states on the path where there is a conflict it's not clear so can you give us examples of how you the quality of patience and certain situations were able to overcome because he's one of us goes through these things and we'll go through and stronger degrees?
R. That is what Rabbi Akiva told us when he sat on, when he grabbed a piece of driftwood after his ship sank and he said I reached the shore because I was able to lower my head and go under each and every wave that came to me, that is it. That is what I can tell you from my experience, I try to be like Rabbi Akiva.
18. S. (01:06:19) My 10 decided to have a meal, no doubt the Creator opens the door, he sets the table, he puts the chairs around the table, he puts the friends on the chairs, and he puts the plate on. At that moment, my friend who is in Italy quarantined, where he has difficulty putting his food on the table for him and his family, so how do I turn the meal of my 10 into a meal of shame and grief, because my 10 in Italy is not worthy of such an attitude from the Creator?
R. I don't want to hear your story because the start of the story is not good, it's simply about one egoist telling us about what he is and it is an incorrect attitude for someone who is in the Creator's world and he is depicting the world to us in this way, truly you continue to be a philosopher. Sit at home and cry alone and that friend there and think you're doing something good by that, I have nothing good to offer you. That you're going to come between us here and lament it, you think that you're doing good to your friend and to you and to the Creator through that, this attitude is incorrect from the onset.
19. S. (01:08:10) What should we do from one day to the next, that you're discovering that your horizon is the entire 10, the 10 is closing you in and you don't feel the Creator, you feel the 10, the friends. You do the work with them. Everything is fine but where is the Creator in this whole story?
R. In the story he is inside the 10 you can't see him, but he is behind the scenes, he is arranging everything that's happening in the 10, the spirits, the mood, the relationship everything.
S. Is there some way beyond working between us and feeling the 10 and being with the 10 to start to feel this thing called the Creator to find him there in the connection with the friends or something?
R. I didn't understand you.
S. I'm with the 10 I truly feel that it's filling up the whole horizon of my reality, I think of them, I work with them, but I don't find the Creator in this story?
R. You have to make additional efforts, understand who is holding the 10 who is placing it before you, how can you understand you even exist this imagination which exists before you called the ten. Rather it's the Creator who brings the person to the good fortune and says take it. So that's what you have to try and see. I understand that you can't see it, but you have to try to see it. this is where your free choice is you need to see in the 10 the upper force and how he is arranging it for you.
S. Is there some advice besides to continue the work with patience, is there some advice beyond patience to continue?
R. Patience does not mean that you persist in your previous state, maybe you've done certain actions that are totally incorrect that you continue those persistently, that is stupidity. Rather patience means that each time you choose a more precise direction towards the 10 and through it towards the Creator specifically, Patience me that you're not changing the path but each time you are actually advancing in it otherwise what's the story you are standing in place holding on to what was, just foolishly holding on to something that you might have picked up on the way. Patience is not stubbornness and tenacity, although tenacity is also important if it belongs to the correct action. What we are learning about now, persistence and patience does not mean that we should not change it means that each time we have to choose the goal more precisely and advance towards it more and more in each moment forward. Patience and persistence should not be something that fixates me that glues me in place and I don't move it, doesn't mean that I don't check myself each and every day and I improve my progress, otherwise I become a still, an inanimate object and patience and persistence is one form of type of attitude that we have to adapt to changing state.
S. I have to say that there are many changes like I understand what you are saying but what I'm saying is maybe you know it's part of throwing away everything that you came with into this wisdom and understanding the Creator's different than what you were thinking before, but I am still searching for this feeling this is what I am lacking we talked about it, we are inspired by it?
R. Not in the middle of the lesson at the expense of everyone, keep looking.
20. S. (01:13:24) I have the following question. Everything stems from the Creator and it's all for good so what are the situations in which we shouldn't suffer certain actions by the friends and what is the right calculation to do?
R. If I feel someone is doing some actions that come to disturb the unity and break the group then I have to consult with the group without that friend and I have to accept what they decided. maybe I see it and they don't but that I subjugate myself to their decision.
21. S. (01:14:29) You said Rabash was going through states that were not simple and seemingly he went through them by himself so how can we be a world Kli of thousands, how will this influence the states that we go through?
R. We are not in those states, we are going to have advanced states different than the ones he was going through, each and every one in each and every period has its own process so don't worry as we will go through it. Just as you got everything thus far. If we realize what we have received, you can move many steps forward.
Excerpt 3 (01:15:13 - 01:15:28)
22. R. We spoke about this many times that the main thing is the entrance to spirituality just as we have in our world a problem to get pregnant each new degree begins as an inversion of the previous states. Look according to the Torah, all of the mothers had a hard time conceiving and this is because a new degree represents a tremendous change, and we have to understand it and to be ready for such a complex change.
Excerpt
4
(01:19:34
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01:19:53)
23A.
R.
Meaning
immediately
from
the
spiritual
degree.
Excerpt 4 (01:19:53 - 01:21:22) Continue.
23B. R. In truth I remember I was impressed when Rabash said that everyone works for the Creator, what does this mean, you have billions of people in the world who don't think or understand or don't do anything, that they are worse than animals. No, everyone works for the Creator and everyone receives their orders from nature internal external it doesn't matter, and everybody carries those orders reluctantly as their will to receive obligates them and they do it. This Pharaoh, the will to receive is the Creator's loyal helper, the Creator created him in this way and the will to receive does everything, but this is the meaning of unintentionally as they do this because some upper force works through them obligating them. They don't understand it’s an upper force, they don’t understand it is obligating them but just like that they live because they live, something works inside a person and tells him what to do and how he should look at things, how he should think and how he should react, and this is the force of life in a person unintentionally. There are those from not for her sake Lo Lishma who come to for her sake Lishma. First coming to the state of Lo Lishma, they are aware of the fact that they are under an egoistic force of nature, they don't wish to agree with it, they advance to be above it as much as possible until you come to a stage where they wish to control that force of nature of theirs and from Lo Lishma they come to Lishma with the help of the upper force who influences and pulls them forward, above this degree. This is what Baal HaSulam says here that they should not think that they will find a solution and begin the work in Lishma, in order to bestow from the ego. No, they have to go through Egypt, the desert and all of those things until they come to in order to bestow, called the land of Israel. we must do this inside of us, in each and every one, each and every member of this world each according to the root of his soul. There are those who have to go through these things in a very extended way individually and there are those who go through it easily and quickly, it does not depend upon us but rather it depends upon the root of one's soul.
S. (01:24:46) Can we understand, what does it mean that the way to achieve this degree is by the ones who are able to qualify it by the control of one's heart?
R. These are the degrees of the influence of the environment upon a person and this means that way advances not according to who we are. Of course, it depends on the time period we were born into and the motivation a person gets to reach the Creator but eventually it all depends upon a person. This is the part that depends upon him which is his spiritual work where he doesn't have any spiritual desires, but he hears and he feels and he absorbs it, he develops the motivation for it and he pulls himself, the environment pushes him from behind and he pulls himself towards that spiritual goal using these two forces he advances.
S. What does it mean, those who qualify it by the measure of one’s control over one's heart, this is also a result of the light. Who can control his heart?
R. Right, but the light is a result of how much one wishes to advance and to what extent he arranges his environment for the light to reach him through it.
S. can we say the attitude to the 10 this is what it means by those who qualify it?
R. it depends upon the 10 because you received the Creator's influence only through the environment, so the closer the environment is to you, the tighter it is, accordingly you receive the upper influence and you advance, you change.
S. The teacher who teaches us, it's not, he is the one who qualifies it?
R. No, that is like a side force, auxiliary force, existing force, just like the teachers that you had in life. I would say, there are other ways by which one’s advancement depends on his Rav (Teacher) but it's not in the way that one thinks of it. The Rav advances through his students. Through all my students I have grown wiser, and they advance through him. It is a system, but it all depends upon the friends, the connection with the friends. It is the structure of the soul, of the Ten.
23. S. (01:27:54) We say that we need to annul in the Ten. Is it true to say we need to be patient in the work and to just persist in doing it in order to get to a result?
R. We just have to organize ourselves as the Kabbalists tell us and to strengthen and hold on to the connection between us and accordingly to see how much the connection between us is more and more suitable for the spiritual qualities. That the connection in the group, the relationship in the group they need to be more suitable for the spiritual laws. By that we can truly see where we are and how we progressed although it is inaccurate because we are doing all of the measurements but nevertheless this is what is important. As much as we are one man in one hard and as much as we are Incorporated in one another to that extent we are moving towards a structure in which we can reveal the Creator.
24. S. (01:30:04) You said, that it doesn't quite depend on the teacher but mostly on the friends so we have to choose the method, the work, and everything through corporeality but where can I discover the Creator in this life, it all depends upon the friends it seems that they are ordinary people like me and each one in the 10 has the perfect friends with which to reaches individual end of correction in this life or could it happen that as a principal the 10 will not give such conditions to a person, and nothing will help him not patients or anything else or did the creator create for each one the perfect 10?
R. I don't know how to react, it’s so far from the truth that I can't even depict it to yourself. You have a 10 there you must do all the actions whatever Rabash is writing to you with respect to the Ten. you can't exchange the Rav, who explains to you from a higher degree, that you haven't yet reached, how to advance, with the Ten. Depict to yourself that you're in school and you take one of the students and say you will be a geography teacher and the other mathematics and the third will be a history teacher and so on, is that possible? What are you talking about? We are only talking about connection between us that in connection between us we will make the effort to put together such relations between us like the quality of the Creator, bestowal, love, support and so on, not more than that.
S. In every method there are all kinds of people that are qualified that people listen to, like you, Baal HaSulam and Rabash.
R. Of course all the kabbalists that we talked about, they are as such that we can learn from them, I'm not certain what you're asking more than that. Let’s continue and it will work out for you.
25. S. (01:33:20) It sounds as if we have to start showing effort without waiting for any awakening impulse from the Creator, in this case what kind of effort is needed and what is this feeling that evokes us?
R. We need to be in an effort to feel ourselves as one society that operates on everyone and from within this society, we receive forces for advancement and progress is always in our effort, in a way that we are more and more connected in our circle also in the large circle and in the private circles and the private Tens that’s what we need. Because as much as we get closer and we'll feel that we each belong to his Ten and all of the Tens are dependent in total on our general collective Ten, according to that we will give the Creator the opportunity to be revealed, his relation is dependent on how close and tight we are to one another as in the private and the general Tens.
26. S. (01:35:01) What is the meaning of the measure of control that a person has on his heart?
R. A person doesn't control his heart at all upon his heart only the upper light the Creator controls, the heart is desire and as much as we awaken the upper light in this way, we influence our hearts, the general desire in the group and the private desire of each and every one. This is how we do it to awaken the Creator, the upper light and by this that we connect, request and then the upper light that comes changes all of our private desires bringing them closer according to his quality and we advance.
27. S. (01:36:18) If it doesn't depend upon time then how do we relate correctly to the time that passes?
R. We don't relate to time, we relate to the action of the Creator towards us, how we can awaken him to influence upon us more and more to advance us.
Excerpt 5 (01:36:53 - 01:37:27)
28. R. Meaning as much as we crown the Creator to be our creator, the large, upper one and to this extent he is present as the Creator as the upper as the large one as influencing and bestowing upon us that everything is happening to us. If we take him out of this role, we don't accept him as the one who is determining everything, that there is none else besides him influencing upon us, upon our entire destiny and everything that we are truly in the forces of nature that are very confusing let's say like with respect to us. Then already we cannot see ourselves that we are in some system. The system is the Creator, as much as we are under his influence then we can stay in this we can determine the process of development, the purpose of development but in this sad we are more connected to him. That he is the host and the patience, the devotion, all of the qualities that we need to develop is only with respect to him as much as possible to be directed toward him and in each and every moment to make the effort more to come closer to him. According to that we choose everything in our corporeal life and our spiritual life only to be even more close to the Creator.
29. S. (01:39:27) The patience is just in order to advance on the path not to wait for the revolution of the Creator, some reward, the patience is what enables us to advance and receive what is revealed before us?
R. The patience is first of all that you are not going to change anything other than your attitude towards the Creator. Actually all of the human development if it wasn't egoistic initially it was in the correct understanding the correct perception of reality, it needs to be in this that people would be developing their relation to the Creator in order to request and obligate the upper force to open up the true reality for them but they breaking, the shattering was not done for nothing and the sin of the tree of knowledge in order that we should go through the stages of exile from spirituality from the Creator and from within the darkness to reveal him in this very lengthy process. Through the millions of years of development this is how it is.
30. S. (01:41:12) This feeling of working in Lishma depends upon what we do or something else?
R. It all depends upon our effort, but our effort needs to be not just any effort but rather in our correct development in patience, devotion in all of the forces that ultimately increase and enlarge the Creator in our eyes that there is an upper force, the force of bestowal and love and connection that it dwells in all of reality. Holding and maintaining all of reality and that he himself is reality and there is none else besides him that we want to incorporate in this force and from within this that we are opposite from him. If we correctly stabilize, looking correctly at our path that we progress gradually to reveal the force of unity and connection, mutual bestowal then such, we reveal this general law of nature called the Creator.
31. S. (01:43:07) When a person comes out of the authority of the landlord, he is no longer his landlord, what are we doing wrong?
R. You are not crowning the Creator as the host upon you that he operates in you in your conscious and unconsciousness in all of your actions that look and appear to you as correct or not correct, good or not good but that the Creator is in all ways and there is nothing else in your thoughts and your desires. There is no one there other than him you are not going to receive him in such a manner, there is none else besides him, that you are also not present, and all of your work is only in order to make of yourself a complete zero and then you begin to reveal the Creator clothing in you and then you reveal the truth.
S. If we are not under his authority do, we need patience?
R. By this you have work against the Creator, revealing him in your vessels, in the network of your heart and mind to perceive him that he is truly alive in you.
S. We would come out of his authority?
R. Yes.
S. So why is it like that?
R. In order that you shall be wiser and want yourself despite all of the forces opposing it to crown the Creator, the upper force to recognize him as operating in all states that there is none else besides him.
S. That is the difficulty that we need to develop, and it takes time?
R. Yes.
31. S. (01:45:43) How can we hasten times to reveal the connection between us and the Creator?
R. This is personal and group devotion, there is no more.
S. Isn't there something that can help to reveal it faster?
R. What do you mean that you shall enter some other system that you will change gears?
S. Yes, something more intensive.
R. This depends upon you, you want me to bring it to you, you want to advance more it's all before you. What are you telling me I want to advance? You want to then progress? Then you'll see that there's no that everything that you see is a disturbance is not it's so that overcoming upon them you shall advance.
32. S. (01:47:16) What is the meaning to the general system, or the Creator is this the effort that the 10 does towards the center?
R. Yes, first of all this.
33. S. (01:47:56) You spoke about the group persistence. Now we had the mission that you gave us yesterday about the spiritual diary and part of the discussion was doubts because prior to that we started a prayer, and we didn't persist in that we noticed we weren't persistent. Now we have to take upon ourselves another goal and we're also afraid to not persist in that. How do we create in the group that feeling of perseverance?
R. I didn't understand, can you repeat please? Yes, because we learned before this a whole lesson that nothing is attained, other than through the force of prayer.
S. Yes, so we tried to write a prayer every day and we did this for a period of time and then it was over now we've received a spiritual diary and we're afraid to enter into it because we don't know that we can persist in the tasks given to us?
R. In any case there's none the wiser than the experienced, whatever you went through you went through you learn many subjects there, geography history, reading. and writing, mathematics, geometry, and you seemingly forgot it but along with this what you forgot it also remains. Why do we teach our kids all of these things? In order to develop within them all kinds of senses and thoughts that they will know how somehow in the future to perceive things that truly a person who leaves school doesn't really remember them, doesn't remember anything and it is silly that we do all of these exams, all of these tests and even in school what is it going to help anything as he's going to forget these things and whatever he doesn't forget he will learn new in a more foundational manner that he needs for his life. So why do we do this? In order to develop a person in order for him to have cells ready to perceive these subjects, the matter, the topics. It's not a matter of forgetting as that is written about by Baal HaSulam which is interesting to read. But don't worry about it as we learn and all of these things you will see just how much day by day that we go through new lessons, different than yesterday and you will see just how much in any case each and every lesson leaves an impression and that you will see just how beneficial it is.
Excerpt 6 (01:51:27 - 01:52:43)
34. R. Meaning really to add, you don't like it, you don't understand you don't feel you're against it, add exertion and you will see how the correct attitude must be and what has changed.
Excerpt 7 (01:53:06 - 01:54:34)
35. R. That he needs to go through these things as he has no choice with all of these things remaining in him to leave an impression and that is that he won't have a true vessel for the revelation of true reality of all of the worlds, of the upper force that she'll enter and fill the vessel.
36. S. (01:55:00) The heart is filled with gratitude to you personally and to the organization that we have such conditions that you want to be no matter what you feel in life.
R. That's thanks only to the Creator not to me or the organization.
S. All of this is done from above.
R. We have such conditions that it is pleasant to be in the friends and to be connected to be in the friends for whatever reason.
S. What does it mean that the Creator clothes the states of the person, when he's willing to take upon himself all of the circumstances?
R. The ten Sefirot clothes in the ten Sefirot and reveal, the clothing of the upper light, the attitude of the Creator towards us that is it as much as you relate to the group, to the 10 Sefirot you build and to this extent you receive the phenomena of the Creator, the revelation of the Creator and this is called according to your actions that you do this towards the 10 that we recognize and become familiar with you and you will become with familiar with the Creator clothing there.
S. What does it mean I turn as the 10 Sefirot?
R. It is the upper light for arranging between you such relations that you will understand the spiritual role of each and every friend.
S. What is that role?
R. It is what the upper light determines it’s not for no reason that you connect together it looks to you that's just coincidence or something no, the upper light arranges the connection bringing each and every one that you begin to reveal in the internal connection between them that they are no longer people but unique qualities of each and every one as much as you are a stabilizing the soul, Partzuf.
37. S. (01:57:39) So are we supposed to persist in the tasks that you give us because we do build a prayer every day and are continuing with that?
R. You need to do each and every day the exercises we determine in each and every lesson, it doesn't matter if you didn't have enough time yesterday, today is today. In the sum total in the entire world Kli we have the same state, the same hearing, the same action so it is worthwhile to also be in it.
38. S. (01:58:25) We put forth efforts and the whole system expect for us to succeed, I have a feeling there's another component that's necessary in the 10 that the whole system will change if we succeed in that, as there's responsibility to what we do?
R. It is really a question whether we are getting closer and advancing according to corrections according to our success or is therefore, like doing these corrections without asking us and progressing us to the end of correction according to its own process and its own pace. There is none else besides him and everything is dependent upon the Creator and on the other hand if not me then who else, meaning everything is dependent upon the creature, the 10. We need here also to progress to advance until these phenomena will also be felt in force, meaning in the system of desires, and thought and then we will be able to understand this. These questions cannot be answered but rather only out of attainment and out of the mind like you are asking, you are right but there is no answer. Just like there's no answers to a lot of questions that you can ask in a mindful manner but rather until you don't come to it emotionally in the corrected desires only then will you be able to understand and to get an answer.
39. S. (02:00:44) We are in the last generation, are there any concessions in the spiritual principles, how will millions come to Lishma as we are learning in the lesson?
R. I didn't ask about that, I asked how we can bring ourselves to correction and through us then the upper light will influence all of humanity. This is what I understand and so we need to hasten and to feel ourselves that we are obligated to the whole world, to everyone. In this the entire world subconsciously or unconsciously feels that it doesn't belong, not depending upon Jews or referencing anti-Semitism. But if we don't recognize our role of Bnei Baruch to bring the world the method of correction, the path, the lights that progresses all of humanity then we God forbid will also feel this upon ourselves, that humanity will feel in it so conscious that we are holding the keys from the good life, for the upper light. Because in total this pandemic and more blows that are yet to come it will be clear to them that the existence will only be not just in the existence of this world but rather that we expand this world to the borders, the limits beyond the biological life. Humanity will soon begin to think about this and yearn for it. To this extent they will turn to us.
40. S. (02:03:03) How do I understand correctly what is written that the main thing is not to fear whatsoever?
R. I fear nothing if I am tied to the upper force because everything comes from him and I see, and all things revealed only opportunities to connect more to him.
41. S. (02:03:40) We need to attribute everything to the upper force in on one hand a person sees that he is doing things towards friends, where I would behave crudely or maybe two people that are close to me or dependent upon me so to say there's nothing else besides him and just continue or is there something, I need to do with the bad that's revealed to me?
R. Keep it to yourself that it is all just the Creator playing with you and you need to take all these days.
Excerpt 8 (02:04:40 - 02:07:19)
42. S. I want to ask you about the exercises you gave us every day like the journal exercise you gave us yesterday that we wanted to understand how can we combine these exercises that we need to write about our feelings that we want to be together with the friends, also our corporeal life how do we unite both of these things to make a program for the entire day?
R. I don't think you need to run away from the ego, we need to change it in a way that it will help us to rise above it and that is how we will progress, this journal doesn't need to be just a pretty novel or diary of love. It needs to be our attitude towards reality. This is the way that we need to see it, to look at our life that way so that every day we will have more of an ability to critique what we do, to see what we're doing, this is what we call a journal. It is like it is written that they should be as new in your eyes and that I don't want to recommend anything more than the fact that it is worthwhile to do so. It's not worthwhile to throw it or to take someone who is responsible for the journal within the 10 but that the 10 needs to nevertheless try and see how that daily, it talks about its state and this is called the journal. It's not that you're writing in someplace. You can also write but it's sometimes very difficult to write about such states, that it might take time and we don't have enough means for that. But the fact that we talk every day and even if we're not advancing and it seems to us that we're not reaching anything but that also is good if we talk about it. That also would be good if we would get accustomed to going above that.
43. S. (02:10:29) To advance we need to give to the extent of exertion if a person has patience does he have a greater extent of exertion or is it according to progress?
R. The more we advance the more we can answer the questions why do I need this, for what am I in a life that leads me to the goal correctly worthwhile or am I a beast and then I remain of us? What gives me the moments in which I am despaired from life, who gives me this and for what, how do I overcome those? Many questions that a person has we need to always as it is written that there are many thoughts in the heart of a person that only the council of the Creator will erase it, we need to ask for the Creator to arrange these things for us. All of our thoughts, questions and confusions in our hearts and our mind, all of these things we need to raise a MAN to the Creator, as a prayer for him to give an answer to this. I'm not going to arrange them, all that I have that I am confused in my heart and my mind. I am not wanting with my forces to arrange them in to disperse them and to make some kind of system out of them to raise it in a nice way to the Creator. Simply as it is, I want him to arrange this for me, for him to do this for me, that slowly and gradually when I will see in this, my state and as much as it is arranged in the right way towards him as he is the upper source in everything. See how we do this with our little kids. No matter what state they're in and they don't understand, what state they are in, or what the world is about, gradually with understanding we relate to them until we create and then a perception of the world in the right way. We need to do this also to turn to the Creator for him to arrange these things for you. There is no problem, constantly be in prayer to the Creator that you must arrange for us our confusions, our misunderstanding, our lack of perception or lack of efforts as we're not even capable of coming to a request with the right question. Arrange this for us, being a constant dialogue with him, speaking to him. Don't call the conversation of prayer just talk with him. do you have anyone else to talk to besides between the 10 and the Creator, you don't. Try to arrange it as such that that will be a constant thing for you every day, that only in that you see your progress and your life that then you will start to feel that you are in contact with him and how he answers you that this is how we will observe our connection with the upper force. Who else will be dependent upon? Only him.
44. S. (02:14:42) Can you explain the palace guards in a more detailed manner, why we are more afraid of the guards than the king?
R. Our entry to the king depends upon all sorts of states that we go through as though states, in order to stabilize ourselves correctly so that we will come to the king in accordance with the equivalence of form with him, with the ability to connect and talk with him. States that establish us correctly towards the king are called guards and policeman or cops. They give us the stability of how they establish what to ask and how do I ask what is worthwhile, what is not worthwhile, what is important and what is not so. How you can come only in the 10 and how the 10 needs to be like this or like that, meaning that the forces of preparation that we need for coming closer to connect with the Creator are called guards and policemen. If we want these forces to operate upon us, then we observe this commandment of you should make guards in all your gates. The entry gate to the Creator depends to the extent to which we establish these guards in our gate.
Excerpt 9 (02:16:49 - 02:18:20)
45. S. With respect to passages 7, 8, 9, Baal HaSulam depicts some spiritual superman, strong who controls himself, among the brave ones with so much patience and overcoming all of the guards to enter the palace of the King and Rabash in passage 9 shows us that we are not like this at all that the moment we see the obstacles we just want to run away, and we can only hold onto faith? I look at myself in the mirror and I feel less like the superman and more like the one who likes all of the forces, how is this like faith above reason to accept this?
R. When you will be the absolute zero you will enter the King's palace, that is how it is, how can you come closer to the Creator if you don't come from zero from your egoistic nature. Certainly, you have no choice but only in patience and persistence to come to such states and also where you see that the Kabbalists talked about heroism, the overcoming, the persistence in these great forces that we need to observe, what do you think they themselves are like that? I remember Rabash when he looked at me once after a while, I came to him and he said what, now you are a rag like me. I looked at him and I thought of him, he is a rag, how does he think of himself like that? But he had the intention to tell me the true things and it's truly when I heard for many years that would help me and aim me in the right way. Yes, a person needs to discover that he is more and more of a rag until the end of correction we're even in the end of correction in the opening that the correct action, to the final correction he feels himself even worse, as a true rag from all the previous states. Anyone who is greater than his friend his inclination is greater than him and the ascents are against the descents therefore you won't believe what states the Kabbalists are in during a descent. As much as they feel themselves with their thoughts and their desires it is truly the opposite of sanctity in a terrible way, and I have to go through it. They have to make it through otherwise they won't move beyond it to the next degree which is a greater correction. This is why anyone who is greater than his friend his inclination is greater than him, a greater descent. The ascents also accordingly are greater plus 1 minus 2, plus 2 minus 3, plus three and so on. Until you descend to the lowest degree and don't feel it fully you can't ascend from it onwards, but you are not allowed to be in that lower degree, more than a moment. That is called the sting, but you have to feel advance on it and immediately you rise above it, here it is the matter of persistence and the confidence knowing in advance that it will happen. As much as you arrange the group, the study, the dissemination, all that is possible along the way to the general correction, accordingly you merit and benefit all of the states to be changing correctly in you.
Excerpt 10 (02:24:04 - 02:25:24)
46. R. Meaning in advance we need to decide that my entire life. Everyone that it is not important what will be it doesn't matter what will take place upon our earth, it doesn't matter what will take place in each and every one but that I must be aimed to come to the upper forced to hold on to him and to depict the only him ahead of me and only him who defines everything that happens in my life. It is not a matter of life and death are all kinds of ascents and descents all that takes place is not important as it all comes to me from him, from that force that I have to despite all of these fluctuations whether for good or for bad to hold on to him, to none else besides him and if we hold on this way than for certain we will stabilize ourselves correctly to succeed.
47. S. (02:26:37) Is prayer considered going above reason?
R. Prayer is an address to the Creator, and it can be whether it's a child or a baby or from people who are just religious or a secular where they turn to the Creator and everyone turns to him because if a person responds to his will to receive even if it doesn't turn to the Creator nevertheless it reaches the Creator because there is no one else to. The place where all the influences upon a person arrive to there and return there is a response from one's will to receive. Therefore, everyone prays as it is written about the thief in the basement who is now calculating how to perform a good robbery, his request in his heart for him to succeed they also turn to the Creator and the Creator receives them all. All of these prayers, all of these addresses, therefore what we need is to only be connected between us and between us to the Creator then certainly we will succeed and stabilizing ourselves correctly in adherence to him.
48. S. (02:28:25) You're saying besides a short moment we're not allowed to stay in a descent sometimes this doesn't?
R. The Creator doesn't give us an opportunity to pray to him in a fast and essential way so that we will scrutinize how to do so, our response needs to be like a sting. then we will receive immediately from the Creator additional bestowal and we will get another response and another bestowal and another response as fast as possible in speed he turns to us as we respond to him. This is how we measure the extent in which we are ready for spiritual work.
49. S. (02:29:40) Will we need to descend to the 49th level at some point as they didn't Egypt, well we need to go further than that?
R. We need to go somewhat through all the states that is called that you have to write the book of Torah on the tablets of your heart, on all of your desires and in what way, what measure as it is not a matter of geography and history but a matter of the attitude of the Creator towards the created things. We just need to learn for the connection between us and connection with him and what transpires, all of the forms of connection that will happen with us we receive them, as this is the correction of our soul.
50. S. (02:31:07) Is it correct to scrutinize the state during the descent or after?
R. We need to scrutinize our states every single moment that we are capable and there is no rule or law here as I'm in a descent and I need to feel this as much as possible if I am altogether ready to think of something there are such descents that a person is like a beast. It could be in another way meaning there are no rules to this, scrutinize in each and every state as much as possible as long as the summary from that state needs to be in an ascent to the Creator.