Morning Lesson January 26, 2022, Transcription
Transcription is made from simultaneous translation which leaves a possibility for differences in the audio
Part 1:
Faith Above Reason - Selected Excerpts from the Sources. #40
1.Rav’s Introduction: To the extent that we go through this topic of faith above reason, it becomes more clear to us that this is the condition for spiritual sensation, for feeling the Creator, for rising above our ego, above this world. On one hand, the more we feel to some extent that we understand a bit more, maybe to some extent we even feel, and on the other hand, we also do not understand and do not feel it, and we become more distance from it, and we are confused, these are actually the correct actions, the correct states. This is how we should really feel ourselves when we are on the path undergoing changes, small ascents, and descents each and every moment. Also, great ones in between the moments, in between the days, and even if we do not feel that we are undergoing changes, we do go through them.
It is just that we are still… it is not within the range of our sensations. But for certain, these relations of above reason and within reason are already operating on us, shaking us. Bit by bit we are coming closer to a state where in our sensations we will truly start to feel where we are and how much closer we are to “above reason” and then we fall from it, or we are far away from it. These ups and downs are specifically with respect to the degree of faith, Bina, bestowal, relative to the degree of reception, Malchut. We exist in between these two degrees, and only with respect to both of them do we have to locate ourselves each time, to check ourselves, to strengthen ourselves so we will be as close as possible to Bina, and as far as possible from Malchut.
I do not mean that we cancel the will to receive, what we cancel is our usage of it. Rather we elevate it to the degree of Bina, that we want to use the will to receive also in order to bestow. This is what we have ahead of us, and indeed we are advancing in that. As much as we feel the general Kli, we are truly going through nice and correct ascents between us. I am happy with this advancement, and even those who do not feel themselves that they are already advancing, and in practice it is not really considered that they are not advancing, but rather that there are those who do it faster, and those for whom it does not happen so quickly. But the result does not entirely depend on these sensations. But how much a person invests forces, and his investment eventually brings a result. Let us approach it and let us see again how we advance. The topic is faith above reason.
Excerpt 40: (04:19) Baal HaSulam. Shamati 200. “The Refinement of the Screen” Twice
2. R. (04:58) This means that the spiritual vessel is faith above reason, as much as we can combine the qualities of Bina within the qualities of Malchut, so that Malchut pulls into itself, and Bina elevates above itself. So, these two forces actually work together, and by that, they establish the spiritual Kli. Why is that so? The Creator is the force of bestowal, Bina. We are the force of reception, Malchut. But building ourselves in order to resemble the Creator, we can do so on the condition that we elevate the force of Bina in its importance, in its role, above the force of Malchut, the force of the reception. Therefore, for us, the created beings, Malchut and Bina work in collaboration, both in participation. If we are talking about our spiritual vessel, this is why we call this vessel faith above reason.
Reader Continues: “and when that vessel departs the light departs as well…”
3. R. (07:29) Yes, this is what we learned from the entire wisdom of Kabbalah, and only to the extent that we have the restriction, the screen, and reflected light, that our will to receive raises through rejection, then to that extent we have a Kli, a vessel. In that reflected light comes direct light and it clothes there.
4. S. (09:54) We try to work above Malchut and connect the vessel of faith above reason, but what does it mean that the light weakens?
R. Because we feel that we know, and knowing weakens bestowal, faith, because bestowal is above the will to receive. When the upper Light comes, then it seemingly adds to the will to receive. Therefore, it grows weaker. The force of the rejecting screen that we want to rise above, and being above our nature, these things are opposite, because we build out of ourselves something that resembles the Creator. That means it is the opposite of how we are, according to our own nature.
S. But this light that comes, how does it come as the feeling of the Creator?
R. A feeling, which is a feeling that it gives us the feeling of the connection between us, and inside of that it also gives us the knowledge of our spiritual state.
S. From this excerpt what should we do? Hold on to this light?
R. We need to, well we are going to read it soon in the following excerpts, we then need to try to increase the force of faith. When the light comes, it weakens the screen, and the force of faith, and then we will have to add to it. This is how we awaken towards ascending. According to the force of faith, the force of bestowal that we carry out. It has to be a feeling. For the time being it is difficult, these things are difficult to explain because they do not exist in us, so I cannot pinpoint to certain qualities, these are those, and if they appear, in certain friends, they do not in other friends, and so, I cannot explain it in a general way.
Excerpt 41: (12:51) RABASH - Article No. 2 (1987) "The Importance of Recognition of Evil" Twice
5. S. (15:53) So above reason, we say this is during the preparation, but above reason is already a spiritual state. How does it work out?
R. Yes, but also during the preparation, when you prepare yourself for spirituality, you also try to reach faith above reason. Otherwise, what does it mean, preparation, and what is the preparation for?
S. What does it mean to be above reason in a state when you are still in a desire to receive?
R. You are still in the will to receive, however, you want to understand, to feel, to enter it truly in a realistic manner, what does it mean faith above reason? What is the force of faith? and why is it above reason and to what extent can I elevate my faith above my reason? How do I detect these things? How do I measure them? Weigh them, position them one against the other, one above the other. These are things that we need to start to work with somehow, to detect them inside of us, and to arrange them. These are already spiritual discernments. We need to enter the spiritual world in a way that we are born in it, and we operate in it, we grow in it, we begin to be active there. In action in practice.
6. S. (17:36) What is that state when he writes that he takes upon himself to believe in the importance of the Creator above reason?
R. That he wants to achieve the greatness of the Creator above his vessels of reception, but rather only in vessels of bestowing. He wants to receive these vessels from above, and not in the way they that he was orientation in this corporeal world, but rather he wants to receive new vessels, vessels of bestowal and in them, he wants to discover the upper world, the Creator the upper force, and only in the vessels of bestowal. He does not want to pull the upper force into his world, this lower world, but rather he himself wants to rise. To the upper world, he wants to be incorporated in the upper one, to be there as an embryo, to annul himself, and in this way to start growing.
7. S. (19:19) You touch the point on these engagements above reason, and this article explains how in the group is it possible to explain to each other? Many times, friends have questions on specific articles that are not understood. Is it possible to explain or not to explain, and how should we explain?
R. We usually do not explain to each other, only during the lesson, when we hear questions and answers, but outside of the lesson. Usually, it is better if we read the sources together, and not that we will start to explain to each other what each one thinks, because for sure what we think our thoughts are still not the correct thoughts. If they were correct, we would already be in the feeling of faith above reason, and as it is, we are only in the preparation.
8. S. (21:01) How to increase the faith when a new portion of egoism comes?
R. How do I increase the faith when our will to receive is constantly growing? It specifically grows in order for us to increase our faith. We should not see our ego as something that is hindering us, it is called “faith made against it.” It works against the faith against the spiritual development, however, in that, it helps us when it appears each time as greater and greater. It is in order for us to rise higher and higher above it, and in this way, we will reach the height of bestowal above the force of reception, so that we will be able to start to feel the spiritual forces.
S. How for example, can we advance the entire ten, if it comes to only one friend?
R. By us being connected together, even if we don't talk about it, we are nevertheless incorporated and therefore, what one of us receives it becomes connected to everyone as much as we build out of ourselves, it is a single vessel that we want to be a ten, so the fact that the friends advance and they achieve something, it operates on me and I actually by that, I advance, for me it's enough to just annul before the friends, and already I advance through them. This is how it is with each one towards the others, and therefore, our main operation is annulment towards the friends. How will we advance? Don't you worry, the moment when we truly annul each one towards the other nine, let's say, then the Creator arranges the others, or the entire group so we will start to ascend, because we all annul, and then the Creator can the give all of these annulments His general light, and then we ascend. Meaning, it is enough for us to work only on annulling ourselves, and later on, we will also reach practical and corporations between us. We will have additional kinds of work, but first of all, there has to be annulment, of each one towards the others.
9. S. (24:01) Beyond the positive example in what way can we give the greatness of the Creator, what words can we clothe it in so it will penetrate the heart correctly?
R. I think that if we will read the text by Kabbalists, Baal HaSulam, Rabash there are additional very good excerpts. This is enough for us with these words, we end up having just a few words left where we talk about the states in the group, in the ten. Maybe that we have such, but it will become clear, it will develop, and it will emerge out of each one even unwillingly. We will simply feel how much the heart of the friend is exploding out of the fact that he comes closer to the others. It will happen. As Rabash writes you have to awaken the hearts of the friends. What he writes there in that letter.
10. S. (25:41) Here in the article, it says that if I see within reason the Creator, I can get confused and I have to go above reason, what to do in such a state? How to correctly behave here?
R. To go ‘above reason’ means to go above the ego. My ego. I do not need to know anything. I just want to detect what it is that I want, what the ego that exists inside of me is, and try to go with bestowal above the force of reception. That is as much as I want something in my world, I will not even above it to make efforts to bestow out of that to the ten and from it to the Creator. That is all.
11. S. (26:48) How to correctly work without illumination that Creator gives? In order to not go back to the vessel.
R. We will try to guard ourselves to constantly be in faith above reason and then even if we begin to receive some illumination from above that it is reason to us, we will have to add faith above reason. We will always be in that form riding above our reason. This is what we will have to maintain, to guard all of us this is considered the primary condition for keeping the ten. This is how we will advance.
S. How is it expressed in the ten, as an action?
R. Constantly guarded the bestowal between us will be our primary action. That each one wants to bestow to everyone, each one wants to care for everyone, each one wants to elevate his ten to spirituality. He adds to the ten a spiritual force from himself to create a connection with the Creator out of the ten. Then with such care, we will quickly reach the feeling of faith above reason and what is it that we can do with the power of faith.
12. S. (28:46) Is it so that my love for my friends and through them the Creator will not let me sleep, so I look for my Hissaron?
R. We need to constantly be concerned about love for the friends. I think that mostly this and up to the point where it is really enough for us in order to rise higher up. Just that it has to be truly in inclination towards love, connection, bestowal, and support for the friends. That saves us from anything. This can elevate us from this world to the upper world.
13. S. (29:57) Every day in our ten, we try to follow what the sages tell us, and we try to build a vessel so what does it mean when the vessel departs?
R. The vessel departs? I am not sure what you mean but usually it is when one's faith, his force of bestowal disappears. It disappears either because the vessel falls, or because it receives an addition of the general burdening in order to rise higher up.
14. S. (30:56) At the beginning of the lesson, you said the result is not determined according to one's feelings but to one's investment. During the preparation all we have is the feeling of the vessel so how can I check myself if I invested?
R. No, we cannot measure that. Our measurement is always that we should remain in mutual bestowal that I am constantly concerned toward everyone, toward the ten. This is actually the way I check myself. That I am constantly like a mother towards her baby. This is how I care for the group.
S. What kind of exercises can we have in the ten in order to generate opportunities for work above reason?
R. All the exercises that go against our ego and in favor of connection, all of these exercises, if you are talking about practical exercises, yes. Even more to try to go over the excerpts, go over the articles, but such articles that are close to the point. Let us say, you see the versus the excerpts that we are reading now. It is from Shamati, "The Refinement of the Screen" number 40 and Rabash, "The Importance of the Recognition of Evil.” You can truly take all of these articles and read them. There they explain it. Our teachers explain it in a more elaborate manner.
S. What should we be careful of and conceal along the way, so it does not tarnish the faith in the ten?
R. You have to show the friends that you are at the peak of your inspiration from the path, and that you want to pull them, all of them to connection between them into the Creator. To show the whole world this reality that we have to attain. That the Creator, is the upper force of bestowal. That only He exists actually, except for our ego and He is expecting us to reach adhesion with Him and connection with Him. This is what we need to do.
15. S. (33:50) When I want to feel above reason I make a comparison, as if the Creator being the conductor and the rest of us being the orchestra. We want to hear His voice through the center of the ten. I turn my ears to the center of the ten and I am not listening to everyone separately but actually listening to our harmony. This is the only way I can listen to it; is this correct or not?
R. Correct, correct. Yes, that is it.
Excerpt 42: (34:32) RABASH, Article No. 21 (1986), “Concerning Above Reason”
16. S. (36:53) Which manners do we have in which to clothe the work of above reason?
R. We read and we try, and try to detect the forces of faith, of bestowal, and for me to constantly relate to the friends and to the Creator using this force of bestowal. I will try to connect all the friends in my heart and present them from within my heart to the Creator. This is our practical work. Try to think this way, to detect it, locate it, feel it, and you will see how it is guiding you correctly through life.
17. S. (38:02) You said that we must show the friends that we are at the peak of our inspiration from the path and do exercises in above reason that will bring about extra connection. The question is, sometimes when you show the friends extra enthusiasm it pushes them actually into a reason, it annoys them. How do we do it in a way that you do not make them go deeper into reason but actually rather rise above reason?
R. You have to be considerate towards them out of a desire to reach connections with them and you awaken them in a good way in a correct way. I will tell you, look at what we have in medicine. We can take an example from corporeal medicine into the medicine of the soul. In corporeal medicine all of the medications that we develop are in fact toxins. Even this serpent is the snake which is a symbol of medicine. It is the sign of a toxin, but when we micro dose it, it becomes the remedy. Meaning our body is actually healed through the small amounts of poison that we give it based on the experience of great doctors, and that heals us. The same here you need to relate to the friends in such a way as if you want to bring them medicine. Not that you just poured something on them but just to add a little bit. When you see through the critical observation that you can have it work towards the healing of the group. Try to work this way. Of course, it is not always going to work correctly, it is possible, but nevertheless you need to try and give them the medication, something that will be beneficial. Probably not the best example but that is how I also want to relate to our big vessel. I am sure that each one of you has some criticism of me. Why don't we advance quickly enough? Why doesn't he explain it enough? Why this, why that? What can I do? I have to be considerate of the entire vessel and I have to give a little bit more and a little bit more, to release, to administer a little more of the medication. That is how we advance. You should be the same if you want to benefit the group and try to relate to them this way.
S. Let us suppose that in my family like a mother I look at them and I know some children are more capable of doing some exercises and other kids are not so capable so, when I make the comparison do I make it with respect to those who are more capable or less capable how?
R. Those who are less capable because those who are more capable will understand from the fact that you are giving less to those who struggle so they will find their degree there as well. Look at the Book of Psalms for example. Everyone is reading Psalms, the whole world, all the religions, all the faiths, billions of people are reading Psalms. Each one is getting something from their own impression. The Psalms is the greatest thing there is. A doctor came to visit Baal HaSulam when he was sick once. The doctor says the best thing is he does not need medication, but he just needs to lie down and not study or do anything he just needs to read the Book of Psalms. When the doctor leaves, Baal HaSulam says the doctor does not understand that the Book of Psalms is the hardest book there is to read. But that is how it is. It depends on the user. For the doctor, the book of Psalms is a collection of beautiful songs and for Baal HaSulam it is full of inner content, the highest exalted, the most spiritual content there is. King David, who represents the general Malchut. He authored this book.
18. S. (43:36) We learn the Torah during the lesson. We draw the light, the reforming light, and we get knowledge, and we get above reason, we develop extra sensitivity but what do we get as a result of it?
R. The fact that you pass through you all of those verses of the Torah, those ideas, all those actions of connection, you are passing through you the upper light. The upper light. You are incorporated with many other people around the world who are doing it together. This upper light gradually sanctifies your will to receive, influences it, until the will to receive is gradually becoming the bestower. It is opposite to him. It is not simple at all this transformation that the will to receive has to undergo, but that is what is happening. Hence, all of our work is to draw the reforming light, and that is what we do through reading, and various actions. This is the goal of all of our activities.
19. S. (45:10) He writes here that the illumination that one receives from above gives him an answer to all of his questions and thus it allows him to rise above reason? Does this give him a vessel?
R. You gradually a person begins to get the force of bestowal, above the force of reception, a person becomes incorporated with these two forces one on top of the other.
20. S. (45:56) When I discover reason and I want to develop faith above it, my main effort should be in a prayer, or depicting to myself the greatness of the friends and of the Creator?
R. Both. Relative to the friends you need to try to constantly awaken their heart towards connection. Here it does not really matter what state you are in, what degree you are on, you could be the smallest in the group but nevertheless you need to try and bring about a certain level of connection among the friends on one hand. On the other hand, you need to awaken them from their connection to the Creator. We need to pray to a deficiency so their deficiency generally speaking, will reach a higher degree called The Creator relative to our degree. From there we will receive the light of scrutiny, the light of correction, and that is how we climb from degree to degree. The Creator is always called BoReh come and see, this is a higher degree where you have to come and see what we can come to and how we can equalize with this degree.
S. This prayer is the vessel or the faith itself that I develop is the vessel?
R. It is neither. The prayer is raising MAN, and later we want to reveal in us the vessel that is the desire to receive that we can use for connection and in order to bestow to the Creator.
21. S. (48:05) In order to achieve the faith above reason, we do not need to find some special reason within reason to love the friends but to be able to go above all of our judgments of the friends?
R. Of course we also have to criticize the group, have critical thinking about the group for a short period of time just to get a foundation above which we can go in faith above reason and try to raise the group. That is the only reason to have any criticism, meaning when I go to criticize the state of the group, look at it critically, it is to help make it ascend through my participation.
S. But the moment I search for some reason to love my friend, by that I already cancel the Masach, the screen in fact?
R. I did not get it. When I am looking for a reason to love the friend, I want to tell myself that this friend is full of love towards the group. Except I cannot quite evaluate it, appreciate it but it is certain that he is full of love towards the group, and he suffers from within the group, and he rejoices with the group, he is with them. I want to adhere to him and support what he is doing for the group even more.
22. S. (50:14) Can we look at what is above reason is actually a function of reason?
R. In math you know what a function is. There is a formula and by solving the formula I want to reach a certain result. You can say that if I work correctly with reason, then according to the correct formula when I raise myself above reason, I come to a spiritual result.
S. What does it mean to raise myself above reason because to be in above reason I have no idea what it means, it is like I can only know how I can relate to my reason?
R. If you are in bestowal above the force of reception in you, it means that you are in the force of faith above reason.
S. What is the difference in between me being within reason and the work that I want to do when I am above reason?
R. When you are within reason you are within your ego as usual just as you have it throughout the day, but if you want to go above reason, here you need to exert. What does it mean to be outside of my reason outside of my will to receive? What does it mean that I relate to others not according to my usual characteristics but in love and bestowal and giving? This is called above my own ego. If I try to bestow to them in this way, it means that I am making calculations, how to reach above reason.
S. Even with such calculations I see that my reason is there?
R. It does not matter, I am still within my reason, but I want to rise above my reason.
S. This desire, is it not also reason?
R. It is but it does not matter because through that I invoke the reforming light. I cannot be purified of my own ego clean completely, but I try to be above it to imagine what does it mean to be above my ego, outside of it? By that I am invoking the reforming light. This is the meaning of raising MAN, a request, an effort. If we, do it especially in the group, overtime it works and accordingly the upper light works on us, and it affords us this quality of bestowal. Where you will begin to feel, what does it mean to be above our ego. How to rise above, how to be on the other side of the barrier, the Machsom.
S. If I see within reason that I actually have a desire to be connected to their friends then should I ask to be above that?
R. Do what we are learning about. I have nothing more to say.
23. S. (53:59) What is the correct scrutiny that the ten, we try to go above reason, and we do not fall into within reason?
R. We are not insured, we have no guarantees not to fall in reason, on that it says the righteous shall fall a thousand times and then rise. We have to learn how to fall and get up and get up again and the Creator arranges the falls, and we have to learn how to rise from them. Each time we fall, we fall to a lower degree, and we can rise from it to a higher degree and in that, none is as wise as the experience, then that is how we advance.
24. S. (55:09) There are states in which faith above reason falls into reason and the moment I felt pleasure in bestowal I lose all of my faith completely in the reason and next time it is harder to rise to faith. How can I hasten this plan process within Malchut and Bina, reason to faith again and again?
R. It is exactly as you are describing it just try to do it time and time again. I have nothing more to say. You are thinking correctly about it, except you need to try to be in it without stopping.
25. S. (56:13) What are the characteristics of a person who is going above reason?
R. He highly values or respects bestowal.
26. S. (56:42) Is there the feeling of joy in the state of above reason or is it always the vessels of reception that only and then we can feel?
R. Specifically there, you find joy in faith above reason because you begin to feel that there is an entire world outside of this black, dark, and restricted place you are in.
27. S. (57:22) How do we keep, maintain on the one hand the persistence because it is always work and on the other hand be creative and inventive so that every time, we have something new. Otherwise, if it is something you already did before then that is not good?
R. I do not see something that is repeating itself. No, each time there are different modes, manners, and styles. Look, how many keys do you have on a piano and how many compositions can you make out of it? Of course, it all depends on the harmony meaning in the connection between each and every sound, each and every note. We are the same, it cannot be that we are as if a person finds himself in a state of despair first of all because he has no connection with the ten.
S. That's the question: how do we maintain or have creativity in our relations with the ten so it will constantly renew and have new things in it?
R. I do not know I do not know what to say. It seems to me that each and every friend, that you need to look for special points about each and every friend. How much he invests and contributes to the ten. How much he is impressed by them and then in this way you yourself will get excited, your vessels will develop more, and you will be able to be impressed and inspired by each and every new point.
28. S. (59:55) What is the sign that we are indeed going towards faith above reason?
R. The extent to which I feel myself close to the friends.
29. S. (01:00:09) Is the choice between faith above reason and achieving the greatness of the Creator within reason, is that achieved through the effort of the person himself or through the influence of the upper light?
R. Everything is under the influence of the upper light. Without it we are in the animate degree and every state of ours above the animate degree is only thanks to the influence of the upper light.
30. S. (01:00:38) Which internal changes take place in a person who enters spiritual work?
R. When he begins to feel how much he cares about the attainment of the Creator, the feeling of the Creator.
31. S. (01:01:06) It says even if you were given reason with which to see the greatness of the Creator within reason, he prefers faith above reason due to because the honor of the Creator concealed the matter. How can a person overcome what he is giving from above and want to be above reason?
R. I am not sure how to put it, we sometimes get examples from this world. Even in our world, when we reach above reason, we come to a feeling that we wish to maintain this above reason, to preserve it because it is so precious, it is more valuable to us than what is within reason. It is like when we love something, that we want this ideal, this form that we love that we adore to remain as distant as possible, somewhat removed from us. On that it says the honor of the daughter's King is inside.
32. S. (01:03:04) How do we turn criticism into a vessel of bestowing in the ten?
R. I do not approach the criticism unless I am certain that I can bestow above it. I do not begin to criticize unless I am certain that it is criticism, unless I am not certain that this criticism can actually make me fall and I will begin to truly criticize the friends. I want to criticize the friends only on the condition that I can use it to add to my love and connection with the group.
33. S. (01:03:50) Nowadays the ten have workshops throughout the day and they talk about the lessons and sources. You said that throughout the lessons it is better to read the sources and not to explain to each other so what is the right way to create incorporation during the meetings of the tens?
R. This is truly a just correct question. Without talking about our impressions, you will not be able to incorporate with or feel one another. Only to read our sources, to hear our sources, it could be dry, and it is not enough, that is on the one hand. On the other hand, we need to be careful that our connection will be the correct kind of connection, will draw everyone to connection. We need to inspire one another but this inspiration should be short and practical and to the point and not that we spend too much time talking and talk as close to the source as possible. Close to the heart and close to the source. It will get corrected overtime.
34. S. (01:05:41) Receiving the light in the vessels of bestowal, does it mean that I take the desire of the friend and I act to fill it up even if I disagree with it within my reason?
R. I do not know about such things. What do you mean if I don't disagree with it within reason? I need to help my friend, by that I am also helping myself. Meaning all of us, by connecting with his desire, his yearning for the Creator, I connect with him, and we rise together with him to a higher degree, and everyone is doing it with everyone else. When we do it when we do such work, then very quickly we can bring about some great ascents. We just need to locate specifically where is the common work, and there will be no problem and the heart will open up and we will rise.
Excerpt 43: (01:07:13) Baal HaSulam, Shamati, Article 207, “Receiving in order to Bestow” Twice
35. R. (01:08:04) Look what is happening to us here. I am on a certain level, and I want to raise myself to a degree above reason, and I work accordingly, and I received the degree. I get into reason and my ‘above reason’ has become my new reason. That is how we climb. I no longer have above reason; it becomes my new reason. I constantly need to renew the degree, my degree above reason. That is how I advance. The above reason becomes triggered, a springboard, a jack, a car jack that I can lift myself from a lower degree to a higher degree.
In the state that I am in, I try to be above reason, by that I can reach a higher degree of reason. That is why those who walk on the path of faith above reason find themselves in a renewed reason. He became smarter or wiser, he goes above reason, he goes against his own reason, he raised his faith above reason and because of that he becomes smarter, wiser, he understands more, he feels more, he sees more because it requires each time the degree of faith above reason and then allows him to reach a higher degree of reason.
Reading of Excerpt 43 again (01:10:06) “Receiving in order to Bestow”
36. S. (01:13:12) To strengthen through reason in this case what does it mean because it seems like some extension of our will to receive which goes against our reason which is our desire to bestow so how should we operate here?
R. The fact that you now have the quality of bestowal that allows you that affords you the possibility of reaching greater absorption, reception of knowledge of the upper light because by that you are raising yourself above the restriction. What you receive, you are not simply getting corporeal reason you are becoming a little smarter. You are acquiring a spiritual reason which comes to you from the influence of the upper light. Although you are becoming wiser maybe in corporeality, the most important thing is that you are acquiring vessels in which to understand, to feel spiritual discernments. It is a different level of development and there is nothing you can do about it if a person does not get to it, he remains an animal. Here is the difference, those that go above reason acquire the reason of Adam, the one who resembles the Creator. Those who do not go in faith above reason remain on the animate level, I do not want to say a beast. I want to say on the animate level, it could be a scientist, Einstein, it does not matter who, nothing will help him. He will remain on the degree of common human sense, human mind, human intellect. That is the difference between the two degrees. To acquire this concept this means this key, called faith above reason, is the primary key that we have in order to open the door to the upper world, to the spiritual world, to the spiritual degrees to enter the Creator's palace. There are additional degrees there are of course not only faith above reason. You also have to reach the degree of Hochma but nevertheless this is what is ahead of us, what is right before us.
37. S. (01:16:39) To attain the greatness of the Creator within reason is it possible to obtain within simple faith or only when you come to a greater degree within reason like you explained?
R. You first have to reach the degree of faith, the force of bestowal and then what you receive is called a spiritual degree.
38. S. (01:17:29) In this excerpt it mentions that he goes above reason, he appreciates the reason and now he has been rewarded with a revelation of his names to extend abundance. What is this with his name? What is he being rewarded with?
R. He came to a state that now he has a will to receive but he wants to be in bestowal. This is called faith above reason because he has the will to receive but he wants to be in bestowal. He has restrictions, the screen, reflected light and he will become a vessel that wants to bestow. Accordingly, the upper light can come to him and fill him to some extent. That determines the degree of man that he came to. The light that comes to him now is the light of Hochma that clothes in the light of Hassidim and in this way a person will climb. This is how he ascends.
S. What are these names that he is speaking up here?
R. The light of Hochma that is revealed in the light of Hassadim. It is revealed gradually. This is the NRNHY of which we are speaking. The lights that are revealed inside the reflected light or you can say the Creator that is revealed and the reflected light that the created being establishes and arranges.
39. S. (01:19:33) I wanted to ask if there is a situation in which you need to differentiate between the states of above reason that you have to deal with within reason or are we in a state that everything has to be in above reason?
R. Nice question. We need to understand ourselves and place ourselves in such a state that only above reason we see the goal. Meaning only to be in the light of bestowal, in giving, to bestow in relation an attitude of bestowing to the friends and through the friends to the world and through the friends to the Creator.
S. That's it? Only that?
R. That's it, just that. What else do we have to do? In this we reach equivalence of form with a Creator and that is it.
S. Because everything has become a state of equivalence?
R. In this everything is clarified, becomes clear and is opened up before you. You reach these degrees of equivalence of form with the Creator, and you begin to be with Him in “me to my beloved and my beloved to me.” In this mutual manner you begin with Him already, to be in communication.
S. Is it losing control?
R. No, it is the opposite. You specifically reveal the control.
40. S. (01:21:35) A question about what you said earlier, what is it exactly to locate that common work, to work together with the ten?
R. To work together is towards the Creator because towards him is where our hearts will be in joy and that is it. In order to really bestow to the Creator, we first have to connect between us. Then from the connection between us to the Creator otherwise no one reaches Him.
41. S. (01:22:15) What does it mean that he adhered himself to the root like it is written in the beginning of the excerpt, attached himself to the root? It is written in excerpt #43, " through engagement in Dvekut (adhesion), he attached himself at the root, by that he was awarded reason?"
R. What is the question? That he adhered himself to the root to the Creator. There is adhesion, Dvekut, and still, he climbs more to the degree of reason. To reach adhesion through annulment of self and to reach the aspect of Daat reason, that he opens himself up and begins to receive with the intention to bestow, and then he reaches the aspect of Daat. These verses include many scrutinies that we have still have not gone over.
S. Is the root as far as I am concerned, the ten?
R. Depends on what is spoken about. Our root is the Creator, you understand, but from us a root that we reach the Creator in order to connect to adhere to Him, that is the ten.
42. S. (01:24:01) Also Baal HaSulam said that the only tool that we have, the only weapon we have is prayer in our work, and here he is always writing about faith. How do we present ourselves to come to prayer if each time... how can I explain myself? Each is working in the ten, making efforts in faith above reason, we are doing, but prayer, prayer cannot be in a differentiated way from this, the common Kli, how can we build it from that? I don't know how to get to that.
R. The lack that there is an each one, we need to arrange these lacks that it will be all of us together. We come up from the understanding, the sensation, the connection towards the goal that we want to attain, even in our world there is such a thing that we are towards some goal that we want to attain. Let us say some city, or group, or party and in sum total the people connect in order to obtain something. What is there in this that is not understood? Make an effort out of your ten to reach an understanding that we need to be together, in order to attain something. It does not matter what to attain, but it is only possible through connection and then it will be understood. How do we reach just connection? Whom do we turn to with this connection? What are we expecting in our Kli, in our appeal? Who do we turn to and what do we want to receive as feedback from Him? What is the response? How do we begin to work in such a manner that we bestow to that same source, and that source bestows to us? Then we begin to be in this discussion back and forth with Him, the group, and the Creator. Begin to discuss each one and talk about it.
S. We talk about this all the time, but I will tell you the force of separation is getting to each and every one of us. How can we, in the same states that each of us is going through in the ten in the group also? I cannot include the friend, his sorrow, his difficulty I do not know. I want, but I cannot, I do not have the tools to hold it.
R. You need to show the friend that you make an effort on your part. Imagine to yourselves now that you are, how many eleven? Eleven friends, eleven people, imagine to yourself that you are in a boat, and this boat is falling apart, each one is sitting on some place that only this place exists under, and such under each one, but these places are separate. The boat is falling apart, yes, each one sitting in their seats, but it is just part of the boat, it is tied to a small part of the boat, and everything is falling apart. Imagine that you need to hold between you, now it is possible to hold this only with heartfelt attention, and always to be in this, meaning to determine in the mutual heart, the state that you are in there together. What can I tell you, do I need to work with you like a nanny?
S. No, no we have, I understand, I feel, I have enough. The question is, we see that the friend is going through all kinds of situations, sometimes he connects, and we have a critique in that, you talked about a critique that is constructive, criticism. How do I take that criticism in the correct way, not to judge him to detriment, but that he is connected with all?
R. There are not so many states here, you are forgetting about the root. I am the first, and I am the last. The Creator gives the reason, He gives the matters, and so you must turn to Him, all of us together, because that is what He wants, He wants to awaken all of you to the state you will turn to Him, one first and then the other. What belongs to the root of the soul is not important, the main thing is that we will be directed to Him.
43. S. (01:29:31) When a friend is doing work internally, and overcomes above the ego, and wants to love the friends. How can friends take the example of that? Because we do not see it, it is all happening within him. How come we take an example from one another?
R. No, we also need to show one another our efforts, we must show one another as such an example, and whoever does not give such examples to others, even intentionally that he wants to make himself concealed, or something that is not good. We need to awaken as all the Kabbalists awaken, to awaken the heart of the friends.
S. The friend is just demonstrating the good forces, the right line, I do not know what he has overcome, I do not understand what work he has done there?
R. That is not important, he does not need more, be like him. He doesn't need you to show you all his work, and explain, and tells you his story, no, he needs only enough that he shows you his impression, his inspiration, and his intention towards the group, to bestow to the group, and through it to the Creator, and that all these things look at what he's doing, it's very nice. You do not need more.