Morning Lesson May 12, 2022 Transcription
Transcription is made from simultaneous translation which leaves a possibility for differences in the audio
Baal HaSulam. Foreword to The Book of Zohar. #13
1.Rav’s Introduction: Yes, we are continuing to study from which stages which matters, with which approaches we meet, we become incorporated, we perceive and include and absorb reality which is entirely the Creator but with which channels does the feeling of the Creator come to us, the revelation of the Creator? In which forms of connection are all of these approaches, these one's with those ones and those ones with these ones, let's say matter from dressed in matter, abstract form, essence seeing, hearing, taste, smell, touch. All of these qualities, all of these phenomena, everything that we are impressed by the Creator, how out of all of these things can we eventually arrange in such a way that out of that we will compose His image? This is our goal actually from those many forms of impression that we get from him, how out of that can we later say that this is him? Also it's not that it is the Creator himself but rather which that is disconnected from us, of course there is a difference between him and what we somehow and at sometime can discover him, feel him, attain him but nevertheless what kind of an image can we have which is as complete as possible that describes to us the Creator himself.
Here, this is where we're actually talking about all of these kinds of perception with all of our senses in our intellect and in our emotion. Through the environment, as much as the Creator can appear before us, can dress in us and how much on our side we can prepare ourselves and see him and say something about him. Certainly when we say something about him we are talking about our vessels, where we perceive him. But a little less out of these vessels, out of many approaches that we have to touch him, we can somehow compose His Image even though it is an image it is not him. But nevertheless we can come closer, come closer and understand at least what we need from one degree to another degree. from one place to another place, from one degree to the next so that we will know in what else in, what else, in what else can we establish ourselves to be closer to him and in that way to copy, to us his image more and more
Meaning to be similar to him, Adam, similar to him more and more. This is what we should at least try to understand how to do it and to do it. In the meantime let's continue.
Item 13 (04:43)Twice
2. R. (06:53) Yes, that in such a way in which we reach and discover something, we do not remain with question marks because it fills our vessels of reception entirely. It's the revelation of the operations.
Item 14 (07:13)
3. R. (07:49) That is form clothed in matter that we can reach it, study it, scrutinize it and it is sufficient for us and no question remains in us about it, what does he say? Since we acquire it through practical and real experiments which we have in our hands and our senses and we find them in the behavior of any matter. Therefore this is how we are built so that such forms of attainment do not leave us with any questions any empty place.
4. S. (08:35) It says here that there's no need for knowing the essence, what is the essence, what do we not need?
R. If I exist, if I have contact with some phenomenon, then this phenomena that I attain does it leave an empty place in me? In some form that I want to attain something more in it? So when we engage in matter or in form dressed in matter then both in this and in that we have complete satisfaction so that we do not remain with a question. We have sufficient vessels in order to discover these two phenomena that we have before us, that when something appears in the form of matter or form dressed in matter, we are able to completely attain it.
S. Specifically, this is not clear. We learned in the last few lessons that we are working with form in matter, why do I need the essence if I don't work with it, I'm confused?
R. Look like he writes, the first matter in item 13 which is matter meaning the manifestations of operations that manifest in every essence, we don't know what the essence is but the operations that manifest from every essence, don't be confused about what it is you want. You want to discover the operations and then in that perception you have complete perception because you see the operations. The essence beyond that you do not discover it but the operations you do. Now when you discover the matter then you also discover the form dressed in the matter and here there is a question, do we perceive it correctly or are we built in such a way that whatever we do perceive is sufficient for us. We don't feel any deficiency to enter deeper in and to attain this phenomenon more, let's say form clothed in matter. We have no deficiency for it, we attain the form dressed in matter as he writes here and this is as he says it is also satisfactory and clear attainment since we acquire it through practical and real experiment which we find in the behavior of any matter.
Matter behaves with us in such a way that it fills exactly those deficiencies that we have in order to attain the forms that are dressed in the matter. That is why we are not left with any question marks, we don't have vessels with which to attain more. You might ask but in general is there more, do we have more? Of course, of course we have additional deficiencies but for the time being when we attain matter and form dressed in matter, that for us seems like it is clear for us, it is enough for us and we have no questions beyond that. If we attain the matter as it is before us all the way to the end as much as it can be revealed in our vessels and the forms that are dressed in the matter until so much as they can be revealed within us sufficiently then we have no problem with that we do not remain with an empty place. Within our senses.
S. Why don't I have a deficiency, the ten doesn't give me deficiency everyday or at least I'm trying to take it from there, why don't I have it?
R. You get deficiencies from the ten but you are able to attain these deficiencies, he says where are the vessels that remain empty? Of course we don't attain, now matter or form dressed in matter fully. An ordinary person of course not but if he will want to he will be able to achieve it and reach it completely. So that our attainments are not limited in that.
S. If I will try with all my strength to feel the deficiencies of my friends can I obtain the essence, I'm asking coarsely?
R. What does it mean essence? You are putting words in here that he doesn't talk about it, he is talking about how do you discover matter or form dressed in matter that in those there is no limitation.
5. S. (14:43) It says in the text that we can understand our own essence. Can we understand something whole outside of us?
R. You asked a thousand questions, the whole that exists outside of us whether we can understand ourselves, wait for these answers. So that the questions will also be clear to you and in how much by that you are dividing reality into different parts and you're asking about each part separately.
6. S. (15:34) What is form and form dressed in matter in our work?
R. After we perceive some, when we encounter some spiritual phenomenon when we're able to distinguish between the form, the phenomenon itself in the form when it is dressed in a vessel. We can distinguish between the will to receive that takes on some special form in order to reach that filling, that phenomenon,that's how we can distinguish between them but all of these things are after we have already attained. Then we understand that we have here, matter, and this matter is the revelation of some essence and if so we have to work on distinguishing and dividing between form, between matter form dressed in matter, abstract form and essence and then we need to learn about how much in each one of them we have a limitation because we are created beings will, you receive something that is already made.
Item 1. (16:55)
7. R. (20:38) Here it is more simple meaning that we must not rely on something abstract, to say about something not concrete which is in each and every particular case. Then we see what happens, the result of the clear phenomenon that is sufficient. If we don't have this chance so we can say this is matter, form dressed in matter, that it is harmful, then we need to get rid of it then about that we will have no hesitation that we need to get rid of it. Whereas if we are talking about things that are not dressed in the matter before us in a clear and concrete matter, not that it was or will be something, but rather things that are not dressed in matter then we do not accept them as certainty and we must not rely on that. This is a great mistake that exists in humanity that it starts to have philosophy and accept all kinds of laws and definitions of how to behave with forms that for the time being as of now, are not operating in operations in matter but rather abstract operations. This is why all the abstract, all of the things that are abstract, stripped of matter right now, that they're not dressed in it, we do not discuss them and we cannot take any decision in regards to them. This is what he says that certainly there is no certainty in the third matter, item 15, his abstract form and there is no certainty in such forms that are not just in matter, all the more so with forms that have never dressed in matter that they've never seen them, since such concepts are but a waste of time. Therefore we must not engage in them, all the more so to take any decisions regarding them or any views.
8. S. (23:07) Can we say that the matter that we constantly have to look at is the connection between us and everything we have to weigh relative to how it clothes in this matter?
R. Connection between us is not an abstract form, it is a form that we have to accept and build it before us in order to build the image of the Creator. We have to like children playing in a sandbox, they build in the sand,they build in the sand some form, so we need to build together some form from the sand which is a form that is acceptable by everyone which is the form of the Creator. Meaning connection among every one, love among everyone, support among everyone until we will build it and we will be concerned that this thing will exist and will grow more and more. When we engage in this in such a way and we build it, then to the extent that we build it and we want to build it, we discover that he is actually building us. That we, specifically, by that start to be grown-ups, we engage in godliness, we become a part of him.
S. Can we say the connection between us is the matter, what we have to aim at, to do the work with it?
R. Connection is not matter, matter is the desire. Simple, matter is desire, the form that dresses in matter that is already a desire to bestow, a desire to connect. Abstract form which you can somehow detach it in your imagination from what you have attained in the connection, this is what you might say something about it but again it's not clear up to which limit. The essence you don't have that, because essence is already entirely disconnected from matter, it never clothes in it.
9. S. (25:36) The matter on which the form is clothed is my desire or the friend's desire?
R. We're talking about that, it is not too important, we're talking about a will to receive that we want to connect and to glue it out of pieces into one will to receive as it was in the system of Adam HaRishon. That we have to work above matter, which is divided, the desires are divided and we want to glue them together against the force of resistance. So when you have pieces of a magnet that are against, opposite to being connected to the opposite, they are rejected from each other. So what happens is that you have to forcefully bring them to connection, to adhesion. This is how it is.
10. S. (27:02) From the article we read this item 15 and we have different definitions of what abstract means for different kinds of people or conditions we are in. How can we then connect all these together, maintain unity between us when we have different definitions of love and hate, truth?
R. We need to try to start to establish, adapt ourselves to each one of us, to the others according to the laws of commutation, the laws of connection, that exist in the connection between the broken vessels. Then we will see how much these broken vessels that are always in shattering, I cannot reach from one form and adhere to the form of another, and it is revealed in particular when you come closer to the corrections. In the great corrections we know how much beforehand we couldn't see that we were so different, that we are so varied and contradictory. It turns out that we have to work only on connection. In the connection we will always see the rejection, the differences, the distancing and specifically through the right combination between rejection and connection, distancing and nearing we discover there the Creator.
In the opposition, the resistance between these two forces, rejection and connection, this is called love covers all crimes and the connection between the love and the crimes, the hatred and the love, specifically from the two of them, in between the two of them, we discover the Creator. Usually people are drawn either to this or two that. To be in the desire, one of these two extreme forms because that is incorrect, we have to balance the two of them through the screen and then we will discover the correct form of the Creator. This is why the more we will come closer, the more we will advance in spirituality. We will see how much we understand more and we feel more, we are more capable of understanding the connection must exist, and even more we will discover how much we are not capable of being in connection. The middle line that will emerge and connect us will be the revelation of the Creator.
That's specifically this is what will save us. This is called “and the children of Israel sighed from the work”. Then out of a lack of choice, that we discover how much there is hatred and we are not capable of working with it but we also disagree to remain in it, then we reach the state where the Creator has to appear and he who makes peace in the heavens makes peace on us. It's not that we come closer to better states, we approach states that are more opposite, contradictory and that where we have when we have no choice, then the Creator appears and he shows us what does it mean a spiritual state, that it incorporates both of them. That we are not capable even with our mind on our plane to build here some model where opposite things connect and in that when we build it in such a way we become like that, we start to see that we are already in a world where opposite things are connected. They do not neutralize each other but rather they add to each other, that method is the higher method. The true spiritual one.
11. S. (32:44) What does it mean to balance the contradictions of the screen?
R. That I constantly work with whatever the Creator reveals to me and I do not erase it and I do not kind of blur away, smooth the corners but to the contrary each time I discover how much they are in opposition, and only the Creator when he comes, above the hatred, above the rejection, above the lack of match the complete one, how much along with that, we will discover that only he knows suddenly how to complete things. You know in a way that we couldn't imagine in advance ever.
12. S. (33:54) Is the warning about the abstract forms the same as the warnings about philosophy, is it the same?
R. It's similar to that, that is correct.
S. Also another small thing he emphasizes about abstract form, to beware of discussing if something is contemptible or beneficial when it's abstract from the matter, why if you're not speaking about its qualities, is that okay?
R. This nevertheless gives us true discernments if it's beneficial or harmful, you know on the spot we can use it.
Item 16 (34:51)
13. R. (39:13) Yes, the Zohar deals only with matter and form dressed in matter, abstract form it does not touch, there are only subtle intimations that it does not deal with itself.
14. S. (39:39) If we take for example not the world of Beria but the red light in the ten, how does that work?
R. It's the same thing, it doesn't matter what you're talking about, you need two people if you wish to arrange a relationship between them, you are already incorporated in the world of Ein Sof that exists between them in all the phenomena and all the modes and manners.
S. I mean these four definitions, how did they clothe in the ten, the ten that we have, is that matter?
R. You have matter, form dressed in matter, abstract form, essence, you want to see that in the ten.
S. Yes yes, the ten our connected desire in the ten, what is it with this example?
R. For the time nothing, you haven't obtained it.
S. Okay so how can we measure on ourselves what we are studying, what we are reading, how can we discover it somehow?
R. That through the connection you come to a state where all these discernments begin to connect. Then the form of the matter, the abstract form and the essence begin to incorporate in one another and assemble into one form, attainment.
S. That form that is dressed in matter, what he writes about here in this example of the desire in the world of Beria, it's some force that dress is in our ten right?
R. Yes, of course and then through the connection in the ten you discover higher and higher discernments.
S. We can begin to discern this force in all the rest also?
R. Yes so as not to get confused if we are going towards connection in each and every state no matter what I will always be in the connection in the connection attain higher and higher discernments.
S. What is this minimal unity that can truly create between us, the ten, this minimal matter?
R. When each of you annuls yourself towards the friends then you are building between you a quality which is called the Creator. If each and everyone who knows himself towards the friends and the friends can to some extent add all themselves towards the others towards the group, then inside the group you build such a concept, such an essence in the relationship that in this mutual annulment called Creator, Boreh, come and see.
S. The sense that we discover in the connection between us in the ten, what is it among out of these concepts that Baal HaSulam describes, is that form dressed in matter?
R. Right, you are building him.
15. S. (43:43) The intention is to form right either in the intention to receive for myself or to bestow, this is the form that this is talking about right?
R. What's next?
S. I want to understand what form is in the most basic matter its intention?
R. Yes.
16. S. (44:13) Why is it that when we connect in the ten in good states and in bad states, we are already in the world of Ein Sof, so what does it mean?
S. It's not that you're in Ein Sof in your feelings and sensations you're leaving this world, these corporeal definitions into spiritual definitions and until you have defined the spiritual definition for the degrees it's called the world of Ein Sof, anything that you cannot obtain it's called Ein Sof.
17. S. (45:09) Reading these texts I had a simple explanation and I just want to know if it's correct or not. I felt that the matter is really what we are, the will to receive and the form is what we discover with it, how we act and react with it. I just wanted to know if I was anything close to correct?
R. What you're saying is correct. Yes. We learned about this a few days ago.
Item 17 (46:04)
18. R. (47:48:24) And only those.
Reader continues: (48:28) “hence if the reader is not vigilant….”
19. R. (48:49) We need to try and be in exactly the same track the same limitations that the Zohar uses otherwise we may get confused and think that the Zohar is telling us about things and places, discernments and such relationships that he does not tend to speak of. We will learn about this starting tomorrow or the day after tomorrow, and right now for the time being we just read it.
20. S. (49:29) We attain the matter so who is we who attain the matter? What does it mean to attain?
R. Our will to receive attains the matter and also the form clothed in matter. The will to receive either receives in order to receive or it makes corrections over itself and receives in order to bestow but he attains the matter and the form clothed in matter whereas abstract form and essence are not attained.
S. The will to receive attains itself?
R. Yes.
21. S. (50:31) What is truth and falsehood if each one has its own perception?
R. No, the perception can differ but we have an agreement because we can connect between us, to a certain extent and from that will have an agreement on a certain perception. An agreement that this is this way and this is that way in size, color, sound and goal Etc. That's what we have to come to, what do we have to come to? That we're all different none of us agrees with the other, no one agrees with the other, we cannot agree in any shape or form with any detail but above all those differences, above all these resistances, collisions, separations, we rise above that, and we connect. In understanding and clear sensation that we're all different, we're all opposed, in mutual hate like the students of Rabbi Shimon. Where the more they learn, the more they hate one another, they want to kill one another and they disagree with one another, this is the form that is revealed in us. We in our work rise above This opposition, this hatred and conflict and we connect between us in a way that yes we can build one common thing. That's it.
22. S. (52:25) Are we supposed to attain the form in the matter in the ten?
R. We can attain the form and the matter in the ten of course. Yes.
23. S. (52:50) Is matter clothed in form the same as form clothed in the matter?
R. Matter does not clothe in form, the form clothes in matter, the form is the will to receive, matter is the will to receive, the form of the will to receive keeps changing.
24. S. (53:16) Lying, it's about actually lying and false, is lying good or bad?
R. We always need to aim at the goal, if it's towards attaining the goal we may lie. Everything according to the attainment of the goal. Because nothing is more important. Since truth and false, everything is revealed individually according to our understanding, our attainment of the moment we see how it is in this world each one has his own true truth and lies. Although people express it from an open heart and from an open desire, together with that they see how they are not in equality with one another. They are completely not identical, so how can there be absolute truth and lies, each one has his own will to receive, and the more we advance we grow our desire to receive and we develop so the desires are bigger and the truth and falsehood in each one compared to the truth and falsehood in the others is more pronounced, is more in contradictions. We cannot be in agreement, we cannot be in peace, nothing will come out of us the more we will advance, on the contrary, you wish to eliminate conflicts, don't let people advance or develop. Then they'll remain like animals. They'll have every single law, a single method, a single leader among them, everything will work itself out. But he who grows his knowledge grows his pains.
Therefore we always advance towards a state where we are more and more at odds with one another and no one has his truth and falsehood like the others. Truth and falsehood and this is how we're always in disagreement, misunderstandings, conflicting opinions, conflicting tastes, we can't make those things fit together. Where do we find this similarity, we discover that all the crimes are different and above all of them love will cover. This is what we try to attain in our life each one even in his family men, women, couples, with your children. We need to understand that in this generation this is what is revealed. How each one is different, how you cannot agree on anything, how we have to build systems also somewhat spiritual, in our corporeal lives and couples and everyone. That's what life is forcing us to get to and it won't help us to get divorced and get married ten times, change different things, nothing will help. If we develop then there will be in us more and more opposing forms, opposing discernments and we won't be able to do anything with it. But only to know how to do it, so that love will cover all crimes.
25. S. (58:03) Are different desires the garments of the matter, what does it mean exactly to attain the entire matter?
R. To agree with all the forms of the will to receive called matter that will be revealed and above these forms that are revealed we will try to make a connection between them, all these forms that are revealed and we will know what to do then.
26. S. (58:49) Are benefit and harm also abstract forms, are they defined in relation to our life?
R. Benefit and harm are also from our abstract forms until we come to the revelation of the Creator because the Creator begins to be revealed between us then all these forms receive some foundation and some stability, relative stability each one.
27. S. (59:23) How and when do we begin to see the colors that the text mentions?
R. We don't see the colors, these are discernments. We agreed that such impressions, in this way or that way or called colors. It is a certain frequency of waves of sight so in different ways we call them sounds we call it heat or cold, it is all waves, meaning changes in certain discernments that come to us.
28. S. (01:00:12) Is it possible to attain the essence through the first three manners, matter, form in matter and abstract form?
R. We cannot attain the essence even if we attain the forms that preceded. No, we cannot attain the essence. But we imagine it is not attainment, although we cannot attain it, we can imagine it, we can depict it.
29. S. (01:00:51) How can we relate the work in the ten with what we are studying right now?
R. We need to try and talk about it in the ten. Understand one thing as I said, that we cannot determine anything about one another except for showing an example of concessions from one person to another. How much I annul all myself towards the other by that I acquire a spiritual form and that is it. I don't care about what I'm getting from the ten, if they are connected and they influence me more than that. I do not want, I do not need, I don't have to get, only the example of connection between them and to ascribe myself to them.
30. S. (01:01:56) How is it possible to attain myself, there has to be some division between the one who attains and what he attains?
R. The one who attains is us and what we attain is this new form between us.