The transcript has been transcribed and edited from English simultaneous interpretation, thus there may be potential semantic inaccuracies within it.
Daily Morning Lesson: October 17, 2026
Part 1: Rabash. The Agenda of the Assembly - 2. Article No. 17, 1986.
Reader: Hello, friends. In today's lesson, we will try, all of us together, to learn from Rav how to awaken ourselves from below, how to awaken ourselves from below and break through the barrier that is separating us and the upper light. We will join the lesson that took place in 2011, truly just before all of us together went to the big Congress in the Exhibition Gardens in Tel Aviv, an especially exciting lesson. And before we will enter it, we will read the article that we will have in this lesson. There will be a part of it in the lesson. We will read the entire article between us, and we will try to be connected and soft. Friend, please.
Reader: Hello, friends. We will study a lesson from Rav from 2011. It's based on the Agenda of the Assembly, an article from Rabash. We'll read it together in the Ten. We have 21 minutes for that.
Reading: (01:50) The Agenda of the Assembly – 2
Article No. 17, 1986
In Masechet Berachot (p 32), our sages wrote, “Rabbi Shamlai said, ‘One should always praise the Creator, and then pray.’ From where do we have that? From Moses, as it is written, ‘And I pleaded.’” Baal HaSulam interpreted that when one wishes to ask for a favor from another, he must know, a) if he has what he asks of him, because if he doesn’t, there is no point in asking, and b) that he has a kind heart. This is so because he may have what he asks, but not the kind of heart that would give.
Hence, first one needs to praise the Creator, meaning believe that the Creator has everything that one is asking for, and that the Creator is merciful and grants everyone his wish for the best.
It turns out that when the friends gather in one place, the assembly is certainly for a purpose, since when one allocates part of his time—which he would use for his own needs, relinquishing his engagements, and partaking in an assembly—he wishes to acquire something. Thus, it is important to try that when each of the friends goes home, he should see what he came to the assembly with, and what he has acquired now that he is going home.
Sometimes during the assembly of friends, everyone feels good during the meeting. At that time, it does not occur to them to contemplate with which possession they will go home, meaning what I have in my hand, which I acquired at the assembly of friends and did not have before I came to the society. And then he sees that he has nothing.
This is similar to what is written (Deuteronomy 23:25), “When you come into your friend’s vineyard, you may eat grapes until you have satiated your soul, but do not put any in your vessels.” We should interpret it that when the friends gather, this is called “Your friend’s vineyard,” when you sit and eat and drink together, talking about this and that, and the body enjoys during the action. This is similar to, “You may eat grapes until you have satiated your soul.”
But when you go home and wish to see what you have in your Kelim [vessels], to take some livelihood home, when we leave the gathering and wish to examine what we have in our Kelim after all the partying, we see that, “But do not put any in your vessels.” In other words, there is nothing in the Kelim with which to revive the soul after the assembly.
However, when one exerts, he should make certain that it is not without reward. It is as we say in the prayer, “And came unto Zion,” “Lest we labor in vain.” Rather, when one goes to an assembly, he should acquire nourishments there so that when he goes home he will be able to see if he has something to put in the Kelim. Then he will have the nourishments to feed himself until the next meeting. And until that time, he will have from what has been prepared, meaning from what he has acquired during the assembly of friends.
Therefore, first one must praise the importance of the gathering, and then see what to acquire from that activity. It is as our sages said, “One should always praise the Creator, and then pray.” In other words, the beginning of the assembly, meaning the beginning of the discussions, which is the beginning of the assembly, should be about praising the society. Each and every one must try to provide reasons and explanations for their merit and importance. They should speak of nothing but the praise of society.
Finally, its praise should be disclosed by all the friends. Then they should say, “Now we are through with Stage One of the assembly of friends, and Stage Two begins.” Then each will state his mind about the actions we can take so that each and every one will be able to acquire the love of friends, what each person can do to acquire love in his heart for each and every one in the society.
And once Stage Two is completed—suggestions regarding what can be done in favor of society—begins Stage Three. This concerns carrying out of the friends’ decisions about what should be done.
And regarding the praise of society, in Matan Torah (The Giving of the Torah), p 137, he introduces the matter of love of friends, that by bonding with the friends he can obtain the greatness of the Creator. The whole world is immersed in self-love, and he wishes to go by the path of bestowal. But this is against the common view because this is the nature we were born with due to the purpose of creation, which is, as was said, “His will to do good to His creatures.”
And all our power to resist it, to act to the contrary—that not only do we not want to receive for ourselves, but we rather want to give, which is considered that all our actions will be only in order to bestow contentment upon our Maker—is because it is within the nature of bestowal that when one gives to an important person he enjoys it. It turns out that without pleasure, one cannot do anything because it is against nature.
However, we can replace the pleasure. This means that instead of receiving pleasure from an act of reception, we will wish to receive pleasure from an act of bestowal. This is called “equivalence of form.” We should say that as the Creator enjoys giving to the creatures, we should enjoy giving to the Creator.
Otherwise, meaning if we have no joy or pleasure while we give to the Creator, we are blemishing the equivalence of form. It is as our sages said, “There was no joy before Him as on the day when heaven and earth were created.” There was no joy before the Creator since the day the world was created like the joy that He is destined to rejoice with the righteous in the future (The Zohar, 1, 115).
Therefore, if we have no joy while we are keeping the commandments of the Creator, then if one aims in order to bestow, it is not considered equivalence of form because one can only be glad where there is pleasure. It turns out that if he has no delight or pleasure in giving to the Creator, it is still not regarded as equivalence of form, that he has room to receive the upper abundance, since he is still lacking the pleasure that the Creator has while giving to the creatures.
It therefore follows that the whole basis upon which we can receive delight and pleasure, and which is permitted for us to enjoy—and is even mandatory—is to enjoy an act of bestowal.
Thus, there is one point we should work on—appreciation of spirituality. This is expressed in paying attention to whom I turn, with whom I speak, whose commandments I am keeping, and whose laws I am learning, meaning in seeking advice concerning how to appreciate the Giver of the Torah.
And before one obtains some illumination from above by himself, he should seek out like-minded people who are also seeking to enhance the importance of any contact with the Creator in whatever way. And when many people support it, everyone can receive assistance from his friend.
We should know that “Two is the least plural.” This means that if two friends sit together and contemplate how to enhance the importance of the Creator, they already have the strength to receive enhancement of the greatness of the Creator in the form of awakening from below. And for this act, the awakening from above follows, and they begin to have some sensation of the greatness of the Creator.
According to what is written, “In the multitude of people is the King's glory,” it follows that the greater the number of the collective, the more effective is the power of the collective. In other words, they produce a stronger atmosphere of greatness and importance of the Creator. At that time, each person’s body feels that he regards anything that he wishes to do for holiness—meaning to bestow upon the Creator—as a great fortune, that he has been privileged with being among people who have been rewarded with serving the King. At that time, every little thing he does fills him with joy and pleasure that now he has something with which to serve the King.
To the extent that the society regards the greatness of the Creator with their thoughts during the assembly, each according to his degree originates the importance of the Creator in him. Thus, he can walk all day in the world of gladness and joy, meaning he enjoys every little thing that he does concerning the work of the Creator. This is so because if he remembers that he should contemplate spirituality for even a minute, he immediately says, “I am already grateful and praising and glorifying the Creator,” since he believes that now the Creator has called him and wishes to speak with him.
And when a person imagines that the King is calling him and tells him that he wants to play with him, what joy would he experience then, and what high spirits would he have? Certainly, in that uplifted state, he would not think any trifle thoughts. He would only be a little embarrassed at not knowing the King’s laws and manners—how to behave when the King speaks to him.
But he considers what he does know how to do for the King as a great fortune, since he nonetheless knows some rules by which to keep the King’s commandments, which he learned at school when he was young. And now that he has grown and wishes to serve the King, he will certainly miss the knowledge of the King’s laws.
It turns out that his concern is that he does not know what gives the King more pleasure, which act or which intention. And other than that, he lives in a world that is all good. While gathering for the assembly, this is what the society should think, and to speak of the greatness of society, as it is written, “One should always praise the Creator, and then pray.”
It is the same with the society. When we wish to demand something of the society, and this is called “praying,” we must first establish the merit of the society, and then “pray,” meaning demand of the society to give us what we want from it.
Thus, first we need to see what the society has, which possessions they have, which we can receive from them by bonding with them. Perhaps we do not need the possession that the society has, but moreover, we run as far away from it as possible.
Accordingly, when one comes to the assembly of friends, he should always see whether or not the friends have the goal that he craves, that each of them has some grip on that goal. And he thinks that by everyone bonding together for one goal, each will have his own share, as well as the shares of the whole of society. It follows that each member of the society will have the same strength as the whole of society together.
Each one should seriously consider the purpose of the gathering—that I
t should bring about a sensation, following the assembly of friends, that each one has something in his hand which he can put in his vessels, and that he is not in the form of, “But do not put any in your vessels.” Each one should consider that if he does not sit especially attentive during the assembly, not only does he himself lose, but he also corrupts the whole of society.
This is similar to what is written in the Midrash (Vayikra Rabbah, Chapter 4): “Two people went inside a boat. One of them began to drill beneath him, making a hole in the boat. His friend told him, ‘Why are you drilling?’ And he replied, ‘Why should you care; I am drilling under me, not under you?’ So he replied, ‘You fool! Both of us will drown together with the boat!’”
And after they speak of the importance and necessity of the society, there begins the
order of correction—how and with what can we reinforce the society to become one bloc, as it is written, “And there Israel camped before the mount” (Exodus 19), and it was explained, “as one man and one heart.” The order should be that anyone with a suggestion that can improve the love of friends, it should be discussed, but it must be accepted by all the friends, so there is no issue of coercion here.
Thus far we discussed the connection between man and man, which is to bring us the connection between man and God, as it is written in Matan Torah (The Giving of the Torah), p 137. It follows that as they speak of the importance of love of friends, and that its whole importance is that it leads us to the love of the Creator, they should also think that the love of friends should bring us into the importance of the love of the Creator.
Reader: We'll move to the lesson from December 2nd, 2011.
M. Laitman: (22:42) From the heart into the heart. Let’s do it from the heart into the heart.
Student: I want to say that it's already clear to us that everyone is clear about it. This feeling is clear. This thing never existed before, nor in past conventions. Therefore, we would like to begin the lesson with a request from heart to heart. We're asking everyone to think about your prayer before this lesson. What do you want from this lesson? And hold on to it by the teeth during the entire lesson. Let's try to do that. Let's just try. You know, if we had notepads, we would write it. But write it on your heart. What am I asking for? What is my prayer? And we'll start with that.
I see the title here says the intention.
M. Laitman: The Zohar, the... Yes, that's the article from the Zohar called Kavanah Tefillah, an intention and prayer. So hold on, again. So now what am I thinking about? What do I want to get from this lesson as a result of this lesson? I have to depict for myself this form, this image, a state. But at the end of the lesson, I'll be drawn and drawn, and I'll reach it.
Student: That I hold on to it, that I feel like it's going away, but I keep it and I don't let it go and so on. This is a Bible lesson. You don't want to miss any words. We're asking you to help each other. Help me help everyone. Let's do it like this.
M. Laitman: I see these words have made this framework. Put us into a mindset. Maybe we'll read this. Everyone has this, right? Well, never mind. Whatever is better.
Reader: Rabash, page 268 in the Hebrew book. So we'll start from the Agenda of the Assembly, an article by the Rabash. So again, it's an article by Rabash- The Agenda of the Assembly, not from the beginning of the article.
Reading: (26:20) The Agenda of the Assembly – 2
It is as our sages said, “There was no joy before Him as on the day when heaven and earth were created.” There was no joy before the Creator since the day the world was created like the joy that He is destined to rejoice with the righteous in the future (The Zohar, 1, 115).
Therefore, if we have no joy while we are keeping the commandments of the Creator, then if one aims in order to bestow, it is not considered equivalence of form because one can only be glad where there is pleasure. It turns out that if he has no delight or pleasure in giving to the Creator, it is still not regarded as equivalence of form, that he has room to receive the upper abundance, since he is still lacking the pleasure that the Creator has while giving to the creatures.
It therefore follows that the whole basis upon which we can receive delight and pleasure, and which is permitted for us to enjoy—and is even mandatory—is to enjoy an act of bestowal. Thus, there is one point we should work on—appreciation of spirituality. This is expressed in paying attention to whom I turn, with whom I speak, whose commandments I am keeping, and whose laws I am learning, meaning in seeking advice concerning how to appreciate the Giver of the Torah.
And before one obtains some illumination from above by himself, he should seek out like-minded people who are also seeking to enhance the importance of any contact with the Creator in whatever way. And when many people support it, everyone can receive assistance from his friend.
We should know that “Two is the least plural.”
This means that if two friends sit together and contemplate how to enhance the importance of the Creator, they already have the strength to receive enhancement of the greatness of the Creator in the form of awakening from below. And for this act, the awakening from above follows, and they begin to have some sensation of the greatness of the Creator.
According to what is written, “In the multitude of people is the King's glory,” it follows that the greater the number of the collective, the more effective is the power of the collective. In other words, they produce a stronger atmosphere of greatness and importance of the Creator. At that time, each person’s body feels that he regards anything that he wishes to do for holiness—meaning to bestow upon the Creator—as a great fortune, that he has been privileged with being among people who have been rewarded with serving the King. At that time, every little thing he does fills him with joy and pleasure that now he has something with which to serve the King.
To the extent that the society regards the greatness of the Creator with their thoughts during the assembly, each according to his degree originates the importance of the Creator in him. Thus, he can walk all day in the world of gladness and joy, meaning he enjoys every little thing that he does concerning the work of the Creator.
This is so because if he remembers that he should contemplate spirituality for even a minute, he immediately says, “I am already grateful and praising and glorifying the Creator,” since he believes that now the Creator has called him and wishes to speak with him.
And when a person imagines that the King is calling him and tells him that he wants to play with him, what joy would he experience then, and what high spirits would he have? Certainly, in that uplifted state, he would not think any trifle thoughts. He would only be a little embarrassed at not knowing the King’s laws and manners—how to behave when the King speaks to him.
But he considers what he does know how to do for the King as a great fortune, since he nonetheless knows some rules by which to keep the King’s commandments, which he learned at school when he was young. And now that he has grown and wishes to serve the King, he will certainly miss the knowledge of the King’s laws.
It turns out that his concern is that he does not know what gives the King more pleasure, which act or which intention. And other than that, he lives in a world that is all good. While gathering for the assembly, this is what the society should think, and to speak of the greatness of society, as it is written, “One should always praise the Creator, and then pray.”
It is the same with the society. When we wish to demand something of the society, and this is called “praying,” we must first establish the merit of the society, and then “pray,” meaning demand of the society to give us what we want from it.
Thus, first we need to see what the society has, which possessions they have, which we can receive from them by bonding with them. Perhaps we do not need the possession that the society has, but moreover, we run as far away from it as possible.
Accordingly, when one comes to the assembly of friends, he should always see whether or not the friends have the goal that he craves, that each of them has some grip on that goal. And he thinks that by everyone bonding together for one goal, each will have his own share, as well as the shares of the whole of society. It follows that each member of the society will have the same strength as the whole of society together.
Each one should seriously consider the purpose of the gathering—that it should bring about a sensation, following the assembly of friends, that each one has something in his hand which he can put in his vessels, and that he is not in the form of, “But do not put any in your vessels.” Each one should consider that if he does not sit especially attentive during the assembly, not only does he himself lose, but he also corrupts the whole of society.
This is similar to what is written in the Midrash (Vayikra Rabbah, Chapter 4): “Two people went inside a boat. One of them began to drill beneath him making a hole in the boat. His friend told him, ‘Why are you drilling?’ And he replied, ‘Why should you care; I am drilling under me, not under you?’ So he replied, ‘You fool! Both of us will drown together with the boat!’”
And after they speak of the importance and necessity of the society, there begins the order of correction—how and with what can we reinforce the society to become one bloc, as it is written, “And there Israel camped before the mount” (Exodus 19), and it was explained, “as one man and one heart.” The order should be that anyone with a suggestion that can improve the love of friends, it should be discussed, but it must be accepted by all the friends, so there is no issue of coercion here.
Thus far we discussed the connection between man and man, which is to bring us the connection between man and God, as it is written in Matan Torah (The Giving of the Torah), p 137. It follows that as they speak of the importance of love of friends, and that its whole importance is that it leads us to the love of the Creator, they should also think that the love of friends should bring us into the importance of the love of the Creator.
between man and God, as it's written in Matan Torah. It follows that as they speak of the importance of love of friends, and that its whole importance is that it leads us to the love of the Creator, they should also think that the love of friends should bring us into the importance of the love of the Creator.
M. Laitman: (35:08) I've tried slowing him down many times. We need to read at a writing pace. Because the person who writes, he feels it. He feels what is within him. And then he passes it on to the paper, and I need to take what he writes in that same speed, and pass it on through my sensation, not in my mind. But I need to try to make an effort to penetrate that very same image, and to be in that same image. To try. What did he feel when he wrote this? And then, to adhere to the writer, and through him to what he feels, in the revelation of the Creator to him. That is called to study from the books and authors. From the book that I read, I'm adhered to the author, and from the author I'm adhered to the one who passes on the sensation to the Creator. So of course I need the author to be great and unique, to have contact with the Creator to know how to convey this impression regardless of how he writes it. He could not know how to write nicely, but if I want to be adhered to the author when trying, when trying to be dependent on it, like a baby towards her mother, it's enough. It's enough in order to begin to get from her.
The intention of the prayer well, a prayer is a request.
I ask you, please minimize the headset volumes. I hear what you hear. It confuses me. It's something individual. Personalized . Make it so that it's really personal. Put two earbuds in your ears.
M. Laitman: (38:36) In the wisdom of Kabbalah, we have words which confuse us, from religions, philosophies, faiths, all these kinds of external wisdom, as we can call them. A prayer is a request that I feel in my heart. So why is it called a prayer instead of a request? Because I stabilize this question, this request, artificially. I have no desire for spirituality, nothing. I don't want it. I want to enjoy. For that I always have strength, and energy. I'm prepared for anything. If I interpret spirituality correctly, then I have no desire for Him. It's a state which is opposite from my state. Bestowal is called spirituality. Faith or bestowal is one and the same. Love means that I love the other's desires and I want to fulfill it as if it's my own baby. I have no tendency towards this. I'm not structured that way. I'm not able to think that way about others. It's very difficult for me to detach from their bodies when I look at their faces. What can I get out of this? No one is pulling it. I have to detach from the external state, not to see them, not to see these faces. They only hide man's inner desire. Is it simple? No, it's not simple. We see how we're not structured that way. There's still noise over there.
How can I reach a state that instead of the bodies, I see sparks, sparks in the heart of each and every one? A heart is called a desire, first of all. I don't see this heart that starts pumping like a piece of red meat, no. I see a man's desire, which is entirely egoistic, but a person rises above it. He doesn't remain restricted to his ego. He's just riding in the air above his own heart, and his entire essence is in the spark. It's like he's above his heart in this spark, and this spark is what is most important for him. Let's find it. Sorry, that's where he is, in that spark. How can I reach this kind of attitude towards the friends? How can I reach a state that we all connect in these sparks, and then each one receives everyone's sparks? And then, and only then, when he receives everyone's sparks, he has the strength to rise above his ego. Only then he's able to exit his will to receive, his Egypt.
How is that possible? Conditions are conditions, just like in physics. What we learn in the natural sciences in this world is the same forces, the same relations between the light and the Kli. Only in spirituality we continue. We have to treat this as Baal HaSulam says, the prayer, the commandments, and doing these Mitzvot, and doing the laws of nature, it's one and the same. That is why we need to sort the words in such a way that they won't confuse us.
M. Laitman: (43:44) So I need to depict a state that I concentrate my entire mind and heart to the friends' sparks. I need them in order to rise above this world. If I swallow them up, absorb them, completely acquire them, it is a strength that's like a balloon. It raises me above corporeality. Then I have the ability to be in the air, meaning neutral, not in my ego that I want and think, and calculate, and this and that, do it all egotistically and there I have no choice. I look through this matrix, I look at the world and I look at myself. If I rise above by being included in their spark, then I observe it through this matrix of sparks, I see the next world, the upper world, the world of bestowal. It depends on which kind of optical lens you use, or you aim the focus on me, or the focus is aimed outwards. We know that in optics there are two types of lenses. How do you say lenses in Hebrew? Yes, (adashot), lenses. So it's the same with people. There are those who are too far from one another and those who are too close to one another. So I need such a lens that will direct me outwards. And I do it by gathering the sparks in the friends.
Therefore, when we are in a meeting, in a gathering, in a lesson, working together, eating together, never mind what exactly, it doesn't matter really, these are the external conditions for the connection among us. No more than that. It's a study that by it we draw some light and we're impressed from the study in order to connect. Of course we talk about connection there, we have mutual work, but we don't need it like the entire world does. It's all organized only in order for there to be a chance for us to connect. Because in connection we form that very same lens that through it you begin to see the upper world.
And it's very important, maybe we'll finally do this, make a dictionary of the words, definitions, of the wisdom of Kabbalah and the sacred books, so they won't confuse us. So really instead of all these words that we read, we will be able to interpret them correctly. So they won't draw us to a certain faith, which I don't know what it is, or the Creator's honor, or other such words you've read. So in short, all the figures that we don't really understand, we understand them incorrectly, it's even worse.
Okay, so I don't remember anything you read. What else did you read? Maybe questions according to what we read, then that will remind me. You're too quick. When I wanted to get the feeling of what he wants to say here, and I didn't manage to do so, you were already running ahead.
Question (Petah Tikva Center): (48:50) What's the meaning of collecting everyone's sparks? Let's say we have a convention, thousands of people there, obviously we're not talking about something physical, so what does it mean to unite all the sparks?
M. Laitman: In spirituality there are no numbers, but qualities. I don't need to count how many sparks I connect to myself. If I try to rise above my ego and enter this general thought that all of my friends are in a tendency toward mutual bestowal to making this mutual Kli, to feel in it the upper one and the bestowing one, the complete, the whole. So I'm included with them. And to the extent I want to be with them together, to such an extent that everything will be cancelled other than this spark. In these sparks, I live. To that very same extent, I already come closer to the form of the upper one, the Creator.
Most important isn't the spark in me. That spark is shattered. It comes from the shattering of the vessels, from the shattering of Adam HaRishon. And therefore, it is opposite from what it should be. I, when I start yearning for spirituality, I yearn for it. I want to acquire it. I want the spiritual world, the upper world. We'll acquire it. We're like a special elite unit commander, we're going to do it all, and so on. Meaning, this spark, it works in the ego in order to bring our ego fulfillment. And we are in this for many years in the wrong direction, in the wrong usage of this primary desire that we've received. That's how everyone is. That's what it starts from. That's where you start from. Corrupted. Until we reach a state that I feel that this spark turns me into an even worse person.
If, first of all, I wanted to acquire only all I had in this world, right from the moment I felt this spark, and I started craving for spirituality. I begin to now acquire the next world. That is called the dog which barks woof woof twice. Once for this world, once for the next world. Hav-Hav means give, give. But I do crave, I yearn, I give a lot. I put a lot of effort in the study, in dissemination, all in order to get a result. Where is it? I deserve it. After many years, I begin to find that what I actually want is in that same egoistically, I want to receive another fulfillment, an additional one. Nothing's changed really. I can attain eternality, bring it over. I can put it in my backpack, put the Creator there as well, take the upper world, put them there as well. I'm willing to take all of that. I have a big bag to fill up. So I then calculate to myself that all in all, I haven't changed. I'm now in the same tendency, just like before.
M. Laitman: (53:31) But the friends, I use them, I take advantage of them, the group, the books, bring it over. It's all, it's constantly within. And that is not my tendency. It's changed, and not nothing for myself. As usual in this world I start another few sources of pleasure. I run to them and accept it wherever I need to. And that is called, "I've created the evil inclination." That I find that my attitude towards spirituality, towards the Creator, towards the group, that is the evil inclination. This is the shattered person, the shattered person in me, the first broken man. Because prior to that, I just wanted to enjoy such things.
I was an animal, not even part human. Then I started using this spark to take advantage of it to fulfill myself. This spark is from Adam. From that I started being a savage. From that I started developing the shattered man within me. And when I reach this shattered man to the understanding, to the sensation of what am I doing all in all, I'm completely going into the wrong direction of spirituality. That's where spirituality is, because it's bestowal, and I'm over here because it's reception.
So using the same tools in the wisdom of Kabbalah and the teacher, the group, but we left it... But I go the opposite way, meaning with the right means, and then I feel the shattering, the force of shattering within me. Then I begin to comprehend that I'm going in the opposite direction. That is winning the evil inclination. Attaining it. And the moment I attain it, so what do I seek? What am I looking for? I've revealed the great desires. I've invested great forces to attain spirituality in order to receive, to fulfill myself. Where is it? I want it, I deserve it. Now, I search for a place where I can change my tendency. It happens after quite a few years, not immediately. If you're not patient, then you can go on vacation, actually, or you can even go on a pension. No one is keeping anyone, as you all know. The entrance is free and the exit is free. There's no coercion in spirituality.
However, until a person comes to a state where he's truly shattered, and he's shattered because he always remains in his ego and he can't come out of it, the inversion doesn't happen. The inversion is not that he escapes from the environment and thinks that he is wiser than everyone and deserves more than everyone and so on. It's the opposite. He begins to understand that he is the worst, worse off than everyone else. The evil inclination begins to show him who he is, and then everyone in society seems to him as the greatest of the generation. Then he is willing to bow his head and to be connected to and serve everyone, only in order to change his direction towards the lesson, gathering of friends, anything. Just to absorb what they have, some of what they have.
M. Laitman: (58:05) It doesn't happen at once. It's not so simple. This is something that changes in the person gradually. This kind of attitude comes about, and there's ups and downs in it, and so this way he perceives from the environment the qualities of bestowal. Also, he doesn't absorb it from there. He's just impressed by what they have, and he advances not towards becoming better, only towards the clarity that he is not yet in bestowal. This is still a scrutiny. He has to achieve true bitterness that this is what he's missing, that he must rise above reception and achieve the greatness of bestowal. Not because he has some self-benefit that he derives from it, but simply because the quality of bestowal became important to him. That's it. It's important. And this way, one moves forward to the point that it becomes so important that compared to the quality of reception, he can't stand himself in the quality of reception. And only when he sometimes rises above the quality of reception, he feels good. He still didn't acquire the quality of bestowal, but he appreciates it. Because sometimes he falls down and he appreciates reception, but with it he already hates himself and feels bad about it. Until he comes to a point where he understands there must be some solution to this. It's impossible this way.
Then he discovers the urgency, the need, the necessity for the upper force, which we always forget. We don't need Him, so how will I keep in mind something I don't need? You know, when you're eating, all of a sudden you say, "Oh, wait a minute, I'm missing some salt here." Then you start thinking about the salt. Otherwise, will you think about the salt? No, only when you lack it. Then you will search for it and you want to add it. And it's the same thing here.
The moment I feel that without it I just can't succeed and it's just necessary, then I become reliant on that. So much that, well, look how many egoistic phases are still happening here. I need the Creator in order to give me the quality of bestowal. I want to bestow and be above all of my life, my problems, my disturbances. The calculations here are still egoistic. One hasn't crossed the barrier here yet in these calculations. And then one advances from that. So as I think about the upper force to serve me, I want Him to give me the quality of bestowal, to give me the connection with the friends. And again, I think about it in a way of using the upper force.
M. Laitman: (01:02:35) Then I begin to advance and see that really in my longing with the group to be together above the ego, above everything, why do I need it? In order to attain the upper force that will dwell in us. Meaning we rise to another component, to this acknowledgment, to this additional analysis in our attitude to the Creator, to the Upper One, to the Bestower, the Giver. That He, in fact, orchestrates everything to me and sets up everything so that we don't feel this structure as important. But this structure is important because we can then adhere to Him, cling to Him. But this will come.
So we see from here that everything is scrutinized in thought. We must always undergo these inner scrutinies. And these scrutinies can happen at the speed of light. In the past, people made calculations by taking a bone from some animal they hunted and then taking another bone from another animal and using it to count. Or you would use a bear's tooth and keep it on your neck and then another tooth and another tooth, and then you would make calculations with that.
Later, people invented mechanical machines and then all kinds of calculators and today computers, and all of this is really about calculation. How does all this process happen in humanity? By connecting things on top of things on top of things, we create faster machines. Basically, they're just faster, and everything is just one and zero. There's nothing more in these calculations. Even the most complex devices or machines or things, there's nothing more than plus and minus. There's nothing more than two forces in the world and that's what everything is made of.
So the more we just consolidate ourselves together, join together, we increase the calculation, we accelerate the calculation. And there's nothing more than these calculations, these results we have to get to each time. Another calculation and another result, another calculation and another result. If we are more focused, we will achieve such a speed in our calculation together. That all I just spoke about this process that a person has to go through, these scrutinies, is a matter of seconds, literally.
It could be seconds. Look at what Kabbalists tell us. Out of 6,000 years of development of the spark in humanity, what do we have left? 200 years? And they're saying you can even accelerate this and make it a lot shorter. Baal HaSulam says that's it. It's enough. The time is right. We just need to make the effort and finish it. So everything depends on the connection between us, the power of connection between us. And this is what the intention of the prayer should be. Yes, now you can ask.
Question (Petah Tikva Center): (01:06:55) How can we dispose of all of our previous habits and what you call this world, that you say that we have to dispose of it and be like a spirit in the world? How can you actually throw it, all of it now?
M. Laitman: How can a person toss away all that he has and get rid of what ties him to this world by the legs and then flow together with all the group above this world?
There's a few things we need to do. Firstly, physically disconnect from this world for a few days. This is an exercise we're now doing. Why did we go to the desert? Simply because it provides us with some preparation, some feeling that we're detached from the world. There's nothing around. That's it. Were you there? Yes, yes. Good. Okay. So we had mountains, tents and antelopes. That's it. That's all. And this is what gave us an ability to disconnect from the world.
Now we do harder exercise. Within the most egoistic city in Israel, we have to create a gathering of thousands of friends and people who are not so devoted friends. And we are then already creating an exercise of a mini model of the world. Meaning there are all kinds of people who will be there, those who understand well why they're there, those who don't understand well. People have all kinds of levels of intentions and prayers and hopes. We have to prepare ourselves to be the center, the core of this gathering. In this gathering, even if there's 10,000 people, we are the core. And we basically raise ourselves and everyone else. We govern everyone else. How can we be in control? If we unite between us, that everyone nullifies himself before the others, and we generate this mutual guarantee between us this Arvut so that some shared desire begins to emerge between us and a shared thought, then it certainly, forcefully, wanders around everyone, among everyone, and surrounds, say, the external portion of those who will come to the convention.
M. Laitman: (01:10:25) And because they are connected to, you know, the world, today we even know according to the latest research, that people know each other in the world. Every person knows every other person in the world through something like four degrees, not like even six degrees, like it was before. This is what they're discovering, but what we know is that this is an interconnected network that simply exists and works like that. So by doing what we're doing, we're actually filling up the world, the whole of humanity, with what we know, and it flows to them and spreads to them as a different qualitative force than what they have, higher than what they have, more powerful, more integral, which is totally nonexistent in the world.
So then each of them begins to suddenly feel these, like, spikes. Something's wrong, something's incorrect in my thinking, in my desire, in how I get along with others, and how I think the world has to be. They begin to feel that they are not in the right direction, that there is a different direction, more important, more powerful. And then they begin to feel confused. Because, yes, the world is connected. everything is integral, and we are not like that. The whole of nature is, and even human society becomes like that, but we are not it, and this is called dissemination. Not the flyers that we hand out on the street. This is dissemination. Let's hope that we will take control over that, in our thoughts, in our intention, both in the convention and in the world. But everything begins from our innermost points, how we try to be connected in order to create that united force of bestowal. Okay? That's what you wanted to ask?
Question (Petah Tikva Center): (01:13:04) Maybe to follow on that, I came to the convention like a homeless person now I left everything at home, and I just brought my bag.
M. Laitman: Why the bag? What do you have in your bag? What do you need in your bag? Ah, two shirts, yes, okay, for five days, okay.
Student: So, but still, something in my habits, I can't throw it away, and the friends are telling me to throw it away. So I'm asking you, how can I really, how can I really do it and be a part of the society?
M. Laitman: This is called being a slave. Whatever they say, I do, without a thought, without desire, that's it. And then by being ruled by them, I receive a desire and a thought from them. You can say, "Wait a minute, where is the I, where is the self, how do I just, you know, my entire life, I grew that self," and so on. You absorb a different quality from them. This is the problem. You don't want to get rid of what you have, and therefore, you have no room to fill yourself up with what they have. What they have is an integral quality of oneness, of togetherness, mutual guarantee. That's what you don't have.
So you don't have the lens that reverses your view from inside out, and if you don't change it you stay the way you are. Therefore, although each and every one has these forces that disturb him much, but one shall help his friend. We have to think and to strengthen each and every one so that it will be easier to connect. There's nothing else guys. Everything is already there inside of you. You know everything. I'm like a broken record that just keeps repeating and mentioning all the conditions, reminding all the conditions.
Question (Petah Tikva Center): (01:15:35) Please explain the connection between the intention and thought.
M. Laitman: Thought, (machshavah), comes from the word (cheshbon), calculation, it's a clarification. It's a program of how do I clarify things, sort things out, categorize them, classify them. After I did and made calculations and so on, then I have the exact goal and I'm in front of it, and then there is an intention. How do I aim myself? All that I have, all that I got, all my efforts and desires and thoughts and the physical world that I have and everything, in order to reach it. So the intention is, say, already an operation system that everything I have operates towards that. A thought is a scrutiny, and after the scrutiny comes the intention and the execution.
Question (Petah Tikva Center): (01:17:01) I feel the solution won't come from you, it will come from us. It's like we keep on looking at you as if the answer will come from you. Because also while I listen to the lessons of the previous years I say it's the exact same thing that's happening now. So what does the group have to do in order to reach the conclusion that only among us we can reach the solution? Do we need to descend to the desert and then only between us will we be able to reach it, maybe?
M. Laitman: Take the material that I spoke about a few years ago and see what I said there. You said that I already said these things, so yeah, I already answered your question as well. No, you're right. I always spoke about the same thing. I'm not saying anything new. You are hearing things a little bit newer because you change each time, but I'm saying the same thing.
Student: So why do we keep looking at you?
M. Laitman: Because I'm handsome. Why are you looking at me? Because in my words there is force. There's an inner force in the words. That's why you're looking at me. But in the group there's a much bigger force, a billion times bigger than what I have. I'm telling you seriously. How does Rabbi Yossi Ben Kisma rise from one degree to another? By his students, his small students, because they possess a greater force than what he has. What he has is an individual force, although in bestowal he's already on a high level, but individually, in order to rise to a higher level, to add more.
He has to receive it from them, because they possess the collective force. He needs this, kind of like a summarized, inclusive force to rise. You understand, there's no ascent, there's just greater compression, greater consolidation. And then the light becomes from Nefesh to Ruach, Neshama, Haya, Yechida, only from connection between us.
You understand, this is why you can advance in practice only through the group. I'm just giving you some spirit, I'm enlivening you personally, individually. Spirituality, you can attain only in the group. This is your own work. Therefore, you're coming to me and complaining, "Where is what I deserve, bring it over." It's not there, I can't give it to you, you can't get it from me. You can only get it from the connection with the others. I'm only teaching you what to do. If you want to do it, do it. If not, don't. My job is to instruct. That's why I'm calling myself a teacher, a guide. And you're right, there's no reason to look at me, only to look to me, just to receive the instruction. And then realize it in the group. Look at what Rabash is writing. What he writes about the group, you're familiar with all these writings.
M. Laitman: (01:21:12) Yesterday, one friend came to me and said, let's say you die today, tomorrow. Yes, could happen. I got no problem with it. What will happen, meaning, what will happen to us? And I'm telling him, I don't know, whatever you do is what will happen. But it's impossible without a leader, without a manager, like the authoritative one. Without it, nothing will move forward and so on. In spirituality, there's no such thing. After you received the right path, the instruction, all the rest only happens from within, from the connection between everyone. What, the instructor is supposed to just repeat everything every day and to spoon-feed you like babies every day? No. You already know all the sources, all of you. This is called one's wisdom is greater than one's deeds. You have to do.
They come to me in the morning, they say, "Maybe in the evening you'll give another hour of Zohar lesson." I don't feel a need. I don't feel a need. I feel a need in working on the inner connection. Then there will be a greater desire, a shared desire that we can work with. And then we can have another…more lessons or something additional. But first, there needs to be a work on the creation of the shared desire.
That's it. So I'm doing whatever I can. That's it. I was given a role. I was told to do that, so I'm doing it. That's it. I feel connected with the Rabash, with Baal HaSulam. I feel that I have to do this and I'm trying as well as much as I can. I'm doing the best I can. But I'm telling you seriously I have no possibility to pull you. If you hang your hopes on this, then leave this alone right away so you won't come complaining. I already said this years ago. Nothing depends on me. That's it. Don't stick to me. And I also behave in such a way that you should disregard me and leave me alone, in short. I'm completely unable to help you. You should appreciate me in order to appreciate the things I'm telling you. Only to that extent. Only in that manner. Not me, personally.
The whole difference between Kabbalah and Hasidism and Hasidism and religions is, you know, because you kiss the rabbi's hand, you give him all kinds of gifts and sacrifices. You deeply love the rabbi or something like that. We don't need that. We don't need that. What you need to receive from me is an instruction and execute it. That's it. That's all. You should respect me, appreciate me, because otherwise you won't hear the words I'm saying. But only because of the words. The group is what should govern you and manage you, and not me. And this way, I'm like a guard, like a policeman, you know, standing aside and like acting like the cop all the time, making sure that no one fights each other and hits each other and so on. No, you have to generate a force of unity, of mutual guarantee, perhaps at least in a smaller group.
How do we call this? Like this is saying the spiritual directorate. And also you can put more changes into this. But basically this should replace me. Should replace me. I can give advice,but you should follow the ideological spiritual directorate. This is a collection of 10 people, more or less, who just simply decide on anything, on everything in the life of the group, of the community. The people there are people who already know our ideology. They are detached from self-benefit as much as possible. For them it's very critical, important that this factory, and I'm talking about the spiritual factory not where we create explanatory material, but that this whole spiritual factory will succeed. To them it’s highly important. And they know how to see things in a way that although they're not above the barrier, they know how to see things in a way that is as detached as possible from self-benefit. Meaning, they're like you, but they're just perhaps a little bit more able to unite between them, to discuss things, not hating each other, and therefore make decisions from connection. That's why I chose them. That's it.
M. Laitman: (01:27:47) But I myself, I’m not there. Basically all phases in spirituality, and I'm talking about men specifically now, women is a different story, but specifically the men, you can attain only through the connection between you. And you are really behaving like women. I understand when women come to me and they give this whole outpouring. "How do I advance? How do I move forward?" So, now I calm her down, I give her a pill and so on, and this is the form of a woman that advances and really she is reliant. But you are men. You can't advance otherwise. It's not dependent on me. Therefore, the inner connection.
I even wrote it down. I wrote down the question that he asked, "How will you advance after I am gone?" Well, you will advance when Rabash departs. Did I stop? Did I go with him? I did follow him in spirituality. How can you otherwise? First of all, there is the upper plan and there's the Upper Force. That's it. And He's the one that manages according to equivalence of form.
Well, what else are we going to do?
Song: (01:29:40)
Reader: Now, friends, we'll begin to process what we received. Let's do a first round, five minutes what we heard from Rav in the lesson.