Morning Lesson December 16, 2021, Transcription
Transcription is made from simultaneous translation which leaves a possibility for differences in the audio
Part 1:
Baal HaSulam - Shamati 127. The Difference between Core, Self, and Added Abundance
1. Rav’s Introduction: Yes, we have many discernments in our states that we go through and we always need to differentiate between the core, the reason, the result of it and the accompanying results, the desired ones, the undesired ones, and to see what's the main thing. What's important, what's not important, what we should fear and what we should distance ourselves from, and what we should adhere to. And this is how we have to see these things in everything and every single situation. Differentiate between the core, the self and added abundance.
Reader begins again: (01:19)
2. R. (09:46) That if a person wants to work only in bestowal and no more, and to just to have the opportunity to give, to bestow, and by that he tries to find his foundation. His life is existence in the group, in the world, in the Creator, and this is the correct foundation. This is called, smallness, Katnut. There's not too much or too little, no more or less that will be praised or denied. And this can be a spiritual reality in this way. Rav reads and explains: “It is known that the departure of the Mochin and the cessation of the Zivug occur only in the addition of the Mochin.” As if there is more than what a person needs to exist in spirituality then there is a cessation and the light departs. “The core of the degree in ZON is in Vav and a Nekuda.” Meaning the light of Hasadim in the vessels of bestowal that sustains a person in spirituality, in a manner that he is adhered to spirituality in Katnut, smallness. “This means that the Malchut in its essence has no more than a Nekuda, a dot.” A black dot inside the white light and it can exist this way, and less than that it cannot be, because that is her nature and more than that, she does not want to be, she just wants to be in bestowal, just in the world of bestowal. Therefore the essence of reality for Malchut is that black point, that black dot. If I, when I understand myself, that I am nevertheless the desire to receive and I have nothing to start with, I just want to exist in the white light, the force of bestowal, where I will exactly be as a drop of semen inside the womb, inside the Creator. She is that black dot that has no white in her. It's the nature of this dot.” And if a person accepts that dot as the core and not as something superfluous” meaning, he doesn't want anything. I have this, I am so differentiated from the Creator by this. If this dot, if I adhere to the whiteness, I am not separated and more than that I don't want. “ That one wishes to be rid of it and I am willing to exist in a manner in which I and all myself towards the force of bestowal no matter what.” Nevertheless he receives this as an adornment as a very special thing. That I, as a creature, cannot be in a state that is closer to the Creator, which is called, a handsome abode in one's heart. Why can't it be anything other than that? All the additions that I will receive afterwards and the black dot, I will grow it, it will be at the expense of the upper light. Rather I myself, when I make a calculation with myself where I am towards the Creator, I remain in that black dot completely nullified before Him. “If he wants to be that way where he does not condemn this servitude but makes it essential to him, this is the main thing just to remain nullified and each time there are additions to nullify them and nullify them and remain, mainly that black dot inside the white light.” This is called to raise Divinity from the Dust. Where gradually, slowly, slowly all these discernments that are in Malchut after the sin of the tree of knowledge, after the shattering of Adam Rishon we need all those points, all those dots of connection between Malchut and the Creator to correct. This is called to raise Divinity from the Dust. And when one sustains this basis as his core where the main thing is to nullify and no more than that, whereupon all the states that take place on him, then he can never fall from his degree ever, because there is no departure in the core. Meaning this takes place as the core of one's existence, where I need in every place in every state to bring myself back to nullification. Then from these points from these states from these situations in which I nullify, from that I raise my foundation, my base by which I can then later also rise to additional degrees. Meaning to nullify also but in such cases in which I am not a dot. I nullify everything but rather I can also receive and in what I receive also be nullified, that's already considered that I am growing in spirituality.
3. S. (16:36) Exactly how to remain in this state?
R. In every given moment you have to watch over yourself, protect yourself where you don't want anything except for nullification. When you will have this approach towards the core, the essence of the approach where you are truly and don't want anything except for to nullify. Then in these states you will want additional states in which you will also be able to nullify and will come and more to nullify and more to nullify. From this you will begin to compose your spiritual world.
S. To annul relative to what, the ten, the friend?
R. To anything that belongs to spirituality, yes. All together your attitude towards life where you, from your life altogether, don't want anything except for nullification towards the Creator and to expand your nullification towards the Creator, you can from the very first point and that's through the ten. If you nullify yourself towards the ten in order to adhere to the Creator, then you build from the ten what we call Shechina, which we will talk about later.
S. What does it mean that I accept flexibility?
R. Well that's how you make of yourself, that you want it to be that way, it's not that you do it because you have no choice but rather you do it because you appreciate this, that for you it is kind of truly a great jewel, something important. Something that is important. That even though from your nature you don't want this because your nature is the will to receive and therefore according to your nature you are not drawn towards this. But you want it to come to you as an addition in such a way that it will be the most important. That's why it's called an adornment. An adornment is something that is precious, it is valuable but it doesn't have to be, I can live without it as well and therefore this is how we need to relate to our development.
S. It says that because of that we will not depart from the degree?
R. Yes, if a person is concerned only for the precious, only this point, this dot, which is the core for him and to nullify above this point even more and even more, it's as if he's expanding this point more and more, then he won’t fall on the contrary this dot becomes his core, his foundation.
4. S. (20:15) Is it like an open heart? Is it the same to hold on to this adornment?
R. No, it's not written about it like that, so don't ask about things that don't belong to this paragraph, only use the words that you see here. No, the open heart is much more.
5. S. (20:44) In this excerpt it says that if you can receive the blackness, you can see how beautiful I am, meaning a new explanation. It seems clear how to do it but in practice, I see that when the darkness comes, the blackness, you just wait for when it will be over. You can't work with it like in the light?
R. You need to try to see that inside the darkness the Creator is concealed and the darkness that you see is because of your attitude. There's actually no darkness in the world in reality but rather your attitude builds the darkness and this is why there's no problem here. Try to see the reality of the Creator in each and every state and then specifically as dark as things are, if you try to relate to it above your desire to reveal, to understand, to feel, but rather than the desire to bestow. Then it will work out that from the darkness you will start to see the light. Which means that you are being given an opportunity to reach revelation, to reach the light.
S. Is there duality in this? I mean naturally you are asking for the change but from the field of the ten but is there something else? Is there a certain duality here?
R. Certainly we have the coarseness which is to discover, feel, understand and to enjoy and control, we have coarseness and this coarseness is constantly growing and upon this we build our opposite attitude where we want for the Creator to rule the quality of bestowal. Our devotion will grow that we are willing to remain in this state and specifically through this darkness, through this black I want to discover that it's not darkness, that darkness is relative to my will to receive and towards the desire to bestow I want to discover it as light. Where do I have this desire to bestow where in darkness will it shine as light? This is what I want, and this is how we work. Slowly, slowly we grow from the darkness and this connection, we reveal a new attitude towards it and this is how we advance.
S. It turns out that inside of me I'm still in the dark but inside of the ten it's light?
R. Alone this is very difficult and even impossible we can say, but when you'll see in the morning when you have a lesson there. When you come to the lesson and when you sit down and connect with the friends either virtually or physically, that's not too important. We are already used to feeling one another through the internet lines and see how much of a change you have in your state relative to life to spirituality all together towards everything. The extent in which incorporation in the friends leads you to another degree. You start to relate differently towards life, towards connection, towards the Creator, to reality and this is all not because you received some wisdom but rather you received a connection with the friends. In them in this connection, even though you don't yet control too much, you already start to feel from this, you start to feel, start to have a new world and this happens to each and every one of us the moment we are incorporated with one another prior to the lesson.
S. Can I even make this transition to come out of myself is it possible to truly come out and enter the ten?
R. Try, of course each of us can, everyone can even people who don't belong to the wisdom of Kabbalah when they enter a certain event where there are several people they are incorporated, integrated in that event. That's the whole manner of the control of the environment over a person. The influence of the environment, yes that's how it is, go even to a parade, that there is in the street. People are watching thousands of other people at a parade and it doesn't matter what the parade is about. They could be fascists, communists, socialists, it doesn't matter what the precession is. They could be even against you and you can see how it influences you, that's the influence of the environment over a person. Try to be amongst them and you'll start to think like they do. That's nature. That is nature, that is why when I come to the lesson, I always measure myself where I am prior to the lesson. I usually wake up an hour before the lesson at least, and then I feel myself although I read the article and a few other things like that before the lesson, in order to come to the lesson already somewhat ready for myself. Afterwards when I hear that you are starting before the lesson, the time of connection even though it's just 15 minutes, I will do another five minutes at least and then I am incorporated in you, in all the friends. I don't feel that you are students. I feel that you are friends, that you are my friends and then I am incorporated in you and then I have towards the lesson in that 15 minute, the spirit and the mood and upliftment and preparation that is completely different than that which I prepared myself prior to that. This is the influence of the environment upon a person and through this, it is something we need to use.
S. Each day anew I have to come out of myself and be born in the ten and I have to agree that it will happen every day from the beginning?
R. If you advance in a good pace then it will be several times a day. That's called, and they shall be new in your eyes, to the extent in which later in spiritual degrees you will feel at any given moment, let's say every minute that you have disconnection and you need to return to connection and you need to return because in each of these approaches, in and out back and forth back and forth from spirituality to spirituality you are raising a record from the shattering.
6. S. (29:16) You describe the state where we want, where we’re searching for the opportunity to annul. What makes the change from a state where it repels me to a state where I am looking for those states?
R. The possibility to express or to annul?
S. To annul, what causes the change from a state where it repulses me to a state where I search and yearn for those states?
R. Because I see that I am thrown each time from my thoughts of spirituality. That every single thing that is outside of me in my environment, even my corporeal environment in the streets and every place where I hear, where I see through my five senses, all of those deviate me from that inner contact towards spirituality towards the Creator. Inside my heart I want to be connected to the Creator but all my five senses are pulling me outwards, they are giving me all kinds here. I hear something here, I see something and thoughts come and all kinds of things. How can I sustain myself in a permanent connection with the Creator through the group and spirituality as we need to arrange these things in a good basic, permanent way, I don't know what to do. It constantly comes out of me, it leaves me until I begin to feel that I have no choice. If we don't hold on to one another in the group, I myself am not capable. I see something, I hear something, I disconnect and even if I don't disconnect, I start to feel that I want to run away from that point of connection I have with spirituality. Then I understand that only if we work on this together this is called, one will help his friend where we're sitting in one boat and each of us is not capable of holding onto this boat but only one’s friends, if they hold on to me and I hold on to them, then in such a way we can be saved and to even advance. To be saved, meaning if we hold on to one another in what we have and to progress as if we, from that connection between us, turn to the Creator and demand from him to pull us. Our ship that we are in, that we are already connecting, that is the ship that is the boat, yes and that connection of ours is the walls of the ship or the boat and then we ask the Creator to draw us, to pull us forward from our ego from our separation from our states, and this is how this takes place.
S. You said hold on to one another, friends are holding on to one another. How do I hold a friend what do I have to hold on to him?
R. I know egotistically that I am dependent on him, that I myself am not capable of exiting my state, it will be like this forever and ever. Egotistically I think that way and then I'll die just like I am now without any benefit without any spiritual result. What could I possibly be? How will I draw myself from this egotistical state, so this is only my friends helping me because I can't. There is no way for one to save himself from the house of imprisonment. Then I must have them, help me, for them to pull me, for them to throw me a rope and then I tie myself to this rope meaning to my connection to them and then they can raise me upwards, only in such a way.
S. How do I do it, I talk to them?
R. Yes, even to talk to them, we need to make an agreement between us, the agreement is called Arvut, mutual guarantee.
S. Back in the day we had a charter of sorts?
R. Okay we made some kind of bylaw, contract, what do we do with it?
S. We have to write it again?
R. No, we need to renew it within us, like it is written, everything is written.
7. S. (34:56) You touched on a very powerful point, something that happens to me and all of us and more than that when I'm looking for this disconnect, disconnection we're not in contact with the ten, we're in contact with corporeality and inside this disconnection, this detachment there's a lot of fear as if we are something very light, we have no need for. It causes a lot of fear, so I am asking, how can we organize as you said a group or something so that in each moment there is this wheel that we can...?
R. Listen, the problem is that we are not being helped by one another, we are not getting assistance from one another. One cannot do anything it's just a piece of ego. Only the other can take him out of it. Also the other doesn't have that enough but if 9 towards one, as we learn in a Partzuf in a spiritual Partzuf. Because nine towards one operates as light towards the Malchut, towards the vessel. There are nine Sefirot and Malchut. Where are these 9 Sefirot from? Where are they in, because nine wants to help one, then they seemingly pass to him in this desire, the upper light. The Creator is inside them but that tenth that needs to help has no connection has nothing and without them connecting to Him he is dead not capable of a thing. Except for the point in the heart which he can connect to them they can connect to him, other than that he doesn't have a thing. The point that has no whiteness, meaning it cannot be in bestowal or anything. Therefore when friends connect to a certain friend, they can supply him everything under the condition that he nullifies before them. Also to help him nullify towards them they need to influence him with that, to give him examples and help to do so. Therefore the fact that you're saying that it's hard for you and you can't, you're right of course you can't and it's not only hard it's impossible. Where is the influence of the environment upon a person, that's the main thing, if there will be no bestowal in the environment a person will remain as he is. The Creator arranges bestowal for us. We read this from the article from the Arvut, from the giving of the Torah and the Arvut, mutual guarantee. The Creator gives such states in the beginning of the Torah and Arvut mutual guarantee after a person discovers that he is in darkness. That he is in Egypt, yes. From that he can try to connect inevitably with the others and that's how it is with each of them and each commit to help the other from the darkness because otherwise they cannot exit and this is how the work is. We read about this about every single thing so let's use this story, this theater, let's constantly implement it inside of us. I have no chance to do anything if the environment does not help me. My work is to first of all to nullify before the environment and I can nullify towards it only under the condition that I will receive examples from them and this is how I am between them and I see that they are acting and playing towards me that they are big connected and this influences me, this influences greatly. There's no choice, we need to begin to work this way, we’re wise. We have already read most of the articles of Baal HaSulam and Rabash but we need to try to implement this.
S. Is this considered an awakening from below from the ten when we are helped by one another,
when we are in Arvut, mutual guarantee in the ten, when we support one another is that considered an awakening from below?
R. If our work is in it then of course it's an awakening from below if we understand that we have to connect between us and we try to connect and we see that we cannot connect, we cry to the Creator to connect us, this is an awakening from below. The Creator is helping us and we connect a little bit. What are we doing with the connection between us? We have to pull ourselves from below up from reception to bestowal. Again we turn to the Creator to help us but we turn to him all of us together after we are connected. We make such efforts, we feel something or we don't. Let's say we don't feel anything then we turn to the Creator and we demand from Him. Help us please to feel that we are connected and that we are asking of You and that you are hearing us and pulling us up and out from within our deep pit. Those prayers of ours now, they are called, the prayer of many, the prayer in the public when we connect together and we ask for something together. It's totally different because this is what works on the Creator, the cry of one does not work. This is called a cry in the desert, a voice in the desert. There's a concept like that. When we connect even a few of us not many and we ask together, as much as we are willing to bring our hearts together and then from within the common heart to demand of Him. This certainly receives a response.
8. S. (43:07) We talked a lot about the influence of the environment upon a person but practically we see that that doesn't work at all. Let's say a friend comes to the lesson, in the middle of the lesson permanently, it's a long time and he changed the clocks and everything and nothing changes. There are friends that keep this from the beginning of the lesson, they sit in the lesson but they can’t influence that friend. There are many such examples, what are we doing incorrectly and how do we do that?
R. We have to pray that he will have the strength to arrive earlier, pray and ask the Creator together. You don't need to stand up and ask together the same day, the same time, the same physical space, no. You will set a time, it is recommended to have a certain time that you decide on and then at that time you all turn towards the connection between you and ask the Creator to connect you, and you then turn to the Creator that is in that connection, that through this connection you are raising a MAN for the friend who awakened and pulled us and joined us on time for the lesson. Try to do it and you’ll see how it works. If it doesn't work, look for the problem that you have between you and how to connect.
9. S. (45:11) You say the coarseness constantly grows so by us improving the connection between us if we diminish the coarseness or on the contrary amplify for more correction?
R. No no, we don't work on the coarseness at all, we work only on the correction. How to correctly use this coarseness that is revealed. That's it I don't care about it and in truth I have to understand this is an important point. Listen up, I don't care about my own state. This means that the Partzuf, the person performs a restriction I don't care about it, whatever state I receive, I receive from there's None Else Besides Him, from the Creator. I don't care about what to receive rather what is important for me is how to correctly respond to what I am receiving. Therefore my Rosh, my head is not focused on what I received but on how to respond to it, meaning I seemingly skip over what I received from the Creator and then immediately look at my reaction to it. How can I immediately improve my reaction that everything I receive is for my own good? It's all from there's None Else Besides Him and what can I do from this point towards connection and adhesion and gluing this connection with the Creator. That's really the direction that we have to have practically.
10. S. (47:21) To receive the work as far as adornment, a handsome abode in one's heart that he does not get this work as work but as how to get this work and enjoy this work and not receive it as work?
R. Because this work, the steps that I take towards my end of correction, everyone's end of correction this is the correction of the general soul. We don't have anything more than that, rather each and every moment the Creator reveals new records and we have to correctly locate them, detect them and add them to the correction, whatever he reveals he reveals the broken will to receive more and more of it and we have to add it to our correction. That's my work. That's what we have to count our second in life, that other than each and every second I can discover how distant I am from him and I correct it.
S. How do you jump on every opportunity that comes to you in joy, you receive it with happiness and not as some other burden?
R. It depends on whether you're inside a commando, a special forces unit that's going to war to overcome and that's how it sees life and that's how everyone is planning to help the others, then it's possible. As long as you don't separate in your heart and soul and you feel that we are constantly performing these corrections.
S. He writes at the end of the first paragraph when he observes the score as the main thing, he cannot fall from his degree ever because the main thing is there is no departure in the core. What does it mean that he is keeping this core? What is it?
R. The core is that I have a connection to this new point of the desire that each time is revealed more and more and more and then I use it in order to rise above. It gives me, it is bringing me down and I am using it to rise.
S. But how do you get to the reality where you don't drop in from that degree, how is our reality that has no dropping, there's no descent?
R. When we come to Hassadim, to the degree of Bina it's a correction of sorts that I have attained where I am already on the degree of Bina and the light of Hassadim I am holding on to it in a certain permanent way and it doesn't mean that I'm not exerting effort I have and I am exerting constant effort and these degrees are in me, Galgata vEnayim and Katnut, I don't fall anymore I just think on how to add. I also thought before to add but to add in Galgata vEnayim now I think about how to correct AHP.
S. The question is in the advancing between the degrees aren't there drops between them like an addition of coarseness that needs to be it's not called a fall?
R. Of course it's called a fall, each time. Each time a person shall fall and get up.
S. But he writes that there is no fall. The main thing is he does not fall from that degree?
R. Yes, because he constantly overcomes it but it's not like he doesn't have a feeling that he's in greater darkness otherwise there is no difference between the states, you must feel.
S. So what does he mean that in the core there is no departure and departure from what?
R. The core is Galgata vEnayim, Katnut, smallness, when I constantly try to hold on myself in the force of bestowing no matter what and according to that I discover what you can add. Anyone who thinks about adding to the force of bestowal will never fall because he is constantly found in an opposite direction to the fall.
S. What does the influence of a person in the environment give to Galgata vEnayim?
R. Galgata vEnayim by themself are the forces of bestowal.
S. But is that a result of the influence of the environment?
R. No, this is according to how much a person connects to the group and together with the group he becomes one and then he connects to the Creator then the Creator feels the connection between them and from that you get GE, the force of bestowing Katnut, smallness by holding one another.
11. S. (53:12) He says that we receive like suffering in this world, do we need to consider that like illumination from above?
R. Everything that comes to us comes to us from above there is None Else besides Him but the question is everything comes from above, the question is how I take it, how do I process it, how do I respond to it. So a Kabbalist explains to us and recommends to us, connect to others, first connect to the friends, build the connection between you and inside this connection you will receive all these new discernments and then you will know how to correctly respond. There's a great difference between receiving it by yourself or receiving it in the connection with the friends not in every friend but in the connection with the friends there you find the spiritual reality, there you find the Creator between everyone. Not inside anyone or as we say beyond, behind every friend you find the Creator.
S. When I am connected to the ten, I receive those sufferings and I relate to them like to an illumination that I received, is that correct?
R. I don't know what you're talking about, sufferings that I receive as an illumination, I don't know. Let's talk simply, I want to be connected with the friends inside the connection with the friends whatever I receive, I receive two things. Either something that awakens me towards connection or something that repels me from connection, that's how I should decipher each and every state and then I make efforts to be connected with the friends. Everything that comes to us I don't care about the states themselves they come to me. It's not important, meaning I'm not impressed, excited and a certain form but what's important to me is that on top of them, I can establish a stronger connection between us, this is the only thing, only this. I am not impressed by all these different phenomena that are changing the states. I want to be impressed by how I create a stronger connection on top of each and every state that I get because this is why the Creator is sending them to me. That's it the scrutiny in that direction is the main work.
13. S. (56:33) Is it up to me to use this black dot, do I realize this in the ten?
R. Yes it depends on you, only on you that's how you need to take it.
14. S. (56:59) In your first answer earlier you mentioned the point in the heart and some of us are feeling that the black dot is the point in the heart is this correct or is there something about it
R. It's correct that point that way, we say this is the black point. Later we will discover it differently.
15. S. (57:41) How to identify that the adornment matter is as a result of annulment towards friends and not through the awakening from above?
R. The adornment depends on us, it doesn't come from above.
16. S. (58:26) We need to do something at this point?
R. We should not think about the point but rather how we can be close to one another and turn our connection into whiteness instead of blackness?
S. We sometimes say that we have to advance on two feet, is it right to look at this this way, at our work?
R. You can say but I don't want to talk about it this way, it'll be confusing and we can wear Ali barely work with one principle and you're trying to introduce additional things from the wisdom.
17. S. (59:06) You once said that if we will define the Creator by the inversion of the states of disconnection in the ten, if I always hold the ten in a feeling that I am turned towards the friends then there is a sensation that the Creator has come or the revelation comes in a revealed manner and then I can even feel those changing states?
R. Okay, work this way, let's see it'll be fine.
18. S. (59:51) What's the advice to a friend that feels this point in the art has turned off, that the lessons do not awaken him, that the friends are not having an effect on him?
R. He must talk to them about it. He must talk to them if he is trying with his heart as he can and that he can't try any harder and the society doesn't influence him, you have to talk about it why not. You have the Gathering of Friends, he must come there and say, my friends I'm sorry but I am trying, I am putting in the effort but tell me what to do. I heard that only you can help me and take me from this deep pit. So what do I have to do for you to throw down a rope for me to tie myself and for you to pull me out of this deep pit?
S. What is the rope that ten can throw him?
R. The connection with him, willingness from them, willingness from them, from him and willingness from him is to annul towards their help he can't do anymore. But you have to lower a rope and for him to at least tie himself to this rope, meaning so he would feel himself that he is needful of their help. Otherwise he remains as is, that is what he has to feel.
S. That he feels that's not a problem, the question is, what do the friends throw him, what's the advice they tell him?
R. To connect to them together to pray to do something, pray for themselves, for their lesson. To perform all these group actions what else can society do, pray for him.
S. Okay well to pray for him, what does it mean to pray for him?
R. Think of him, how can we help him? Like when they say here a friend is not coming or he's coming to half the lesson so let us first agree between us, not each and every one but we all agree between us that during the day each time we think of that friend in order to help him to help him wake up. So in our awakening towards the friend, we connect from us to the Creator and then the Creator through us, can send to that friend that we have now pave the road to his awakening. So the Creator through us is sending through the friend, strength awakening and this way we connect to the Creator and the friend, we connect to the Creator, thanks to the friend. We'll make this connection meaning we bring them together we connect them, we are like a conduit. Baal HaSulam writes about it as well.
So we need to use the same style and work with all the nations of the world, we will soon begin to see how the world is actually free falling and he is coming down in the crises and the diseases and everything is just multiplied, proliferated in such a way that we don't know where to run to, how to get away from them and everything we can do the only thing we can do is to connect between us. Ask the Creator that through us he will help all the nations of the world, that we are explaining to them how important it is, connection and thinking together and incorporation together, mutual help together. Then the Creator through us when we are trying to connect everyone together. He will bestow to the whole world, influence the whole world through us this is our role and soon it will be more apparent and it will become apparent in the form of great anti-Semitism not from one place like Germany but from the whole world towards us. That's how it will be.
S. You said now let's say I help the friend, he engages in dissemination, does a clip some kind of supporting action what does it mean that he joins this prayer that you now describe, how does he do that?
R. Even if we're talking towards the friend.
S. Now we're done with that one, towards dissemination, towards the nations of the world, we also do it that way?
R. We need to write about the role of the Jews, the group of Bnei Baruch, the people of Israel and in general about the world, about those people who understand that the connection of the world is our salvation and ultimately everyone has to reach connection. So for the time being this position towards connection was given to this group only of Bnei Baruch and we need to publicize this matter. We are now in a free-fall, we're deteriorating and there's no end in sight, there will be no ending because we are in the last process of the general corrections, so it will keep going more and more, there will be no coming out of it, only when deeper into it. An ascent can come only on the condition that we connect. Since right now they don't ask for any to succeed in anything except for the connection between us. We have to explain that to everyone.
S. So practically except for the explanation itself, how do we take that inner connection?
R. In the beginning at least to arrange it so that the world will understand the message that the future of the world is in the connection between everyone. The future of the world is not in technical ,technological success or other things but rather in this success of connection since through the connection we invite, we invoke, we awaken the good forces in nature and they influence us only on the condition that we connect between us. If we don't connect to the extent, we don't connect the good force in us it will work on us in the opposite way, meaning our work is to reach a connection between everyone. What does it matter blue, white, black, red, it doesn't matter, we need to all feel ourselves as belonging to one system, the system of Adam HaRishon and try to come closer to one another. The extent that we come closer to one another, the upper force, the good and beloved that does good, will bestow to humanity and will look over us and ensure we don't get into war and other things and that's how we advance.
19. S. (01:08:22) When you said when it's difficult you can turn to the group, to the ten and I have a question in response, something that does not work out, because it is my personal correction. Don't I need to be joyous at this personally and don't I need to give, like an impression to the ten and do my own correction?
R. You are speaking correctly there is work where we operate on the group, we awaken the group, we connect them together, we pray for them, where I am seemingly for them and there is another form whereby, I annulled to the friends and what is in the group I can receive a complete form, there are two forms in it.
20. S. (01:09:35) You said that the friend needs to come and say I'm not succeeding, throw me a rope but if he doesn't come then the ten tries to draw him, to attract him, to try to bring him closer to the Creator to the work, does that work?
R. It's possible nevertheless we have to do it, that's what it is written, the Kabbalists write for us to do this and it's recommended to try to do it in different forms you can give him hints, you can then you can set an example, so he looks at it through envy and this will also influence him.
S. The friend needs to know that we are thinking about him?
R. First do it without talking to him and then you can tell him.
21. S. (01:10:50) Is the black dot desire?
R. The black point is our egoistic desire, yes?
22. S. (01:11:09) Can the ten help me if I am not annulled?
R. As much as I can, of course, if I am not annulled to the ten, I cannot feel how much the ten is helping me, how much I am incorporated in them, it is a problem. But that's how it is, that the ten I might not feel that I'm nullified to the ten.
S. It's written in the article I am black and I am beautiful and that if you receive the blackness, you'll see how beautiful, what does the Creator want from us?
R. The Creator wants us to try to connect even egotistically between us so he would correct our ego. If we can overcome to a small extent even above our ego towards connection in that direction this is already good.
24. S. (01:12:30) How can we combine between the constant departure and connection to the group and wanting to actively express myself in the group and wanting to actively express in the ten and activate them positively?
R. I don't know how to respond to all those things, don't you understand that everything is solved only in the connection. Try to connect, discuss it, try to find different connections, in different correct connections, in different interactions in the connection and then something will come out of it. None as wise as the experience and you need to truly try and talk more and be closer and be more connected and then you will find the ways, the words here will not help you at all, only the actions. That's why we're going to repeat over it again and again that same record but nothing will come out of it. Only in practice when we work to connect.
25. S. (01:13:53) Are the different forms of annulment in the group always clothing that form of a black point additional black point that is an addition and how do we collect them practically?
R. We don't need to collect and gather the black points, we need to try to correct them and turn them into the good correction, the good, positive connections. That's what we wanted to be in, so it's recommended not to pay attention to the form of the connection between us as long as there is connection. We need to see or rather don't look at one another but look at the heart, don't look at the black heart that each one has, the ego as the core. Rather look at something that exists there in the heart. Good point, so try to connect through these points that exist in each and everyone's hearts. If you know how to connect in those points only one point in the heart, if you know how to connect them then you will certainly succeed and start to feel the Creator in it.
26. S. (01:15:29) Can we practically now, here be in this world that we're talking about or we are learning it now in theory in order to learn how to reach it in the future?
R. No, of course that is incorrect, we can be especially, woman, can be in this work of connection between us, that is the spiritual work, that is the work above our ego, that is the work in the connection to reveal the Creator, give the Creator room to be revealed is the place of connection between everyone above our ego.
27. S. (01:16:15) Their friends that ask the ten to think about too many times on the other hand there are friends that are embarrassed to ask and only do it alone and not bother the ten, what is the right approach?
R. The correct approach is that we pray for the entire than that it should be connected and that the Creator should influence the connection between us in the entire ten, in order to bestow in the entire connection in the ten.
28. S. (01:16:56) It has been a while since the lesson has been absorbed by me. I do not remember anything from it. I am investing efforts to try to remember what the lesson is about; I listen to it again and all these efforts aren't working. I know you have answered this many times but still what should I do?
R. Continue, do not do anything just continue, and to feel sorrow not for that lesson but for this that you aren't progressing in connection and thus you do not have the foundation to grasp the lesson. The lesson is not grasped in your mind like beforehand, but in our hearts that must now be in connection between the hearts, which will be the inner correct spiritual perception.
Reader continues (01:18:46): “When one takes up on himself to work as a black…” repeat
29. R. (01:21:53) Meaning to our point if you do not want to accept anything but connection and revelation of the Creator in the connection then we will feel that all the actions that pass over us is only for this direction and then we work with the Creator in one direction together and turn to be as partners with Him.
30. S. (01:22:21) What does it mean in our state that an illumination comes called an addition and I do not want to accept it?
R. Everything that comes from above comes through this that the upper one enlarges our will to receive and then we need to understand how we need increasingly to connect between us in addition to the connection between us we enlarge our vessel. In that vessel in which grows the mutual bestowal that we are going towards connection. Inside that vessel as we begin according to the equivalence of form to reveal the Creator, the upper light comes closer to him to ascend in degrees, say whatever you want but that is the process.
S. What should we be afraid of not receiving when we are constantly yearning to receive from above?
R. It depends of what you need to proceed your lack for the illumination in that same desire that you have, if you want to use it correctly then you can actually activate your prayer for this that you will receive assistance from above in the state of the light that reforms, and in this you will receive an additional vessel in which you can begin to reveal the Creator.
S. Is there some character from the illumination that comes in as an addition that we are not allowed to receive?
R. No, we feel these things already by us in raising the will to receive we need to understand that there comes an illumination that enlarges our will to receive and here we are in the will to receive that is in contrast to the upper light and we have some drawing to it and intentions to it and accordingly we need to scrutinize them and to exchange our desire to change from reception to bestowal from disconnection to connection. Each time that the upper light influences upon us it influences upon the gap, the distance between us meaning it is revealing the breaking more, the shattering and each time in the relation of the shattering we need to understand that we have a place not to request to annul the shattering but rather above it we connect with all the elements revealed from the shattering with all of these components we are actually connecting, that is called love covers all the crimes and such more and more we are enlarging the coarseness in the vessel that is the Creator by the illumination from above enlarging our will to receive and also us by the prayer requesting of the Creator to help us that He shall not leave us, to help us be in connection atop the new will to receive, and so we are in connection and we are building this screen and we have this increasing coarseness by influence from above and the connection between us that is growing above the coarseness by our prayer to the Creator and then gradually we are building coarseness and a screen until we are ready and capable to differentiate between them the gap between the coarseness and the screen, the gap between the darkness and light, and as such we can already be feeling spiritual phenomena because also this darkness we are revealing it in a correct manner and then they exist in one vessel, both coarseness, restriction, the screen, reflected light and the upper light that clothes in it.
S. That one Kli [vessel] it is not in an individual, it is only in the ten, right?
R. It cannot be that a person of his own self can develop such an attitude to the Creator, such a relation, at least there should be one additional person next to him, two the minimum but not on his own.
S. There are always friends going through states in the ten. There is a friend dealing with coarseness and a friend inspired and uplifted and then…
R. That is not your business, not your matter, give the Creator the opportunity to arrange in the correct manner.
S. I understand it is none of my business, but I am trying to look from afar at all the states we are going through together and connect them into the feeling of one vessel, lightness, and darkness together.
R. From whatever it is, how do you know what is good or bad, whatever there is, work with that. There are things that we do not need to get into because we still do not have vessels for it.
31. S. (01:27:56) There are various levels of darkness that awaken in the work and take a lot of energy to deal with them. Is it possible to say that we should be concerned with the external darkness in order to deal with the more essential darkness to ascend?
R. I do not know what you mean, but I think we need to see such states in the world, in the large world of humanity how much it is descending and getting farther from the good state and entering into very dangerous situations, new ones towards wars, destructions, all sorts of things and we need to as much as possible, connect ourselves nevertheless with all of humanity and to think that we do not want to connect for ourselves to come closer to the Creator but rather for our goal, as Baal HaSulam writes at the end of the book, “An Introduction to the Book of Zohar” and in other places, that our role is to be the connector between the Creator and all the created beings and such we have received an awakening which is why the Creator brought us here and says, ‘this is your role, take it.’ He put our hand on the good fate and we need to progress as such. Whatever may be, that is our role and if we want to advance, we need to know our role and fulfill it and that is the main thing, and not that each of us should think, ‘oh, how good it will be if I enter into spirituality,’ no, we need to think how I can fulfill the desire of the Creator because that is called bestowal.
32. S. (01:30:25) How does the point of the connection in the ten not become egoistic, what to look for in addition?
R. The point of connection in the ten can even be egoistic but in the meantime, it obligates each to annul to one another for the connection between the friends. In the connection between the friends, you do not come to be like a gang to steal like thieves, you are nevertheless directed from above, that is why you have connected, and you come to one place and there is something, someone arranging this from above so do not be afraid. You will connect and you will make the effort to reach whoever is inviting you to the work, to the Creator.
33. S. (01:31:35) In the text, please explain where it says, “he was heartless” or “he was thoughtless, otherwise how could he approach”?
R. It is not important as there are things that belong to the matter and others not so much. We need to develop the heart, and the mind and progress as such.
Reader continues (01:32:31) “. this is a meaning of who is gullible let him come here.”
34 . R. (01:32:55) Meaning if he rises above all the disturbances to connection then he is privileged in the end.
Reader continues (01:33:06) “...”
35. R. (01:33:20) That he makes himself as such that he does not want to ask for anything other than connection, only things that are toward connection, that is all he wants to know about and that is why he is called thoughtless and he advances, actually becoming the wisest.
Reader continues (01:33:42) “...but sometimes we encounter a state of divinity in the exile…”
36. S. (01:37:02) Can we elaborate a bit on what midnight correction is in the relationships between friends?
R. The first half of the night is when the night comes, when you feel that you have darkness. The middle of the night you begin from this moment onwards to understand that this darkness comes to reveal light for you, and it comes, this state, so that you will reveal the light. There is no darkness and light, but it all depends on your vessels, how much you can see in this new darkness, that it is not darkness, that by the correction of the vessels, you see that from midnight, meaning you begin to open your eyes in the new reflected light you begin to see that it is not darkness but is a new degree. The darkness comes because you were given a new will to receive and is caused by this addition to the will to receive, and what you had beforehand, like the sun, everything was illuminated, good and bright, but it gradually darkens towards the evening. Evening is called ‘mixed’ like a mixture because what is mixed you cannot differentiate between, the good and bad, the light and darkness reception and bestowal and then you enter in a state that you cannot differentiate between thus entering night. Night is when you cannot scrutinize correctly or act correctly until you make efforts, and nonetheless you give forces until you reach a state called midnight, that from midnight you begin to understand that everything that occurs with you in this night is not darkness rather it is to add for you an addition of coarseness for the new day, and when you correct it, in the state of a new day, you will feel and attain more connection with the Creator, and so from midnight and onwards, kabbalists say you must get up and again begin spiritual work, that is the matter.
37. S. (01:40:24) In the last paragraph, if there is judgment below there is no judgment above. So, I see that if we criticize ourselves in the ten maybe, but before that there is a sentence that is kind of long that I do not understand. If you could talk about it? I don’t understand the sentence that came before.
R. I understand you, but let's leave it for now. We haven’t gone through the states in order to understand this.
38. S. (01:41:12) You said that what is important is not what we receive from the Creator, but how we respond to it. I understand that it's from above and comes to push me to connection to the Creator, but it is stronger than me and accept for thinking about how I get rid of it. I can’t do anything. What is your advice? What should be the right response on bodily and emotional suffering that the Creator gives us?
R. Our problem is that each one of us is already wise, and we heard and read many things. We think that we know how to exit our states, and we forget that we exit the state we can do only by connection, even 1mm. If I want to exit corporeality to spirituality in something, even this direction, even that motion, it can be only by connection by establishing the system of Adam HaRishon. All our work is only to return to that same corrected system. So, there is nothing to add here. We simply need to work in this. All sorts of private questions result from this, that the person does not want to answer correctly on this question, how do I take the next step. That is only in connection.
39. S. (01:43:13) If during a descent of a few months I then have the courage to ask for help from the ten, and I waited for an awakening from above. Should I consider this as a bad example?
R. Know it is only a preparation for the new state, the new exalted state.
40. S. (01:43:54) Why do we work in the darkness at night? How does it help us advance?
R. We get up after midnight just like we spoke now, that after midnight we get a new vessel with which we need to sanctify and begin to attach to it intentions to bestow. It is a sign you don't get any vessel, it comes to you anything. We are talking that by this that we get up, we are working on ourselves, forces of nature. That doesn't belong to the corporeal night and day, whoever is in the night and day in our groups around the world. That is how we do. There is a lot of things, especially in ‘’The Zohar,” that write about midnight, how a person must behave, but it is not talking about time, hours, like somebody of ours is in Brazil or Canada, it’s evening and we are already in the second half of the night. It is not important. We operate according to our relations between us.
41. S. (01:45:35) Can you explain what the difference is between the restriction?
R. Restriction is called restriction of desire, that I have a desire and now I cannot use it, and so I restrict it from its current form, that I should have a screen. When I will have a screen, then I will be able to work with it. That is the restriction. Annulment is already on something that I can never work with it, let's say work without the first restriction, no such thing. We need to respect the first restriction, and we are only above the will to receive in order to receive. That is called annulment. Adam HaRishon had a problem that he annulled the first restriction, he canceled it. So, we need on all the vessels that broke as a result to correct this condition.
42. S. (01:47:00) What is it when a person takes upon himself to work in the black dot? Even in the biggest darkness in reality?
R. It depends where it is speaking of. Sometimes he writes about the dawn or darkness. You understand, these are different words, different terms, but as a principal darkness is not darkness. It is the light of Hochma [wisdom] that is accepted as such by us from lack of light of Hassadim - light of Mercy. If we bring the light of mercy to the darkness, then it is called ‘’The darkness shall illuminate as the light,’’ and we can reveal that light. So, relations between darkness and light is only in the presence of light of Mercy - light of Hassadim. Because of the first restriction we have this condition that we cannot see reality without the light of Mercy. So, the entire world of the Creator and the Creator Himself are concealed, and we are incapable of doing anything about it until we acquire the restriction, screen, and reflected light. That is called the light of Mercy - Hassadim - that comes from the side of the created being. In this we can see reality relatively according to our restriction on our will to receive, and according to the light of Mercy. That is called ‘’In Your light we shall see Your light.’’
S. So when he says the biggest darkness, the blackest darkness, it is a state that contradicts ‘’There is none else besides Him’’ completely, it contradicts ‘’The good that does good?’’
R. Well, already such states are later degrees. There, it is really, really darkness, that ‘’You have concealed Your face, I was in shock.’’
S. Then, a person has to agree with it and live with it, even if he gets an illumination, to not take it into account?
R. You can’t say such, not to react to it and relate to it, not to receive. The main thing is the screen.
43. S. (01:50:20) How do we turn the morning or evening into one day, in the work in the ten?
R. If I'm above the restriction and want to bestow, it doesn't matter what state I'm in, and I'm protected by the screen, my force of opposition to all the disturbances, meaning to all the pleasures that come to me. I'm protected and guarded; It is called that I'm above the restriction and I'm always in the state that I can feel that there will be light and they will not be day and night. It will all be one day.
S. How do we do this in the ten, together?
R. We are constantly learning how to do it. Uplift above your personal will to receive and Incorporated in the ten, and with the ten to Incorporated with the whole world, with all of humanity; and reach a state that you are completely in whole and unconditional love towards the Creator and with this you are above all of your desires protected under the screen.
44. S. (01:51:30) You mentioned before the matter of the thoughtless one. In our work there's work in annulment, but to reach a state that the will to receive won’t burn inside and be suspicious or annul and lose its mind entirely. How do we reach such a state?
R. It's a problem, this state is very complex, meaning on one hand we have to understand that I'm not protecting against anything, on the other hand I have to try to acquire the forces for restriction, and the screen, and the reflected light and at least to be as much as I can in the qualities of Bina. Meaning, to restrict my will to receive, not the lessen it but to restrict from using it, to restrict it. And anything's possible in my vessels that I'm able to, as much as possible to be in bestow. That is called GE.
S. It really felt that we cannot lose our mind entirely, our lack of confidence that we have, we cannot entirely devote ourselves.
R. We don't need to lose anything, why, I'm going to be lacking a vessel. If I lack my self-confidence, I want the lack of confidence; everything I get, let it be there. We do not stop from being scared or afraid on the contrary, I need that fear, I need to know what to be cautious of. And the more I have those, like helpers “hands help against it” is a good thing.
S. So the question is how could you reach being thoughtless because we need both sides, how could we be so thoughtless?
R. Petty [thoughtless/ gullible one] means that he goes above reason on everything that is revealed in him. That is it. He doesn't want to take any calculation of his own but what is revealed from the Creator; that is what he wants to receive in his force of bestowal.
45. S. (01:54:30) Can explain more about “lily among thorns?”
R. The thrones represent our ego and the lily is the connection we want to reach. A connection is the lily or rose, there are all kinds of parts of the lily. The lily itself is the connection between us and the thorns around the lily are our will to receive, that helps us keep the lily that we can reach connection, only by going through all these thorns and annulling them. Meaning, we leave them, but we know how to overcome them and reach that lily that’s inside, between the thorns. That is how we reach the right vessel and these shells remain, these thorns, only in Gmar Tikkun [the final correction] I do not know how, they annul, we will learn about it. But until the final corrections we need these thorns, so these thorns they keep the lily, they guard it that the egoists can't reach it; the lily is revealing the Creator, it is adhesion with the Creator and whoever reaches it he just called that “he is in that Lily” or “Knesset Israel” [the assembly of Israel], It assembles everybody who connects. The group has to reach that state, everything ten has to reach a state called a Lily. Also the book of Zohar starts from the article of the lily, that is the greatest thing to raise the lily, to raise the vessel that will be able to be in it together and with the Creator.
46. S. (01:57:00) General question, why is the style of writing or expression of Baal HaSulam so poetic and metaphorical that afterwards we need to scrutinize them and explain the matters?
R. First of all it is not writing you understand, it is a conversation. It is not a conversation that he's talking to someone but it's just him speaking, that is why it is a problem. Also what is written here it's not exactly maybe, what he said, it is speaking. You see what it says here: it is the fourth day of Sukkot so they were sitting in Jerusalem, in 1942, that is many years ago. And they sat in Sukkot [huts], it is around September as we celebrate. And on the fourth day of the holiday of Sukkot they were sitting in the evening, as is the custom to sit in the C, and Baal HaSulam was speaking there and this is what he said. He may have said a few more things and not exactly in the way that you can really write it all down; and there's a language of speaking and there's a language of writing that is different from one another. And that is why I cannot say to you, that is the way it's written, Rabash wrote it this way and we have something that we can learn from. Our sources are all like this, why? Because all of these sources are, I'll tell you the truth, the need for them is only to awaken ourselves. We know what we need to do. We need to connect and pray to the Creator to give us the force of connection and that connection we start attaining and that is it. Nothing else. Only that. So let’s do it and all these things that we started and again there are 1000 questions, and again we can’t advance, we always get stuck on the same things. And I think it's because throughout the day you need to pay attention to be more in connection. To connect between you more, to read an article or something, to pray from the group to the Creator; to give you the force of connection to such extent that the Creator will be revealed in that connection. That is a must for it to happen, otherwise we can just wander around like a dog after its tail.
47. S. (02:00:42) Please explain again what does it mean to accept upon myself the black point as an ornament?
S. The black dot Is revealed as a state between us that we feel that we are not connected enough, and that is the black point. And in that black dot, there's no revelation of the Creator. That is why it is black, and we need to turn this dot into a point of light, that is it. So the dot or the point is called dark because for now it’s in that state, and we have to try and connect this dot and through it receive the light.
48. S. (02:01:50) What is the meaning when it is written “when there is no judgment below, there is no judgment above?”
R. That we judge ourselves about our connection and our closeness. So then as much as we try to be close to each other, to that extent we can turn all the judgments into mercy, and it is written about that “if there is judgment below, there is none above” or the contrary. Meaning we need to judge ourselves and constantly yearn for connection and then from above we will get a nice and good attitude for that.
49. S. (02:02:52) When do we reveal fear from connection with the Creator, we are dependent on Him, a lack of desire to be in connection with Him?
R. I do not know exactly what you are describing in the connection with the Creator, as if it is something that is like a human or something, I don't know what. It is like these primitive forms in you of the connection with the Creator. Connection with the Creator is the quality of love, bestowal, connection, closeness, that is felt between people, that in all kinds of such forms of connection that are nice and good and right a person starts understanding that that is the revelation of the Creator. All the opposite forms that are between us we need to discover that is the opposite form of the Creator, and we don’t have anything else but revelation of the Creator or concealment of the Creator. That is it, nothing else in our world. Now, we are in the time of concealment that is increasing more and more, and that is why our world seems that way, that from day to day we think of war, bombs, problems, hurricanes, all kinds of other phenomena in nature, and God forbid, but it could happen we could get blows more and more. That is also revelation of the Creator, but in a negative way. We can invert this revelation to a positive way, but the Creator is still coming closer. He is coming closer like a big lump of something coming up from the sky and it's coming closer to us, and they tell us twenty years from now it is going to fall on us. We know the stories of the Bible a lot of things like that. Like we have in ‘’Jonah’’, that he went and he said in such and such time the Creator is going to destroy Nineveh, and so on. So, we are now in the darkness. Obviously, this darkness is a lack of the correct revelation of the Creator, but it is an increasing darkness. It is also a sign of the Creator coming closer, the upper light wants to appear. But for now, it is not able to appear, we are not letting it, so it seems like darkness more and more. That is what is happening to us, and we need to turn this darkness into a great light, all in all. It only depends on the relationships between us. If we change our relationship between us, everything we feel as darkness becomes light instantly. Let's do it.
50. S. (02:06:48) I want to ask something about the last part we read. It is written, he has to check with the one who does. It is not clear who is the one who received the damage and who does the damage.
R. You do not understand that everything comes from the Creator, the fact that the Creator said that I have created the evil inclination? That already covers everything. Now we just need to understand in what we can neutralize that evil inclination and understand that it is not somewhere out there in the world, but it is in us. According to what we learn in the perception of reality, if we are in the will to receive, how we perceive reality, and if we go to the will to bestow, then how we will perceive reality. The difference between that is the difference between light and darkness, between the opposite forms of the Creator, that there are many causes for a bad state into one cause of one good state. That is it. That is what we need to understand. That is why all of our work is only to change our perception outside of us. There is nothing to do, only ourselves. Then, we will discover, instead of the world being filled with all the evil forces, that there is only one good force. That the force is the good.
S. What does it mean that I have to reward the one who received damage with what he already has?
R. You do not owe anybody anything. Only to correct yourself in relation to everyone, or you can say in relation to the Creator, which is the same thing, because that Creator doesn’t exist. The Creator is the force that is revealed between us inside us. If you reveal a good, nice attitude, let say not to everybody, to everybody it is impossible, to the ten, then by this you resemble the Creator. Then, in your attitude that you have developed you start discovering, revealing the upper world, the connection between all the new qualities, the qualities of bestowal. So, you have Hesed, Gevura, Tifferet, Netzah, Hod, Yesod, you start discovering between them all kinds of forms of relationships, mutual bestowal. Then, that form you revealed, that is called the spiritual world. It is also revealed in you, not outside of you, anything, there is no such thing. It is an illusion what you think that there is something outside of you. You then discover that you are filled with the Creator, with the upper light, and the whole world is inside of you, and except for you there is nothing. You just need more and more to bring more and more parts of reality. That you think there is something outside of you, put it in you. Relate to it like yourself, and you will see that in this state you will reveal all the whole world is good.