Autumn Congress 2004

The General Structure of the Worlds

Lesson by Rav Michael Laitman, Kfar Sitrin, Israel

October 3, 2004

• Regular: Commentaries of Rav Laitman

• Capitalized Italics: transliteration from Hebrew

I would like to briefly explain the general structure of the universe according to the governance that descends to us. We exist inside the unified volume of the universe, which includes absolutely everything.

Drawing No. 1

This sphere (the general universe) is filled with something that can be defined as the Creator’s attitude towards the creation. Everything began with the Creator’s intent to create creatures, i.e., the will to enjoy in order to bring the creation to the ultimate, eternal, and perfect state.

Only the Creator’s state can be eternal, perfect, and ultimate. He is the only perfect One; hence, the created beings can be fulfilled only if they become similar to Him. How can this be accomplished? We study everything that exists below this thought, as its consequence.

We do not know why this thought occurred to the Upper Force, which we call Atzmuto (something that is totally imperceptible to us). Kabbalists, who ascended to the highest level of attainment, feel the Creator’s attitude towards us. This is His attitude, but not what He actually is by Himself.

We cannot feel Him, because all that we feel is confined within the desire that He created. Therefore, we can study only what is below the Thought of Creation, beneath it, starting from it and higher.

The purpose of creation (Machshevet HaBeria) with regard to us, means creation of desire with the purpose of fulfilling it, delighting it; or in other words, bring it to the ultimate state of complete similarity to the Creator. Afterward, this "will to enjoy" undergoes various stages of transformation.

The first stage, Hochma, emerges from the zero stage called Keter. This way the desire to receive pleasure appears. If Keter constitutes the will to bestow, Hochma already represents the will to receive, enjoy. However, for the time being, this desire feels only itself and that which fills it.

As this desire continues developing, it starts feeling not only that which fills it, but also the properties of Keter. That is to say, pleasure exists within the Creator’s influence on desire, and the perception of the Creator Himself exists within pleasure.

The Creator’s influence on us has a dual purpose, dual effect. On the one hand, this is the pleasure that we sometimes inversely perceive as suffering, but it necessarily includes the sensation of the Creator. He Himself is inside it; hence, it is does not matter in what state we exist.

If we wish to, if we delve deeper and abstract ourselves from pleasure, we can always feel Him (inside delight or suffering) in the best, worst or any intermediate state. If we make a Tzimtzum (restriction) on pleasure, we will start feeling the Creator. That is what the further development of this desire is all about.

Let’s repeat this once again. The desire that originates from the Creator consists of pleasure (Light) itself. Within the Light, there is another sensation—of the Creator Himself. We receive these two sensations together.

Drawing No. 2

If we can make a Tzimtzum (restriction)—abstract ourselves from the Light (pleasure)—and its outward manifestation within us, then we begin attaining its inner meaning, essence, the Creator’s attributes, His intentions, and Himself.

The Creator establishes our contact with Him inside the Light by enabling us to sense Him at the stage of Hochma; here He does it by Himself. This way the next third stage appears, when the creation feels the Creator and wishes to become similar to Him.

In other words, if we feel the Creator’s external influence, we want to enjoy; but if we feel His inner influence, then we wish to bestow. These two properties are imprinted inside the Kli (desire) that was created by the Creator; they already exist within us. Everything that appears within desire remains there forever, as though it is engraved, carved on it.

Drawing No. 3

The next stage in the development of desires is already a process of their unification. Two desires came from the Creator, one inside the other: one manifested in Hochma, the other in Bina. Now they unite within the Kli and are perceived in Zeir Anpin—the third stage of the development of desire.

The reaction of the Kli follows afterwards. Up to this point there were only stages of adaptation and development of the Kli. Now, in the fourth stage, the creation feels pleasure, the Creator’s bestowal, and their connection, interrelation.

Now the Kli begins accepting the Creator’s general influence that comes from Zeir Anpin to Malchut, and Malchut already perceives this delight. How does it perceive it? Pleasure comes from Keter to Hochma. First, the Kli feels external pleasure; and afterward, it already begins to feel the Creator’s influence in Bina.

The same occurs in Malchut: first external pleasure is felt as Malchut receives the Light. Malchut itself includes the same 4 stages. Malchut accepts the Light, and then it discovers the Creator’s properties of bestowal within it.

Here Malchut acquires its own individual sensation of itself; it realizes what it is—because now an independent desire appears within it—and how it independently reacts to this.

The previous stages—Hochma, Bina, and Zeir Anpin—were the stages of formation of the Kli, its embryonic states; when the Light was the primary cause, and desire was its consequence. This primary Light gave birth to the will to receive, the will to bestow, and their combined influence. Malchut already constitutes the desire to enjoy that starts feeling the result of this influence within.

Drawing No. 4

Malchut feels the result of this influence as shame. It begins comparing itself, while it enjoys the Creator’s Light, with itself, while it feels His inner property of bestowal. It feels a terrible inner conflict: pleasure vs. the Creator, its own nature vs. His nature; its desire to receive vs. His property of bestowal.

The enormous difference that Malchut feels causes Tzimtzum Aleph, the First Restriction of desire; i.e., Malchut restricts itself, as it wishes to receive nothing. Its inner sensation of defectiveness exceeds pleasure; suppresses and extinguishes it to such an extent that it remains absolutely empty.

Malchut remains empty; but its inner structure, the gradations of its desire that the Light created within it, do not change. The Light itself, i.e. the sensation of the Creator, of delight, disappeared.

Malchut brings back the sensation of the Creator, and as it comes, it tries to answer the question: “What can I do?

Indeed, I cannot remain absolutely empty because in this case, I realize neither the property of reception nor the property of bestowal! I perform neither of these two actions, and I have to do something!”

At this point a decision appears within Malchut: if I receive for the Creator’s sake, because He wishes to please me, I will therefore please Him, and my situation will be completely equivalent to bestowal.

That is to say, my nature does not prevent me from becoming similar to the Creator. I can become like Him with the help of my nature if I correctly use the enormous desire that exists within me. This is because the Creator has His own will to bestow with regard to this desire of mine.

Consequently, by using my desire together with that of the Creator, I can act correctly. If I receive because He wishes to give to me, then I will fulfill not my desire, but rather His desire. In other words, it is as if I elevate my Kli to the Creator and fulfill not myself, but Him.

That is to say, I exist in order to fulfill Him just as He exists with regard to me, only to fulfill me. This makes us completely identical and equal. This method is called “Kabbalah” (“reception”) because by correctly receiving the Creator’s influence, His fulfillment, we can fulfill Him and thus attain His level.

Malchut starts acting. We know that various individual Partzufim are created afterwards. What is the meaning of “Partzufim"? Malchut partially receives the Light, and this way it creates gradations, Partzufim. We have already learned why it interacts with the Upper Light in such a way.

Wishing to bring the creation to perfection, the Creator has to make the central point, Malchut, which perceives itself as the last of the four stages. Malchut (not the previous stages because the Creator builds them within us) became similar to Keter, to the Creator.

Drawing No. 5

Therefore, everything that exists above Malchut, the so-called first 9 Sefirot, happen to be the environment in which Malchut exists. In order to correct itself and become similar to the Creator (Keter), Malchut should transform itself not only inside, but also on the outside.

How is this done? How can it correct itself? Malchut can correct itself only by acquiring the property of Bina. In other words, Malchut should rise via Zeir Anpin to Bina and merge with it. When they are fully merged, then Malchut can reach Keter via Hochma.

How can Malchut rise from its place? The problem is that the sensations of pleasure and bestowal are completely different, and they create a contradiction, a conflict within Malchut. To correct the property of Malchut with the help of Bina, they should somehow be united; one should be included inside the other.

Drawing No. 6

How can this be accomplished? The main task that the creation has to fulfill is to prepare itself for the beginning of correction. This can be done by performing several consecutive actions. The first one is the restriction that Malchut makes in the World of Infinity—Tzimtzum Aleph—on all the Light.

After that, Malchut creates gradations of the Light’s reception. It includes four stages and Keter constitutes the fifth one. Its screen, i.e., its similarity to the Light (the property of bestowal), will determine the extent of its desire to accept the Light. Consequently, it creates five Partzufim.

What does the notion of “five Partzufim” mean? Malchut divides into four stages and calculates: “If I have a screen on my entire desire, I will receive the Light of Yechida. The screen on four kinds of desire will bring me the Light of Haya, on three kinds – the Light of Neshama, on two kinds – the Light of Ruach, and on one kind – the Light of Nefesh.” This way, NaRaNHaY (five Lights) are received in accordance with the five levels of the screen.

Malchut thereby positions the Creator on top, then it places filters, and at the bottom it positions itself. Depending on the magnitude of its screen, it lets in the Light of Nefesh, Ruach, Neshama, Haya, and Yechida. It is as though Malchut protected and graduated itself according to its screen.

Drawing No. 7

All this occurs in the World of Adam Kadmon consisting of 5 levels: Galgalta, AB, SAG, MA, and BON. Accordingly, they have desires: 4, 3, 2, 1, and 0. Depending on the screen’s force, these desires are filled with the Lights of NaRaNHaY (Nefesh, Ruach, Neshama, Haya, and Yechida).

These Partzufim do not relate to the creation itself; they sort of play the role of filters that screen the Upper Light—the Light of Infinity that enters into Galgalta. It goes through it to all of these Partzufim, which merely filter the Light depending on what screens the creation has. The creation will receive the Upper Light in accordance with that. In other words, the World of Adam Kadmon makes Tzimtzum Aleph and conforms Malchut to the Upper Light.

Drawing No. 8

What should be done next? Next, the properties of Malchut and Bina should be mixed. This is achieved in the World of Nikudim. The property of Bina descends from the Partzuf SAG (it symbolizes Bina) and becomes mixed with the property of Malchut. In reality, they cannot be mixed. As a result, they divide the Partzuf of Bina into two parts, where the upper part is the property of Bina and the lower one represents Malchut.

Bina and Malchut cannot be mixed for the time being; but the task is to get them together in any way possible so that every part of Malchut can later be corrected with the help of the corresponding part of Bina.

The Partzuf Nekudot de SAG descended from SAG down, became mixed with Malchut, and restricted itself (made a Tzimtzum). This restriction is referred to as Tzimtzum Bet.

The First Restriction (Tzimtzum Aleph) was performed by Malchut with regard to the Upper Light: “I refuse to receive because such reception makes me opposite to the Creator.” After that, Malchut graduated itself with regard to the Upper Light by means of a screen. It is now fully protected against itself, i.e., it will not allow the Upper Light to spread within it for its own sake: it understands what this means.

Drawing No. 9

Now another kind of restriction takes place: not in Bina, but in Malchut. When the properties of Malchut entered into SAG from the Partzuf of NHY de Galgalta (the second, lower part of Galgalta), the Partzuf of Bina restricted itself.

Originally, Bina consists of two parts. The upper part is called GAR (Gimel Rishonot—3 Upper Sefirot), the lower part is called ZAT (Zain Tachtonot—3 lower Sefirot). The upper part of Bina constitutes the properties of bestowal (this is Bina itself); the lower part of Bina constitutes the properties of reception, the properties of future Malchut.

Drawing No. 10

The lower part is created within Bina to allow the Light’s reception.

Now the lower part of Bina assumes the properties of Malchut, and this way Bina becomes restricted within Bina. In the parts where Bina assumes the properties of Malchut, it understands that the Light can in no way be received in them.

The ascent of Malchut to the middle of Bina, so that all the Kelim of bestowal will remain and all the Kelim of reception will be restricted, is called Tzimtzum Bet. A new Sium (new border of the Light’s spreading) appears.

If the Light could previously spread inside Bina, now it can only reach as far as this new border and not below it, in the properties of Malchut, because otherwise the ban of Tzimtzum Aleph will be violated. This new condition, this new boundary is referred to as “Parsa.”

Drawing No. 11

What happens next? We have received an element of the creation in which Bina and Malchut exist inside one Partzuf, but they are still separated from each other. Now they should be mixed. Then Malchut can be corrected with the help of Bina inside this Partzuf. This is attained by breaking the World of Nikudim.

Perhaps the diagrams will seem complicated to many people, but the main thing for us is to grasp the principle of creation, because we study this with the purpose of attracting Ohr Makif during our daily lessons.

Man needs the general, overall understanding of why all of these actions and structures exist in the creation, in order to see that they really exist and have certain corresponding consequences in our world. This knowledge provides a person with certainty, based upon which, he can start building himself.

Thus, Partzuf Nekudot de SAG is followed by the ascent of Malchut to Bina, and then Katnut of the World of Nikudim is born. Katnut is a Partzuf that agrees to work only with the properties of Bina, while completely disregarding the properties of Malchut. Afterward, this Partzuf starts to believe (it is not easy to explain, but we will accept this on faith) that it can receive in order to please the Creator.

Let’s recall the diagram: the Creator is at the top and I am below. If I receive from the Creator to fulfill Him, then it is as if I bestow to Him. I elevate my Kli, and only my “I,” the point in my heart remains below.

Drawing No. 12

This Partzuf receives an absolutely clear, reliable impression that if it now accepts the Upper Light, this will be tantamount to bestowal to the Creator. It is completely certain that it will be able to do this.

The Partzuf tries and fails. As a result, its screen breaks. That is to say, the properties of both Malchut below and Bina above remain the same, but the screen on them breaks, and this leads to the breaking of the Kelim.

The following Kelim emerge as a result of the breaking:

• The Kelim of Malchut;

• The Kelim of Bina,

• Bina that is included in Malchut, and

• Malchut that is included in Bina.

However, this occurs later. In the beginning, the whole of Bina got mixed with the whole of Malchut. Now correction should begin. First, a system of correction is created, because it does not exist yet.

So the Upper Light descends from the Creator. The Light contains pleasure, and pleasure contains the sensation of the Creator. The Light creates Malchut within us and the sensation of the Creator creates Bina. We then graduated the Creator’s influence in the World of Adam Kadmon into five screen levels, down to Tabur. Now the broken and mixed Kelim—Malchut and Bina—descended down.

How can these Kelim interact with the Light and the governance in the World of Adam Kadmon?

This governance is meant for the creation (Nivra) that exists below and will acquire a screen. Depending on the screen’s magnitude, the Upper Light of greater or lesser power will descend to it. Therefore in principle, the World of Adam Kadmon (AK) was already created with a screen that is adapted to the corrected creation.

Drawing No. 13

Now one more block should be created below the World of Adam Kadmon that can serve as a buffer between the uncorrected and broken creation, and the World of AK. The purpose is to let this block know, understand, and control the uncorrected Kelim. It will provide them with a screen, lead them through all systems of correction, and to the extent of the magnitude of the acquired screen, the Light from the World of AK will descend to them. The World of Atzilut assumes this role. This is the way it is built.

Atzilut is the most important world for us because it controls and corrects us; and everything that happens to us descends from there. Before we proceed to the study of it, I would like to hear your questions with regard to the reviewed material up to the World of Atzilut.

Question: Can we possibly find the consequence of ten Sefirot in our world?

This is a difficult task. If something is divided into ten or consists of ten parts, well, we might say that this is the consequence of ten Sefirot.

The fact is that when ten Sefirot reach our world, they split into a multitude of different parts: of 3, 5, 7, 125, 248, 365, etc. In other words, they are divided into their constituent parts, which lead to the emergence of various parts of the universe in our world.

Time is divided into sixty parts. We divide everything into ten or five because this is the way we are created.

A week consists of six days and a day of rest, Shabbat. Months are divided according to the lunar calendar. All of these divisions are made in Zeir Anpin and Malchut of the World of Atzilut.

The confrontation between Malchut and Zeir Anpin in the World of Atzilut generates all divisions that subsequently materialize in our world, in its branches (the branches of ZON de Atzilut).

The so-called “Eser Sefirot Mekoriot” (the ten fundamental Sefirot) exist in the World of Adam Kadmon (AK). Afterward, they no longer exist in the same form, because from the World of Atzilut and below, a division into three lines occurs, as well as the partition of the Partzuf into HaBaD, HaGaT, NHY, etc.

That is to say, ten Sefirot do not reach us directly. The decimal division in our world descends to us not from the World of AK, but from ZON de Atzilut.

Question: Does Malchut independently decide what to do?

This is a very correct question and it needs to be defined more precisely. Indeed, Malchut does not decide what to do. I would put it this way: until a point in the heart appears within us and everyone starts, still unconsciously, aspiring to ascend to the Creator and correction, we exist under the Creator’s absolute control, i.e., under the automatic influence of the combination of the Kli and the Light. This refers to the entire path from top to bottom: from the Worlds of Atzilut, Beria, Yetzira, and Assiya; and includes Adam’s birth, breaking, and falling into our world. This also includes everything that happens to us during thousands of years of our development in this world (at its level), in all of our life cycles.

All actions take place in the following order:

• The 4 stages of direct Light;

• The World of Infinity;

• The World of Adam Kadmon;

• The World of Nikudim;

• The breaking (Shevira);

• The Worlds of Beria, Yetzira, and Assiya;

• Our world.

Afterward, the birth of Adam simultaneously takes place in the worlds of Beria, Yetzira, and Assiya, whereupon he breaks and falls down to our world. Now our world comes into existence with the soul fragments (Adam’s individual soul parts) inside it. Through thousands of life cycles, we are being pushed towards a state, when a spiritual “point” appears in everyone’s heart (desire). A person receives an opportunity to independently act and ascend to the Creator. Prior to this state, everything occurs absolutely automatically.

The Light builds a Kli, enters it, and creates the properties of reception or bestowal within it. These properties mix and create Malchut, which automatically reacts by making Tzimtzum Aleph, and then automatically creates screens within it.

All of this happens because dual influence comes from the Creator: pleasure and the sensation of the Creator within it. Malchut is formed by the sensation of pleasure and by the sensation of the Creator forms Bina (or screen). The entire chain of the Light’s descent down to our world is based on the correspondence between Malchut and Bina.

Drawing No. 14

Let’s proceed. Where do the worlds and Adam come from?

The worlds are formed in the following way. There are nine Sefirot before Malchut (they are drawn as circles). The main thing is to correct Malchut, which perceives itself as a creation. In order to do that, a corrective system needs to be created, and the Worlds of Beria, Yetzira, and Assiya constitute exactly this system. Consequently, the worlds are the nine Sefirot that are correctly graduated with regard to Malchut in such a way that they can understand and correct it.

What is the difference between the worlds and the nine Sefirot? The difference lies in the fact that Malchut rises up to Bina and graduates Bina in accordance with its own uncorrected properties.

Let’s put this in corporeal terms. It is as if Malchut say to Bina: “You can put 10 dollars on the table before me, and I will not take them. Yet, you should not put 20 dollars before me because I will definitely steal them. After a while you may be able to give me 20 dollars, and I will be able to receive them for the sake of the Creator; but at that time, you should not offer me 30 dollars as of yet.”

In other words, The Worlds of ABYA are created in such a way that they include all the shortcomings and weak points of Malchut. Therefore, they know and understand Malchut, adapt themselves to it in the same way a mother knows her baby. She includes it, feels its every need and weakness, because it is as though the child exists within her. Similarly, Malchut includes itself in Bina’s lower part that corresponds to the World of Nikudim, even in Tzimtzum Bet where Malchut rises up to Bina.

Malchut ascends to Bina and took one part of it. Now thanks to this, Bina can graduate itself with regard to Malchut. If graduation in the World of Adam Kadmon takes place according to the screen’s levels (the Upper Light with regard to the five parts of the screen), in these worlds it occurs with regard to Malchut itself.

This system of ABYA is created with regard to the black point, and then the creation is created. What do the words “is created” mean? There is a creation, Malchut of the World of Infinity, but it still lacks the property of Bina; hence it cannot be corrected.

So a Partzuf called Adam, which consists of two parts, is created: the upper part is Bina and the lower is Malchut. It then breaks up and falls down to our world. Every part of it consists of the combination of Bina and Malchut; therefore, we have Malchut (the heart) and Bina (the point in the heart) within us.

Now, being below the Worlds of ABYA, we can correctly interact with them; they can understand us. They know how much of our essence we can take, correct, and move forward, how intensely they can influence us from above. We begin to understand and interact with each other.

If a person integrates himself into this system according to Kabbalists’ advice and correctly enters into the interaction between Malchut and Bina within him (i.e., Malchut and Bina in the World of Atzilut; the worlds of Beria, Yetzira and Assiya being under the World of Atzilut), then he can really start correcting himself and ascend the spiritual levels.

What is the meaning of the phrase, “ascend the spiritual levels?” This means to correct one’s inner Malchut with the help of Bina.

This is, in principle, all that I wanted to explain. If we continue, we can analyze the structure of the corrective system a little more, and then proceed to the structure of the soul. We can explain the correlation between them; see how we affect the system of correction, and how it affects us.

Besides, we can also study how the World of Atzilut builds our world around us. The surrounding world is our medium, sort of our nine Sefirot. It is interesting to know how our world is designed and how we can ascend together with it by correctly interacting with it, because by ascending, a person elevates his world with himself to the World of Atzilut.

Question: Is there a guarantee that after completing our correction we will not fall into our world again?

This is a very good question. Where is the guarantee that by rising up and correcting ourselves at a certain level, i.e., by accumulating a positive potential, (the corrected Kelim), we will not err again, break and fall into our world? The guarantee lies in the fact that if during the descent, prior to the emergence of the point in the heart, everything occurred automatically under the Creator’s influence (i.e., under the influence of the Light on the Kli), now everything depends on our aspiration and occurs under our influence.

Until we start aspiring correctly, nothing will be mended within us. In other words, a completely new interrelation between us and the Light comes into existence.

I need to have a desire, and this desire should be born within me from the state of darkness, concealment, and total lack of perception of the Creator (delight). I have to create a screen within me that will be above my nature. I have to have an absolute need for it. Only in this case will I receive the Light from above that will build me a screen.

This screen is built on Malchut that acquired the properties of Bina, but not simply on Bina that was separated from Malchut, and therefore thought that it will be able to receive together with Malchut. It did not feel Malchut in its past, in the World of Nikudim.

Adam ha Rishon broke up because he did not feel his desires. He thought only with the Rosh (head), whereas the action took place in another place—in desires, because Bina was separated from Malchut by Parsa.

That is to say, I thought in the Rosh that I desire so. However, I could not take my real egoistic desires into account. They were under the influence of Tzimtzum (restriction) and I could not feel them.

Now, on the contrary, I am initially immersed in egoistic desires and only from them do I begin to rise: first Malchut and then Bina; unlike the way it was during the breaking: first Bina and then Malchut. Hence, there is an absolute guarantee, because if I can draw the correcting Light upon myself (and it corrects me), then no breaking can occur.

Question: Can the breaking of the Kelim be avoided in the World of Nikudim?

No. Unless the World of Nikudim initially existed, Malchut would not have mixed with Bina in the first nine Sefirot.

Question: Does this occur every time?

No. All desires that Malchut of the World of Infinity had in its first nine Sefirot were broken in the World of Nikudim and formed the Worlds of ABYA. This occurred once. Afterward, Malchut of the World of Infinity united with Bina and formed the Partzuf of Adam.

Question: What do we restrict? The Light, desires?

A Tzimtzum is made on pleasure, by definition. A propos of definitions: when we study The Talmud Eser Sefirot or any other Kabbalistic book, we have to write out terms like Kli, Ohr, Tzimtzum, Masach, Aviut, etc., and then find their very precise definitions and adhere to them.

I should “drum” these terms into my head so that they will imply only what Kabbalists defined by them, but not something that seems correct to me. I will then imagine the spiritual world with maximum correctness and without getting confused.

Question: What is “Parsa”?

Parsa is a border that separates between the Kelim de Hashpa’a (vessels of bestowal) and Kelim de Kabbalah (vessels of reception) in a Partzuf. In our world, Parsa designates a line that divides the cloven hoof in the middle. For example, a cow’s hoof is divided into two; hence, it is considered a kosher animal whose meat is suitable for eating, because its right line is separated from its left line by Parsa.

This is just a symbol. In our world, there are kinds of food that are kosher, i.e., suitable or unsuitable for eating (kosher literally means “suitable”). All laws that regulate eating are based on Tzimtzum Bet, on its right use. So Parsa is an imaginary line that separates the Kelim de Kabbalah from the Kelim de Hashpa’a.

Question: How does Tzimtzum on pleasure correlate with a principle that prohibits suffering?

They correlate very nicely. The fact is that a Tzimtzum does not mean that I take myself by the throat and force myself to give up pleasures. This is not a Tzimtzum.

A Tzimtzum means that I exalted the goal, the greatness of the Creator, and the path to such an extent that of my own accord I inwardly refrain from using these pleasures. I prefer spiritual pleasure to any form of corporeal enjoyment.

In principle, a Tzimtzum is not made on corporeal pleasures: they are not restricted at all. A restriction is imposed only on the pleasures that refer to the Creator.

Try to understand me. We say that a person interacts with the Creator, that there are two of us: the Creator and “I.” As soon as I receive some idea, some sensation of the Creator, meaning that a point appears in my heart, I have to keep this point in constant contact with Him.

A Tzimtzum is made on desires that allegedly belong to Klipot (impure forces). By impure forces, I refer only to the Creator: if I want to use Him or our connection for my own sake.

Tzimtzum Aleph and Tzimtzum Bet appear only in one’s sensation of the Creator. A screen is created only in the sensation of the Creator. Everything that we talk about is tuned only to the Creator. Nothing that exists on the plain of this world refers to this in any way.

Therefore, all the restrictions and various fasts that religions impose on us have no relation to Kabbalah. Kabbalah says that you have to establish contact with the Creator, and only His Light and your connection with Him should correct you. Your attempts to mechanically restrict yourself will be futile.

Question: If the Creator is ever present in desire, why do we, as Nivra-creation, not feel Him in our world? It would have been so much easier if we could feel Him!

Of course it would. The fact is that if we could feel the Creator in our world, we would have made an egoistic calculation showing that it is much more profitable for us to be connected to Him than to everything (I am not sure what decent word I can use to call our reality) that we have here in our world.

Naturally, we would not have wanted to make contact with anything else. We would have preferred only the Creator. And what would have come out of all this? We would have turned into Klipot. I would have passionately desired Him and only Him, but only for myself; and I would not have been able to think anything else. Overwhelmed by this passionate desire, I would have had no chance to come to correction. Hence, the Creator is concealed.

Question: If a person chooses to advance slowly, doesn’t this mean that he was given a small desire; whereas another, who makes great efforts, was given a great desire?

It does not matter who was given what desires. It is important how everyone uses the circumstances that he receives. Disregard all external qualities of your friend. You do not know his inner properties and can in no way evaluate his efforts. This is futile and unrewarding work that will lead nowhere. Envy is the best and most powerful means that will pull you out of all your falls. There is nothing better than simply being green with envy.

Question: Is MAN, intention something really tangible, perceptible?

MAN is nothing else but the desire to be corrected and to become similar to the Creator. MAN is raising Mei Nukvin (“female waters”—Mei, Maim means water, Nukvin is Nukva).

What does this mean? This is the sensation of Malchut’s desires in Bina. How are they perceived? This occurs when Malchut wants to be similar to Bina.

In other words, MAN is only the desire for correction. No other desires of yours are felt above. Humanity has been crying out to the Creator for thousands of years and receives no answer, because this is not MAN. The Creator hears only one thing—the true desire to be corrected.

Question: What is the soul’s root?

The soul’s root is our point within Adam. Look at the drawing.

Drawing No. 15

There are points of Bina and Malchut in the Partzuf of Adam. They were all broken and mixed. As a result of this, 600,000 souls appeared (roughly speaking). In reality, there are billions and billions of souls. Each of them in its turn also consists of Bina and Malchut.

We consist of a “heart” and the “point in the heart.” My soul’s root is the level in Adam, which I have to attain.

Suppose I exist somewhere within Bina; my soul’s root is there. Why is it considered to be not in Malchut, but in Bina? This is because it was corrected. It was only Bina’s property, but now it is burdened with the whole heart of stone, Lev ha Even, Malchut.

I have to rise to my point together with this stony heart. This way I will have not just a point, but the entire Partzuf of Adam. Yet I come from my own “I,” from this point of mine, which is called the soul’s root.

Question: You say that when I realize that my thoughts turn to pleasure, I make a Tzimtzum? Is this not suppression of desire?

It looks like everyone here is afraid of suppressing his desire. You will not be able to do that! Suppression of desire is not a Tzimtzum. A Tzimtzum is when I feel the Creator, His properties against my own, His desires against mine. As a result of this, I suppress myself; and I am considered restricted in my egoistic desires due to the attainment, the perception of the Creator.

One of the first articles in the book Shamati writes about this. “Ma Sibat ha Kvedut"—The Cause of Difficulty in Work for the Creator is the fourth article. It says that the main problem in our advancement lies in the fact that we do not feel the Creator. If a person begins to feel Him, he would immediately start reacting correctly.

Question: Which request is correct: about the revelation of the Creator or about correction?

The right request is about correction for the sake of unity with friends in the group. You can verify whether your request is really about correction or it is just a camouflaged will to receive pleasure. If it concerns the group and your friends, if you wish to be corrected in order to love them, then this is truly a desire for correction and it will definitely be answered.

Question: Can’t envy harm the person who is the subject of envy?

This already refers to the evil eye in our world. Of course, we influence one another psychologically; one man’s desires can cause harm or can be useful to another. This rather refers to the sphere of psychology.

Kabbalah speaks only about our connection with the Creator and correction with the help of the group. Yet even while working in a group, you should think about the Creator and concentrate on your spiritual ascent.

At the same time, good or bad relationships with people, all of such influences in our world exist within man’s animate or social desires.

Man’s animate desires demand food, sex, home, family—all that our body wants. Social desires appear within us under the influence of the surrounding society. These are the desires for money, power, fame, and knowledge. It turns out that you should go to psychologists, doctors, or all sorts of sorcerers with things that refer to our world (including evil eye). This is your own business. Kabbalah does not deal with such things. Its goal is not the creation of a beautiful (from the egoistic point of view) society in this world.

Baal HaSulam writes that this goal is doomed to fail because the most important demand, the aspiration to the Creator, is disregarded in this case. When a person aspires to the Creator, his relationship with everyone improves with regard to his spiritual ascent.

Question: If we study and act in the group without the proper intention, does this do any good, as with religious people who observe commandments without any intention and remain at the spiritually inanimate level (Domem de Kedusha)?

Yes. Even if we perform some actions in the group without an intention and forget about correction (suppose I work in the kitchen and do everything necessary), it is still important! I work, I contribute to the group, and if today I forget why I do something, I will remember it tomorrow. If I am unable to remember and think about it today, my friends will remind me. Since we are inter-connected, all this mixes in the common melting pot and brings its benefit.

Hence, do not pay attention to your intention, desire, and readiness. There is a schedule, and you should consistently work according to it. At 3 a.m. you come to the lesson, at 6 a.m. you go to work. After work you come to the "Center" and create something: books, Internet materials, translations, etc.

Whether at the moment we want it or not, all is done with the purpose of being fully engaged in the group work and circulation. This has nothing to do with desire. Only in this case will I be able to advance.

Question: Our states change so quickly. As soon as one concentrates on the greatness of the Goal and starts feeling the group’s unity, a worm of doubt appears with a question, “Do I really need all this?," and one cannot get rid of it.

This is called your “inner serpent” that sits within you. This primordial serpent keeps tempting you. It tempts Malchut that exists within you, Eve, the part of Malchut within Adam. Of course, there is no way to get rid of it.

Question (cont): A person gets very tired of being in conflict with himself. Where can it all lead?

You should not be in conflict with yourself. You will not defeat this inner serpent, because basically it is you. The rest of you is Bina. It is not yours, whereas the serpent is what you really are. Therefore, you will never strangle it by yourself.

You can correct it only with the help of the Upper Light, so better forget about it.

It does not matter what inner problems you may have with yourself, with the group, with the Creator, or how you judge and hate yourself. On no account should you struggle with this.

On the contrary, leave it aside. Engage in study and group work. Start thinking about spirituality, because a person is where his thoughts are. Do not remain inside the serpent, get out of it and you will attract the Upper Light, which will begin correcting this serpent within you.

Act only this way! Never identify yourself with the serpent or connect to it. Do not feel remorseful. This is all Klipa, the impure force that enslaves you, i.e., your egoistic desires. Leave them aside!

Question: You say that one should not deal with desires. So how can one make a Tzimtzum?

A person should make a Tzimtzum on desires that prevent him from studying and circulating at that moment. They have to be restricted and set aside.

Question: What do the words “set aside” mean?

Well, now I want to lie on the sofa, have a beer, and watch TV instead of going to the group and doing what I have to do.

Question: If I know that I will lie on the sofa today and tomorrow I will not go to the group, should I lie on the sofa?

Hold on a minute! Did I say that you should stay on the sofa in this case? You got me wrong. I see…

Question: If a weakness for something in this world (gambling, women, etc.) prevents a person from establishing contact with the Creator, diverts him from study, and there is no way he can overcome this problem, is there any Kabbalistic method for freeing himself from this dependence?

This is a very good question and I understand it very well!

Rabash once told me: “There is no state in the world, the basest and most shameful, through which I have not gone.”

I looked at him and said: “What are you talking about? You, the son of Baal HaSulam, were born in an orthodox family and studied in a Yeshiva. Your father brought you a bride when you were 18 and married you off by simply saying, 'Here is a wife for you.'”

Rabash told me: “Once, my father and mother returned home and said to me: 'Baruch, we have found you a wife. Tomorrow, on Thursday, is your wedding day. However, she wishes to have a look at you from a distance. Hence, you should walk down a certain street at a certain hour and she will be watching you from her window.'”

He went there together with a friend. The friend was six feet tall and handsome and Rabash was small and stocky… . His bride thought the tall guy was to be her bridegroom. When they were under a wedding canopy, she suddenly saw that she had been wrong. Well, this did not stop them. They lived together for 60 years.

I used to wonder: “Where on earth did he get and understand such desires as if he really went through them?” In other words, it does not matter how you actually behave. Everyone will have to go through all the egoistic desires. There is no getting away from that. Hence, there is gambling, women, and so on. There will also be “and so on.” What should one do with it? Nothing. I always say this to everyone. We cannot cope with these desires by ourselves, and there is no need for that.

The Upper Light has to provide us with such an importance of the Goal that even if you engage in gambling or will be gripped by other vices, you will gradually find a way to turn your engagement; disengagement or any other form of being connected to it will become productive anyway.

I am telling you once again: do not run away from these desires and make a screen on them. Engage only in exalting the Creator in your eyes so that He will be constantly standing before you. Even when such desires and inclinations appear within you, try to keep Him in your field of vision. If you can do this, then you are on the right track.

Question: For example, a desire for gambling appears in me. What should be the chain of my thoughts?

By all means try to act so that the Creator will remain in your view. He should in no way become smaller than when this thought (e.g., about gambling) occurred to you for the first time. The Creator should constantly be within you.

Continue with this if you can. If you cannot, i.e., if it’s either the Creator or gambling, then the decision is up to you.

What does “to decide” mean? This means that you have to raise the Creator’s greatness in your eyes so that quitting gambling will not cause you pain. This will not hurt you: this is the advancement by Light, pleasure. The delight of being connected to the Creator will outweigh the impression from gambling.

This is no simple task and it cannot be achieved in one go. This refers to alcohol, women, gambling, and everything else. I am not saying that one should suppress such desires. By no means! Such things as food, sex, etc. are necessary. Without them we cannot function normally as biological creatures in this world. Hence, this does not refer to Tzimtzum.

In any case, there is one single recipe for it all: the Creator should always be with you. The rest is unimportant. It does not matter if you go gambling and lose. Try to do this, but keep the Creator with you. There is no such thing: now you are without Him for a minute and then you are with Him.

Question: A person has a very powerful aspiration to the Creator although he has never felt spiritual pleasure. This aspiration is egoistic and there is no other so far. Is this Klipa?

No, this is not Klipa. If you aspire to the Creator and wish to feel His greatness, then altruistic aspiration will appear within your egoistic desire for Him, i.e., a combination of Lishma and Lo Lishma. Bina and Malchut will appear within you (see the above drawing) and they will speak together in your heart. This is described as “Mi Toch she Lo Lishma Baim Lishma” (From Lo Lishma we come to Lishma).

That is to say, I aspire to the Creator by 99% because I do this for myself, but I aspire to Him by 1% because it is He and He is great; I do it for His sake. If such attitude already exists within me, then I am on the right track. Baal HaSulam tells us about this on page 70, in Pri Hacham.

Question: Every one of us here aspires to the Creator.

You are good children…

Question (Cont): At the same time we practice on a model: I vs. the group, the group vs. me. We use the group as the Creator’s likeness because He Himself is concealed.

That is correct.

Question (Cont): We do our best to be like altruists. If we succeed and the Creator reveals Himself to us, will this not be the ultimate victory of egoism?

No, I promise you this will not happen. As a result of your actions today, you will see neither the victory of egoism nor the victory of altruism. You will see how much altruistic understanding you achieved from the property of bestowal. You will feel it a little bit; it will enter into you and remain there. From this state you will already control and appraise yourself.

In other words, these two properties will be formed within you: Bina and Malchut opposing each other. This is what I would like to see as a result of our congress: Bina and Malchut should form a powerful combination in everyone on a permanent basis. This way you will always be able to look at Malchut from Bina while identifying yourself with Bina and merging with it.

In this case, you will naturally advance further in the right way. We will not be able to cross the Machsom until we pass through all the evaluations of Bina and Malchut one against the other. This can happen very quickly, but we will not get through it until this is done. Hence, you will not ascend egoistically. Egoism cannot win, because now you do everything to become similar to some properties of bestowal. The rest will come.

Question: Can a person who studies Kabbalah influence the activation of the point in the heart in his closest relatives: wife, husband, children, and parents? If the answer is yes, then how? Teach us please.

What for? Thousands of women have come to me saying, “What should I do to convince my husband, daughter, son, parents…” Stop thinking about it. This is not your business. None of you business! You should stop pushing your relatives and impose these ideas on them. What if they still have no point in their hearts? What if it has not yet grown?

Put your kids in a proper society; create a group for them so that they will study there and play games and do everything just like adults. Give them your example, take them everywhere with you. Let the children sit beside you. I suggest that my students should bring their kids with them whenever they can and keep them close.

This is the best solution. There is no other educational method than your own example. We see that a boy looks at his father and wants to imitate his actions. He wants nothing else. He just wishes to be like an adult because this is the way an adult acts. An adult person is big in his eyes and he wants to become like him.

If an adult forces a child to do something that he himself does not do and tells him: “Do it this way,” the child thinks: “He does not do it, so why should I?” and disagrees.

Education is possible only through an example. Only by giving an example can we teach children. In fact, they want it. Only this will enter into them. Hence, if you want to achieve something, forget about persuasion, coercion, talks, and instructions like: “Take a seat and we will study together.” No way; you should directly involve them in this contact.

Whatever comes out of it is good. This is none of your business. Look how small children learn and grow. You can repeat something a million times to no avail. It will not enter into him not because he has no head, but because nature is designed in such a way that a small child only learns to imitate an adult. The adult should give him an example.

Question: We have a person in our group who does not speak with anyone, takes no part in any events, shuns women.

Well, this is not so terrible.

Question (Cont): He comes to the lesson, sits silently and then leaves. We understand that something is wrong with him, but do not know what to do. This has been going on for almost half a year. Give us advice about what we should do.

It is said: “Educate a youth (a beginner) according to his abilities and understanding.” What does this mean? Do not press people. Sometimes a person sits for half a year or a year. He does not know where he is, yet he can neither leave nor come closer. You know this by yourself: everyone goes through such a stage of absorption. This can also happen to every one of us later. So you should on no account press him. Leave him alone. His time will come and he will decide if he wants to stay or to leave. In the meantime he goes through a process of passive accumulation. If he decides to leave, do not stop him. If he wants to deepen his involvement, create necessary conditions for him.

My attitude toward all this is benevolent and passive. That is to say, there can be people among us who seemingly do nothing, yet they do not leave and keep coming. If such a person starts opposing the group with his actions, then it is worth putting him in an external group. He should understand that he does not fit the inner group’s statute.

There is nothing terrible in that, however. This is not enough to expel a person. If you have only one group, then you have to create all conditions for everyone who wishes to study in it.

Inside this group you should gather an inner nucleus consisting only of those who are ready to contribute their efforts according to the group’s statute and time-table, and to advance.

Question: Is there any connection between the fear of failing to meet the condition of the "Last Generation" and restricting one’s egoistic intention?

I have already said that the conditions for creating the Last Generation, the fulfillment of which we are trying to take upon ourselves here, are not only the conditions of the upper level, when we already achieve complete correction. These are the conditions of the lower level as well.

We cannot imagine what they are like; we are working with them now according to our understanding; as much as we can comprehend and imagine them. We have no altruistic Kelim and intentions, hence we merely say: “We are creating the state of the Last Generation, the state of the future.” In reality, we speak about how we can cross the Machsom. This is the same thing.

Why did we take this article as an example? We did this to have a concrete opportunity to work on all of these desires, conditions, opportunities, and attitudes toward one another. Baal HaSulam described them in the article, The Last Generation; hence we use this title in such a way. But basically, for us it is the condition for crossing the Machsom.

Question: If the Creator is a law, then how can we perceive Him as a partner, do something for His sake, and bestow to a law?

Should I feel the Creator as the general law of the universe or perceive Him as something animate? How can I imagine Him? I impose my feelings on the Creator, portray Him in my imagination, talk to Him, and contact Him in some way.

How else can I co-exist with a rigid law? The law of gravity: can I ask it for something to fall and for something not to fall? I understand you. You think this way: “The law cannot be changed, so the Creator is like a wall, and it is no use crying… He is kind, He is evil, He is such, and He is such…” How can I imagine Him or talk to Him if He does not react to me? There really, exists a problem of man’s tuning to the Upper Force, the Creator.

If we imagine the Creator as an absolutely invariant, perfect, eternal condition of bestowal, who am I to address? There is no one to whom we can appeal, cry, and lament. If I observe the law, my desires will be fulfilled, if not, then they will not. This refers to the Creator’s perspective.

However, referring to myself, when I appeal and cry, when I imagine the spiritual Partzuf Abba ve Ima and my interaction with it, it is important for me to imagine this Upper Partzuf as a living being, i.e., something changeable and changing. And it really changes under the influence of my desires.

AHP of Abba ve Ima changes with regard to me to the extent in which I can cause it to change. Here my MAN changes the way the Light of correction (Ohr AB-SAG) affects me.

Hence, we should imagine the Creator as invariant only from this point of view. He will neither change nor respond until I want correction. However, if I want correction, then my desire for correction will stimulate His response. There is much to say here. Baal HaSulam analyzes this question in Shamati.

Question: Is there apprehension or fear of not attaining Him, not being with Him?

I do not think that we should talk much about our fears and doubts. Bina and Malchut within us should exist in some form of unity so that we would look at Malchut through Bina. Whatever will be, will be exactly the way it should. You should not think about what will occur and how. We should simply try to imitate the Kabbalistic society of the future, all the time. That is all. We should stop asking such questions and making grand calculations.

Question: In places where there is only one group, which is divided into its more active and less active subgroups, should the entire group structure be transparent for all, or should the less active part not know about certain things?

Everything should be transparent, you should not feel embarrassed. We can show absolutely everything to the world.

Today the world is in such a state that even it does not agree with us today, it will agree tomorrow. People have no place to hide. They have simply not developed enough to connect today’s degradation, general crisis, drugs, alcoholism, family break-up, crisis in sciences, arts, education, politics, and the problems with the climate, with the state of society. They cannot yet see that it all urges humanity to begin taking full control of its destiny and the universe in its own hands.

They do not understand this yet, but little by little… Look how much time passes until we start listening, until we can hear, sometimes better, sometimes worse. Suddenly I agree with something, and then it appears totally unrealistic, far-fetched, and not so necessary. Something that I need today in this world is much more important to me. I suddenly begin worrying about everything that occurs in this world, believe that it is unrelated to the Creator’s influence, detach myself from Him, etc.

You see how difficult we find it all, let alone other people who simply exist around us. Therefore, we should not feel self-conscious; we can be absolutely transparent: this is the way we are and that is all.

We will gradually see how they adapt themselves and begin to accept it. Without understanding, they will agree with the existence of such people. Little by little, seeing what we have, they will realize that perhaps this is a right method of saving the world from the complete crisis.

I think that we will soon have to reveal ourselves to the world in such a way. In other words, we will act under the heading: “The method of saving humanity from a general crisis: our suggestion.”

I am not embarrassed to talk about it and I am sure that during the next year we are going to see many well-known individuals and broad masses of people who will realize this and agree with us. They cannot get away from this. All of this so-called progress, all the current tendencies in the world will only help us; we will not have to persuade anyone. We just need to reveal ourselves as much as we can, disseminate our books and give occasional lectures. Basically, we will be seen and heard; they will find us.

Question: Can I imagine the Creator’s greatness in the beauty of landscapes, trees, animals, and people—of all that surrounds and inspires me in my life?

Of course you can, because all that exists in our world comes from the Creator. Man sometimes receives such inspiration to the Creator through this world.

Question: Can we envy you?

Go ahead. If it helps, envy me. This is good. It is said: “Kinat Sofrim Tarbeh Hochma” (Envy among scholars increases knowledge). Envy is the most powerful means that we have and it is totally absent in animals. Should we use it? Nothing in you was created in vain, especially such a mighty instrument.

Question: According to the last poll, 80% of Israelis feel no crisis at all and look forward to the future with optimism. How can we talk to them about salvation in this situation?

We do not talk about salvation with anyone. We just tell them what Kabbalah is. It is natural that the society does not feel it yet, because the Israeli nation is the most egoistic and has the biggest Aviut. Two completely opposite combinations of Bina and Malchut exist within it. Hence, many blows will naturally befall it before it starts awakening and asking the question: “What should we do with this painful, terrible crisis?”

This will be going on for quite a while in Israel. Although the entire world finds it difficult to understand how people can exist here in a state of terror and not run away from it. You will see that this nation is capable of living through incredible trials and nothing will influence it. The Torah calls it the most “stiff-necked” nation. It will be the last one to realize the need for correction.

It is said that in the beginning, the nations of the world will begin realizing the problem of humanity. They will “carry the sons of Israel on their shoulders” (on their realization) and compel them to attain the Gmar Tikkun (the end of correction).

What does this mean? This means that other nations will force the people of Israel to start correcting themselves. By hook or by crook (I cannot say which way), but the pressure on Israel will come from them.