The transcript has been transcribed and edited from English simultaneous interpretation, thus there may be potential semantic inaccuracies within it.
Daily Morning Lesson: December 18, 2025
Part 1: Recorded lesson - Dec 4, 2015
Rabash. Article No. 12, 1990. Why Is the Torah Called “Middle Line” in the Work? - 1
Reader: Hello friends, in the first part of the lesson, we will watch a recorded lesson on the subject of Hanukkah. This is from December 4th, 2015. The article, “Why Is the Torah Called Middle Line In the Work,” Rabash.
Reading: (00:32) Rabash. article 12 (1990). Why Is the Torah Called “Middle Line” in the Work? - 1
Article No. 12, 1990
The Zohar writes (Miketz, Item 238), “Come and see, each day when the sun rises, a single bird awakens on a tree in the Garden of Eden and calls three times, and the announcer calls out loud, ‘Who among you who sees and does not see, who are in the world without knowing why they exist, and do not observe the glory of their Master, the Torah stands before them and they do not delve in it, it would be better for them not to be created than to be created.’”
He interprets there in the Sulam [commentary on The Zohar] as follows: “Seeing is Hochma. Those who cling to the left line and not to the right, see and do not see, since the Hochma on the left does not shine without clothing in the light of Hassadim [mercies] on the right. Hence, even though there is Hochma there, namely that ‘they see,’ they still do not receive Hochma for lack of clothing of Hassadim. This is why they do not see.
“It is written, ‘who are in the world without knowing why they exist.’ This is said to those who cling to the right, and not to the left, who have sustenance in the world through the light of Hassadim. However, they do not know why they exist, meaning they lack GAR, since illumination of the ‘right’ without the ‘left’ is VAK without a Rosh [head].”
They do not observe the glory of their Master, the Torah stands before them, and they do not delve in it.
M. Laitman: Meaning, the correction of Hassadim, it's good that we rise above our ego, above the world to receive, but it doesn't help us see. We're in a reality where this reality is the upper light and what we'll see in the upper light depends on our qualities, and if our qualities are in order to receive then we can see no more than what we see now which is called just a grain of livelihood, or this world, or well, something that is below spirituality which is an imaginary reality as Kabbalists refer to it. To see beyond that, requires first the correction of Hassadim, and the correction of Hassadim doesn't let us see, it just disconnects us from our ego but to see in depth we need the light of Hochma and therefore there are two corrections: left and right - the correction of Hassadim and the correction of Hochma. And specifically by the light of Hochma, meaning by working with our vessels that used to be in order to receive, by working with them in order to bestow while there are vessels of reception, it helps us build such a perception that we can see reality that we create, because around us is only the abstract light. And it depends on our qualities what world will we want to see and exist in. If we change our qualities, we change the world.
Reading: (04:20) Rabash. article 12 (1990). Why Is the Torah Called “Middle Line” in the Work? - 1
Torah means “middle line,” which is ZA, who is called “Torah,” which unites the two lines with one another.
We should understand why if they advance on the right, which is Hassadim, when they work in order to bestow, why is this regarded as not observing the glory of their Master? After all, they are engaging only in bestowal upon the Creator because He is great and ruling, and not in order to receive reward, and their whole vitality is that they increase the glory of heaven, and this is why they do all their deeds in order to bestow.
We should also understand why those who have already been rewarded with Hochma, which is regarded as the purpose of creation, are regarded as not observing the glory of their Master, but only when they take upon themselves the Torah, for the Torah is called “middle line,” and only they are regarded as observing the glory of their Master, for only through the Torah they come to glorify their Master.
We have spoken many times about the two matters before us: 1) The purpose of creation, which is for the lower ones to receive delight and pleasure, meaning that all the creatures will feel how the Creator behaves with them in attainment of The Good Who Does Good, as our sages interpreted, “good,” since He is good to him. In other words, a person feels that he receives from the Creator only good, and doing good. “To others” means that he sees that the Creator does good to others, too.
2) The correction of creation, which is that in order not to have the bread of shame, for the creatures not to feel shame while receiving delight and pleasure, a correction was made that the pleasure and the good will not shine on the will to receive for one’s own sake, but only when the creatures can aim in order to bestow. At that time, the delight and pleasure pour onto the creatures.
But this is only in order for the world to exist before they come to the correction of being able to bestow, for the creatures to be able to exist. If they do not have delight and pleasure, they cannot exist in the world, for the need for the delight and pleasure comes to the created beings from the purpose of creation, which is to do good to His creations. The ARI says that the delight and pleasure come from the breaking of the vessels in the world of Nekudim, when they fell down to the Klipot [shells/peels], which The Zohar calls “a slim light,” which is a very thin light compared to the delight and pleasure bestowed upon those who are in Kedusha [holiness], meaning compared to the delight and pleasure revealed in Torah and Mitzvot [commandments/good deeds], as it is written in The Zohar, that there are 613 Mitzvot opposite the 613 organs of the soul. But the sparks of Kedusha fell to the Klipot only in order to sustain them.
M. Laitman: So altogether, we exist by very little particles of light or waves of light that can enliven the will to receive at a very minimal degree, a very kind of dormant state. This is our existence. Meaning, detachment from everything. It's not even the still degree, because we don't feel the true reality. We're just kind of unconscious.
Reading: (08:48) Rabash. article 12 (1990). Why Is the Torah Called “Middle Line” in the Work? - 1
However, the order of the work is to begin from the right. Yet, there are many meanings to “right,” and it is understood according to the context. In other words, wholeness is always called “right” compared to the incomplete. But what is complete and what is incomplete depends on the matter in discussion at the time. In other words, what we need according to the situation, this is called “right.”
Therefore, when a person is far from Torah and Mitzvot, he is regarded as being “on the left.” That is, Kedusha is called “right,” which is man’s wholeness when he observes Torah and Mitzvot. But when we begin to speak of Kedusha but we do not speak of those people who are far from observing Torah and Mitzvot, we do not speak at all about those who are far from religion, those secular ones.
Thus, the state in which we begin to speak is that they observe Torah and Mitzvot only in their actions. They are regarded as “one line.” It is known that we cannot speak of “right” if there is no “left” opposite it, or vice-versa. Therefore, in this regard, those who begin the work in actions are called “one line,” since here is the beginning. But compared to secular people, who have no connection to with the reason, they are considered “right,” for they have wholeness, while the secular are called “leftists.”
Yet, when we begin to speak of people who want to work with the aim to bestow, we must say that people who work only in actions are incomplete. At that time, we must call them “left,” meaning that they have no wholeness. Conversely, those who want to work in order to bestow should be called “right.”
However, if we speak in terms of the feeling of the worker himself, and not with respect to the truth about the order of degrees, we should say that this person, who works only in actions, feels his state in observing Torah and Mitzvot as whole. Therefore, to him, this state is regarded as walking on the “right,” meaning wholeness.
Also, they feel the work in intentions as a lack, since they see that they cannot emerge from the governance of the receiver for oneself. It follows that he feels his deficiency. Hence, we should say that this is considered “left.” That is, normally, we say that something that requires correction is called “left,” as our sages said, that we put Tefillin on the left hand since it is written, “Your hand, a weak hand,” since its power has waned and it needs help.
For this reason, those who want to do the holy work in a manner that has wholeness, to do everything in order to bestow, when they criticize their work and see that they are still not fine, that state is called “left” compared to the work in actions without an intention. In other words, a person must use the act, as well.
Thus, a person should say that although he cannot do something in order to bestow, he still feels himself as whole with respect to actions. He says that it is a great privilege that he can nonetheless perform acts of Kedusha [holiness], even without an intention. It is a great privilege that the Creator awarded him a thought and desire to engage in Torah and Mitzvot only in actions, without an intention. This is called “right” because he feels that he is in wholeness,
M. Laitman: So let's say, we when we are making efforts to be properly connected to each other, to study for the sake of the light that reforms, to carry out all the actions Rabash tells us about regarding the group. As much as we can, as much as it is possible. And I can't, or I can, or somehow, but I eventually feel whole, meaning that after all, there's none else besides Him and He leads me to it, and He gives me the opportunity to do it in such a way, this progress coming closer to connection with all the created beings in some way, and being connected to them in the proper way as much as possible. And even though I haven't yet received the light that reforms - and I feel that I have no true connection with all the friends, and we're all not yet in that network called Adam, that structure that is complete, where I discover the upper world and the Creator inside it, and we are all inside it as Israel, the light, and the Creator is one - even though we haven't reached it yet, we are still in wholeness.
Reading: (15:31) Rabash. article 12 (1990). Why Is the Torah Called “Middle Line” in the Work? - 1
that it is worthwhile to give thanks to the Creator for this.
M. Laitman: Even though we feel nothing yet.
Reading: (15:41) Rabash. article 12 (1990). Why Is the Torah Called “Middle Line” in the Work? - 1
Therefore, afterward, when he shifts to the intention and sees that he is deficient, all he needs is to pray that the Creator will help him and give him the power to be able to work with the aim to bestow.
M. Laitman: Meaning, we have to make the actions we're doing in connection and dissemination, and study. To connect as much as we can, because at least the mechanical connection that we're doing, as much as we try, and as much as we're able, we're assembling the system of Adam HaRishon.
Reading: (16:27) Rabash. article 12 (1990). Why Is the Torah Called “Middle Line” in the Work? - 1
This is called “left” compared to the previous state.
However, when he has already been rewarded with the Creator helping him, when he can already work in order to bestow, though only in acts of bestowal, for the acts of bestowal are easier to aim in order to bestow, whereas in acts of reception of pleasure he still cannot aim to bestow, this state is called “right.” But it is called “right” compared to the previous state.
When he wants to work in order to bestow but does not succeed, this is called “left,” and there he has a place for prayer that the Creator will help him be able to aim in order to bestow. But now that the Creator has helped him and he can aim in order to bestow with acts of bestowal, now he must give thanks for the wholeness he has now, and this is called “right.” This light is called “light of Hassadim,” which is considered the correction of creation, when he has the power to perform actions in order to bestow.
Yet, although with regard to the correction, this state is regarded as wholeness, with regard to the purpose of creation, that state is still not regarded as wholeness because he must achieve the purpose of creation. For this reason, it is considered “right” from the perspective of wholeness, and he must thank the Creator for being rewarded with vessels of bestowal, with aiming in order to bestow.
But with regard to the absence of correction of the purpose of creation, it is considered a lack. Therefore, if he has been rewarded with receiving the purpose of creation, called “light of Hochma,” this is certainly regarded as complete wholeness compared to the state where he was rewarded with only light of Hassadim, called “light of the correction of creation.” It should have been called “right,” yet, that state, too, is considered incomplete. Hence, it is called “left, which requires correction,” since even though they extended the light of Hochma in order to bestow, he still needs guarding because the act of reception of pleasure contradicts the intention, which should be in order to bestow.
For this reason, we must extend the middle line, meaning light of Hassadim, which now includes both: Hochma, as well as Hitkalelut [merging/mingling] of Hassadim.
There are two things: 1) the correction of creation, 2) the purpose of creation.
This is called “Torah” or “middle line,” which is included from the right and from the left. At that time we can use the light of the purpose of creation, which is the delight and pleasure that the Creator wants to impart upon His creations, which is the purpose of creation. This means that before there is Hitkalelut with Hassadim, the light of the purpose of creation cannot shine, since the two qualities must be there together. This is called “Torah.”
Now we can understand what we asked, why people who walk in the quality of the “right,” whose works are only to bestow, and who have already been rewarded with the abundance called “light of Hassadim,” are regarded as “not observing the glory of their Master.” Also, those who have already emerged from the right and have already been rewarded with Hochma, called “left,” are still considered “not observing the glory of their Master,” and the Torah stands before them, yet they do not delve in it. This is very difficult to understand, if we are speaking of people who have already been rewarded with Hassadim, and people who have been rewarded with Hochma, that they are not delving in the Torah. Can we say this?
Yet, according to what we explained before, “right” means light of Hassadim, which is only the correction of creation. It follows that as long as they do not engage in extending the light of the purpose of creation, which is what the Creator wants to give to the created beings, the delight and pleasure where His greatness is revealed, called “the revelation of His Godliness to His creatures,” at which time His glory is revealed to the created beings, it follows that they are not looking at the glory of their Master, which will be revealed to the created beings.
This is the main deficiency for which, meaning to reveal His Godliness in the world, which is the purpose of creation—to reveal His Godliness to the created beings. For the created beings to receive this goal, all the restrictions and corrections took place. It follows that those who walk only on the right, which is the correction of creation, there is certainly a key deficiency here. That is, they did everything except for what is most important, meaning the goal. This is why it is considered that they are not observing the glory of their Master.
Also, those who have already been rewarded with the light of Hochma, which is the purpose of creation, we asked, What else do they need? The answer is that since there is a rule that the light of Hochma cannot shine to the lower ones without a clothing of light of Hassadim, since the light of Hochma comes in vessels of reception, so although he drew the light in order to bestow, he still needs guarding from being drawn after the act, as he is using the vessels of reception.
For this reason, he must extend clothing that is light of Hassadim, which dresses in the vessels of bestowal, which is considered the correction of creation. Hence, although he extended the light of the purpose of creation, he cannot use it because it does not shine without a clothing of Hassadim. Naturally, he, too, is not observing. In other words, the purpose of creation does not become revealed in him, to see the revelation of His Godliness, as it is written, that those who walk on the left also do not observe the glory of their Master.
This is the meaning of what is written, “The Torah stands before them and they do not exert in it. The Torah means the middle line, ZA, called ‘Torah,’ which unites the two lines with one another.” In other words, through the Torah, called “the middle line,” where there are two qualities together, meaning the purpose of creation, namely the revelation of His Godliness to the creatures, which is called “the glory of their Master,” and there is also the clothing of the correction of creation, called “light of Hassadim,” which is considered “right.” For this reason, when those two are separated, the purpose of creation cannot shine to the created beings. This is considered that they are “not observing the glory of their Master.” But once they delve in Torah, the purpose of creation shines. In the words of The Zohar, this is called “The Torah, and Israel, and the Creator are one.”
Now we can understand what we said (Article No. 11, Tav-Shin-Nun), that the Hanukkah candle is on the left, and its light must not be used because the left, which is Hochma, was already extended to the creatures, but as long as they do not extend the middle line, which is regarded as “Torah,” so as to have right and left together, the light does not shine to an extent that they can use it, due to absence of clothing of Hassadim, which comes through light of Hassadim.
But on Purim, they extended the light of Hassadim, called “right,” through their fasting and crying out, as is explained in The Study of the Ten Sefirot (end of Part 16). It turns out that although on Hanukkah they were complete from the right side, when they shifted to the left to extend Hochma, they no longer had the Hassadim of the right.
This means that the Hassadim that they extend after the extension of Hochma, where Hochma is called “left,” is called “middle line.” It follows that then, on Hanukkah, there was a state of Hanu-Koh [parked here]. That is, they had the quality of the “right.” The miracle was that they had “right” in wholeness. But the quality of the “left” did not have wholeness, for they lacked the middle line, which is the Torah.
Hence, on Shabbat, which is the middle line, the candles are for use. This is called “peace at home,” as in, “In Hochma [wisdom] is a house built.” For this reason, “[between] The Shabbat [Sabbath] candle and the Hanukkah candle, the Shabbat candle precedes,” since Shabbat indicates wholeness. There is the quality of Yesod, called “middle line,” which bestows upon Malchut, called “house.” For this reason, the Shabbat candle comes to imply wholeness. This is why Shabbat is called “Shabbat of peace,” since Yesod, which is the middle line, makes peace between the lines, which are called “right” and “left.”
It follows from the above that the miracle of Hanukkah was on the “right,” called “the correction of creation,” that they had wholeness. This is called that the miracle was over spirituality, since the vessels of bestowal, called “spirituality,” from the perspective of the Kelim [vessels], and these Kelim pertain to the good inclination.
Conversely, the vessels of reception are attributed to corporeality, meaning to the evil inclination, as we explained, “And you shall love the Lord your God with all you heart,” meaning with both your inclinations. That is, with the good inclination, which is vessels of bestowal, we should work for the sake of the Creator. But also with the vessels of reception, which belong to the evil inclination. They, too, must be used for the sake of the Creator, meaning to receive in order to bestow.
It follows that on Hanukkah, when the ARI says that Hanukkah and Purim are both regarded as “left,” the Hanukkah candle is on the left. Although the right is called “wholeness” from the perspective of the vessels of bestowal, the fact that the left illuminated, meaning Hochma without Hassadim, and it is forbidden to use Hochma without Hassadim, but this in itself is a great thing, that they extended the purpose of creation. However, it is still forbidden to use its light.
Therefore, on Hanukkah, it is considered that the miracle was on spirituality because it is forbidden to use Hochma without Hassadim. This is why it is considered a spiritual miracle, which still did not come down so we can use it. In that respect, Hanukkah is considered a “spiritual miracle,” both from the perspective of Hassadim of the right, and from the perspective of the Hochma of the left, since the middle line was still missing.
Question (Petah Tikva Center): (30:22) What does it mean that they have extended the purpose of creation, but its light may not yet be used?
M. Laitman: We exist in a will to receive, in order to receive, in a simple earthly manner. In order to begin exiting our blockedness, our closedness, we have to break through this wrapper that we're in, in order to see the true reality. The purpose of creation is to discover the true reality, or the Creator, it's the same thing, and stick to that, live in that, in that eternal, wide horizon, and live there. Altogether, we're in a special degree now, that doesn't even exist in spirituality, and it's only for the sake of coming out of it by free choice, in order to acquire the whole reality that exists independently. Otherwise, we'll be like the Creator, or they say it in other words, that we'll have a bread of shame, and so forth. So, to come out of this narrow, short-sighted view, where we want to receive everything within, only from that we have an impression of reality. As much as it permeates our openings, then we're impressed by that, and we also decipher in our mind everything with regards to what's good for me or bad for me. That's how it is in every moment, everything is very narrow, very transient, very limited. And that's our life. However, the goal is to bring the human beyond these limitations, this life of a little animal, and take him beyond that, meaning independent of any limitation. That's what we need to do. The correction happens by, well basically, coming out of ourselves, right? So, the correction is referred to as, don't do to your friend what you hate to be done to you. Meaning that I have to specifically relate to others, and that's why the others are in front of me, and only in connection with the others can we begin to develop our new vessels of perception. And the first exit is in uniting with the others as much as possible, and the Kabbalists write to me about it. The first correction is called, “don't do to your friend what you hate to be done to yourself.” Meaning don't harm the others, just be happy with your share, and in short, it means don't relate to the others, even that way, just don't relate to them. And to reach the purpose of creation, which is love thy friend as thyself, which is when I work according to the lack of the others, that's phase two. Phase one, at least, don't relate to it. Just neutralize your ego, how you want to take advantage of the entire world for your own benefit. So at least take care of that. In this kind of correction that I don't look at what's outside of me to take advantage of it for my own egoistic benefit, that correction is called Hafetz Hesed, delighted in mercy. And then I'm calm, as it says about the delighted in mercy who lives in the woods. He doesn't have a shirt and he doesn't want one. Meaning he neutralizes his ego and exists in this way. So it's not that the world is filled with goodness for him because he doesn't receive anything from the world. But his vessels of reception are filled with light of Hassadim and that is what satisfies him. He doesn't have anything and he doesn't need anything. He's not good or bad. And that state in between is called Hanukkah, coming from the word Hanayah [parking]. On the condition that he does think about the future purpose of creation, which is attaining the discovery of the whole reality outside of him, but he understands he's still on the way there. And this degree is called Kodesh [holiness]. What does it mean? Detached from his ego and in the middle of the road, in the parking, Hanukkah. And the next phase of continuing to develop his perception is after he becomes neutral. He went out of his little animal and now he's neutral. But now he has to develop vessels to feel the external reality, the true reality that exists outside as the upper light, this sort of field that is abstract. But to the extent that he develops his vessels of bestowal according to this light, then he will paint the picture of the world within it, the worlds of Assiya, Yetzira, Bria, Atzilut, Adam Kadmon and Ein Sof. All according to how much he corrects his desire to become a desire in order to bestow. And that's already the corrections from Hanukkah to Purim. Purim means that one reaches a final correction, all vessels are corrected, the world of Ein Sof, and he is incorporated there in Ein Sof. And this is already beyond time and space and motion, and it's the complete spiritual dimension. This is what is ahead of us, and we develop all of that, one in the exit beyond this imaginary world, where I no longer belong to it, and I advance in bestowal at first, and that's called Hanukkah, and then in the perception of the external world, and that's called Purim. And that's what we're doing. All of that is done in practice through the connection between us.
M. Laitman: (38:43) So there was one Adam, spiritually, one system, a uniform system, and it shattered into many, many pieces, and all those pieces lost the sense of the united feeling, this world of Ein Sof, this field. And everyone entered their cocoon, their little shell, and everyone begins to feel in their own world, and that is where we are and how we connect to each other, through this shell, like nuts that are rubbing against each other. But nothing good will come out of that. So, the first correction is to break through that shell, that Klipa, and at least be in a state where we don't harm each other or take advantage of each other. This correction is called, “don't do to your friend what you hate to be done to yourself.” Now, the Greeks were very individualistic. This is how basically the whole world is until today, moving along according to the method of the Greeks. And the war was about not to relate to each other egoistically, as the Jewish Hellenists wanted. And this is basically the Greek method, individualism, to be on one's own, to use others only for the benefit of self, to compete, to evolve egoistically, just as our world has evolved since then to this day. Today we're already reaching crises as a result of that and we can see that we've reached an exhaustion of this entire method of development. So, that's what the war was about. And these symbols of the tin, the oil, the candle, it's all symbols. But what is the main thing? That everyone is trying to transcend their little egos and come out of their shells and at least be without a shell, with the friend where we at least don't want to do any harm or to exploit each other for our own benefit. I don't want that. The correction of not doing that it's called Hafetz Hesed, delighted in mercy. It's a great correction. It helps me become free. It helps me see that I'm in a world which is entirely, utterly good. Because if I truly detach from my ego in a way that I don't hurt anyone, don't do to your friend what you hate to be done to you, and no one else can harm me as well. No one else can harm me. If we were able to reach this state now, we would win against the Greeks, meaning against all our enemies. And that includes all of the Intifadas and the terrorism, and all of that would immediately stop. But that first correction is what we need. The second correction is a lot more complicated and refined, where we build new senses for perception and awareness and recognition of this infinite reality that we have gone into, that we're in, but we still don't really feel it. You feel it in a vague manner in Hanukkah. In Purim, you begin to acquire the vessels in order to use this reality, but it's all in order to bestow. Meaning, I awaken and renew within me, in the left line all of my egoistic desires that I haven't yet knew or felt. They're in my Reshimot and I begin to correct them. And then I also need new light of Hassadim, because the light of Hassadim that I need to acquire is now supposed to be a clothing, a garment for the vessels of reception. It's not Hanukkah. It's literally the light of Hassadim, which is GAR of Hassadim, in order to be able to receive the light of Hochma in it, which is the discovery of the reality that is outside of me, until I fully discover it, all the systems, all the worlds, all of these vessels, Sefirot, Partzufim, everything there is, it becomes my soul. And then I reach the final correction and adhesion with that, and this is called Purim. This is the perception of reality in the good inclination, which we call Hassadim, and the bad inclination, the will to receive, where I now receive Hochma.
M. Laitman: (45:17) So that's the process we go through, and so in order to advance towards it, we simply need to practically determine some actions between us. It's not enough to sit down and listen to articles and get answers for smart questions. We have to build vessels that allow us to feel the reality on the outside, the whole eternal world. It's a complete reality we need to live in. And our world, our body, while it lives and dies, it doesn't matter. But for this, we need to make certain actions in order to discover this reality in practice. So Rabash writes to us how to do it, which is first, as we said, “don't do to your friend what you hate to be done to you.” Meaning, no slander, no bad attitude towards others, no harmful relation to others; thinking about others, wanting them to be better off. Not doing, that's already a state of progress, but just being meticulous about Hanukkah, meaning that we want to be in the state of delighted in mercy. I don't need anything from the group, I just want everyone to feel great, to have everything they need, to be satisfied. And also with regards to the Creator, we don't ask for anything besides this. Just to detach from our ego. Our enemy right now is the ego, the Greeks within us, and I want to rise above it, I want to rise above the ego, and that is how I do it. If I don't think about it, I kill it. So that's what we need. If we will try to actively direct ourselves, each one towards the group in this way, we'll reach a state called Hafetz Hesed, Hanukkah. This is already the holy degree. And Rabash describes this in his first few articles that he wrote for the group.
Question (Petah Tikva Center): (48:26) You said that Hafetz Hesed is filled with Hassadim, but on the other hand it doesn't receive anything. So, how does that work, how does it happen?
M. Laitman: What do you mean it doesn't receive anything? It feels full of light of Hassadim.
Student: So he's filled, he feels full.
M. Laitman: Yes, but I don't know what you mean by receiving. He's not activating vessels of reception, he wants to be detached from vessels of reception, from the Greeks. He wants to be detached. And the easiest way to implement it is through “don't do to your friend what you hate to be done to you.” Meaning that you relate to everyone in this kind of gentle, cautious way. Try doing that, not hurting anyone, not thinking badly about anyone, anyway. Start being meticulous about it, and you'll see that you enter a new kind of feeling that should lead you, and the light will influence you specifically, specific light and force that directs you. You'll start seeing how all kinds of obstacles are put in your way, and how you're being taught to rise above them; and this way you'll begin to discover a process called Torah. And one shall help his friend, and one should set an example to each other, and support each other in the general atmosphere, the influence of the environment on the person will influence everyone, and then we'll come to it quickly. We can do this work in two days, a day. I'm telling you seriously. Make an effort, and you'll feel an almost immediate change. If it's together with the environment, it will happen this way, because we have already went through all the preparations we need towards this. This is now the action, and if we do it, this Shabbat, specifically before the holiday, let's make an effort, all of us in Israel and the world, that we are doing this. There's no better chance for this than now.
Question (Petah Tikva Center): (51:34) According to what I understand from you, you're telling us that we've received Hochma, we've received Hassadim, the light of Hassadim, and you're saying that we basically don't need to do anything, just not to harm, not to ruin it.
M. Laitman: No, no, no, we need to make a lot of actions in order to exit my ego, each and every one, from his ego. And be as if naked towards the others. I always guard not to hurt the other, not to harm the other, and not to allow my ego an ability to just erupt and hurt someone or look at someone egoistically, think about someone in a certain way, how to take advantage or how to criticize and so forth.
Student: Yes, this is what I meant. Maybe I didn't phrase it correctly. But later on, after receiving this Hochma and we’ve nullified ourselves, what we should build is a kind of a new prayer. In Hanukkah we should think of a new way to know our friends better, so that the connection will be stronger.
M. Laitman: Yes, the rule is simple, “don't do to your friend what you hate to be done to you,” that's it.
Student: It came to my mind, I don't know, I was really thinking if I should ask it or not, maybe we talked about it. When we're in the workshop and we're asking a question, maybe a question should be asked in the Ten and one of us will answer, and all of us will look at the one answering and be impressed by him and see how right he is. Instead of adding onto his words to basically see his answer as right. And then we'll know him better, instead of adding from our ego, from our knowledge or what we acquired.
M. Laitman: Okay, you can start from that, although later you'll see that even in adding you can be delighted in mercy.
Student: Certainly, I agree with you, but the moment we go backwards instead of going on forward, we're stopping ourselves from thinking of the answer, and it will give us a lot more acknowledgement in the Ten.
M. Laitman: Okay. We accept it.
Question (Petah Tikva Center): (54:27) On the one hand, we learned that on Hanukkah we perform our Tzimtzum, a restriction, later on immediately a Masach to develop spiritually. On the other hand, we learned that in order to correct ourselves, we have to be in the group and to draw light. Are these processes parallel or do they meet sometime?
M. Laitman: We will connect them together at some point.
Question (Petah Tikva Center): (54:58) The Kabbalists tell us that your nature is entirely evil without the light to correct it. Your nature is a hundred percent evil without the light. And now you say that you can have good thoughts on someone else through your efforts.
M. Laitman: From your efforts, yes.
Student: So how can it be?
M. Laitman: Try, just try. Very simply, follow your thoughts and your desires and see, are you able to think about others, at least be neutral about them, not good and not bad. As if a person needs to get used to manage, be in control, to supervise himself in the way he wants it to be. I want to be evil. Okay? So this moment on, be evil. No, now I want to be righteous. From this moment on, I'm going to be righteous. How long? Let's say 15 minutes. That's a lot. To be not in thought, not in action, nothing, you'll just explode from the tension. So try it. So now we're saying, we want to be neutralized from our ego. That's it. That's all we want. Just neutralized. I'm doing everything like a shadow, like a dummy, like a machine. I'm not putting my ego in there. In this, you'll start discovering what you have inside, what you're made of, where your qualities are, desires. Look how you observe others. You'll start paying attention. Who is me? And what are the qualities that are awakening me now? The new qualities can awaken in every moment. My ego can be more or less. It also can awaken more, awaken less, and so on. Start seeing, because you attain the world from yourself. So, to the extent that you start knowing yourself more and more in all kinds of depth and different ways and styles, like just all kinds of miasmas, all kinds of horrible stuff, all kinds of holes you have inside there, little gorges in there. So, you'll learn how to use them correctly, because you need everything in order to know the divinity. So, start knowing yourself in such a way that you become just disconnected from your ego. Check your ego. What is it? What are the Greeks in me that I have to get rid of, to bring them to death, destroy them, kill them, expel them? What does it mean, the war of the Maccabees and the Greeks? I want to be sacred, meaning above my ego. So for that, I have to let go of it. If I let go of it, it dies. You don't even need to fight it. We're not saying fight, just disconnect. Just uplift above it a bit. Rise above it.
Student: And eventually, you need to see as a result of that effort that you can have good thoughts about anyone else?
M. Laitman: Why not? I don't think that I can’t succeed. I will succeed. If you say, no, I can't do it, we have to scream to the Creator, maybe He can help me, obviously, I can't. That's what it says. Okay, whatever. I still have to reach what's written there. How do I reach it, to feel that I can't? If I from the beginning already said that I can't, you'll never have the correct demand for the Creator if you won't reach a state that you just exert yourself completely and then you discover a state that you can't do it. It's not that now you're just saying, oh, I can't do it. It's a completely different state. Your desires, your frustration, your demand, your yell will be so, in such a way that the Creator will answer you. And now when you're crying, it's just a cry.
Student: So how to give your hundred percent if before you do it, you know it's impossible?
M. Laitman: Look, I'm not smart like you, I don't know. I'm not wise like you, I don't understand what you're speaking about. The teacher tells me do this. That's it. I don't know anything except for what he just told me to do. Let's hope, you heard.
Question (Petah Tikva Center): (01:00:49) Don't do to others what is hated by you. Should we behave this way on the outside?
M. Laitman: For sure it's good outside too. Anywhere and in any way. Because Hafetz Hesed [delighted in mercy], it's something - people can understand you, can respect you, they can appreciate you because you're actually, you're coming with, I don't know how to say it, an intelligent way. You show that you're not demanding anything from anybody. You're not pressurizing anybody. You don't want to exploit the others. You're just in a state that you, just you're a good guy. And a good guy means, first of all, not causing damage to the others, meaning you neutralize your will to receive in an approach towards the others, that's the first thing. Because we are all parts of the same machine, and we need to be connected together. And you know, rotate in cogwheels, like in a clock. Did you see how it works in a clock? That's how we all are. How can I get into the system and connect to it? It's like a clutch. Connect into that system, come into contact. I go according to my ego and not according to the way the whole system has to work. The whole system, yeah. How can I get in there together in connection? So first of all, I get rid of my ego. And then I make it neutral, like you press on the clutch. You leave your connection with the gearbox; you disconnect with all the other cogwheels in there that used to connect you to the others inside the gearbox. You disconnect from it. That's called Hanukkah. And then you get back in to the connection with the other wheels that connect you to the wheels, like on a higher rotation level. And that's called Purim, let's say. You have to be disconnected from your ego, first of all, in order to be connected to the general mechanism. The mechanism’s working. We're disconnected from it, but first of all, in order to enter my place into that mechanism, to return to my root, to be in my soul, first I have to stop rotating according to my previous mind and feelings. That is Hanukkah. Just try and make it sensible. Try and sense it. I don't know what other examples I can give, but gears are good, right? You let go of one connection, get into neutral, then you enter a new connection.
Student: But if you go outside, outside there's this fear that everyone wants to take advantage of you, to use you, to exploit you.
M. Laitman: Nobody’s going to harm you. You don’t become dumb. You work with your mind, and your feeling, and your ego, and everything, but you’re in a state, you’re in complete awareness of what’s going on. And you take care of yourself not to enter, not to get into an egoistic connection with anybody. You don't have to do any favors to anybody, nothing, just don't harm them. Don't let your ego, just be neutral, that's it, be neutral. You'll see how everybody will look at you. There's something about people like those, there's people that are close to it, that they're really very pure, very pure. And it's not that you see them going out to, I don't know, actions, demonstrations, you don't see them in all those beautiful souls that want to help sick people or animals, you don't see them in there. That's egoistic.
Student: And in the group, “don't do to others what is hated by you,” I really feel what he said, that in the group it's more in the thought. I have my thoughts, and on the outside these are more actions, also at home. So, is it true that outside it's related to actions more, not doing to others what is hated by you, and in the group it's more in the thought? Because in the group, I feel that, well, at least we try to do it in the group.
M. Laitman: First of all, I recommend to start with a group, but truly, Hafetz Hesed, you can be anywhere, anywhere. Afterwards, to already do actions of bestowal, actual actions, for that you already need to learn what that is, it's not so simple. First of all, we need to reach a state that we will really be in Hafetz Hesed. At least a number, a few people. But it's possible. It's possible, and I think that we learned enough about it in order to truly enter it.