The transcript has been transcribed and edited from English simultaneous interpretation, thus there may be potential semantic inaccuracies within it.

Daily Lesson (Morning) June 13, 2024.

Part 2: Baal HaSulam. The Arvut [Mutual Guarantee]. Item 23.

Reader: (00:03) In the Baal HaSulam, the article, The Arvut [Mutual Guarantee], item 23. The study material is on Sviva Tova and the Arvut system, you can send questions live through the sites. Anyone asking a question in the study hall should stand up, hold the microphone close to his mouth, and speak loudly and clearly.

Reading Item 23: (00:31) 

With these words, we clearly understand what we said above in Item 5 about the Torah being given specifically to the Israeli nation, because it is certain and unequivocal that the purpose of creation lies on the shoulders of the whole of the human race, black, or white, or yellow, without any essential difference.

But because of the descent of human nature to the lowest degree, which is the self-love that rules over all of humanity without restraint, there was no way to negotiate with them and persuade them to agree to take upon themselves, even as a mere promise, to exit their narrow world into the wide spaces of the love of others. The exception was the Israeli nation because they were enslaved in the savage kingdom of Egypt four hundred years in horrible torments.

Our sages said, “As salt sweetens meat, agony polishes man’s sins.” This means that they bring to the body great purification. In addition, the purification of their holy fathers assisted them, as said in Item 16, which is the most important, as some of the verses of the Torah testify.

Because of these two forewords, they were qualified for it. This is why the text refers to them in singular form, as it is written, “And Israel camped there before the mountain,” which our sages interpret as “as one man with one heart.”

This is because each and every person from the nation completely detached himself from self-love, and wanted only to benefit his friend, as we have shown above in Item 16 regarding the meaning of the Mitzva, “Love your friend as yourself.” It turns out that all the individuals in the nation had come together and became one heart and one man, for only then were they qualified to receive the Torah.

Question (Petah Tikva Center): (04:14) He says that their main success in being this one man with one heart was the purification of their fathers, which joined their work. How do we approach and connect this inheritance of the fathers in the Ten?

M. Laitman: He writes that they reached a certain refinement of their will to receive, to begin with, by revealing that that will to receive enslaves them, destroys them. That's Pharaoh, and when they wanted some kind of, or every time to escape from it, they saw it's impossible. And they won't need to work in this way, in slavery, forever. 

Student: In the beginning of an act of the Ten, an action of the Ten, to receive the light. How do I approach and first of all connect to the work that was done until today by the fathers and their refinement, and add the sesame seed of our Ten? How do we first of all connect to the work that our fathers did, and only then, turn to our work? 

M. Laitman: First of all, we need to determine that our work is connecting between us until we reach to the state of man will help his friend and love of friends. That everyone, everyone needs to reach one degree. Then, we come to a state that we will be able to reach such a connection between us that we can rise from the degree we're on, to a more exalted degree. To come out of slavery of the force of the ego, the general Pharaoh, upward.

Student: All the work of the fathers is seen to our Ten, through our Rav, our teacher. How do we, before we act, for any action, connect to our Rav in the Ten and only after we connect to our Rav, our teacher, we do this act together with him?

M. Laitman: I don’t know, you need to feel that, that this work, this effort, is on you.

Student: In what does the disciple connect to the teacher before he begins to work? What causes him to connect to the teacher in this campaign? His helplessness, his uncertainty, the fact that he doesn't know, his powerlessness. What causes him to cling to the teacher, and only then, to dare to do anything? 

M. Laitman: That's the order of the work, that's the order of the work. 

Student: What is the order of the work? 

M. Laitman: The order of the work of man that he needs to try and connect to the friends; from the friends he needs to extract forces of connection. With those forces of connection, he needs to ascend to the degree of the teacher. And along with the teacher, there, he has to cause the building of a higher degree than the one they're on now. And in this way keep going.

Question (Petah Tikva Center): (09:53) He writes, as salt sweetens meat, agony polishes man's iniquities. How does suffering, how does agony polish man's iniquities? 

M. Laitman: When a person yearns to reach some certain spiritual state and he tries to search how he can reach it, so, from that he gets suffering, agony of a certain type. This suffering builds a willingness in him to, actually, reach that state that the person sees as his goal. Meaning, instead of suffering he had to begin with for no reason, now he keeps renewing until he reaches states where he sees as much as those states of suffering push him to attain the goal.

Student: In the previous letter, he wrote that when a person gets excitement and inspiration, burning of the heart comes immediately after. So, how do we not forget the technique that as soon as suffering comes, it is for a person's benefit, so we don't fall?

M. Laitman: I think that a person needs to, first of all, try and see the disturbances that they are actually what build him; and raise him to a higher degree. And specifically, through them, he can reach the correct ending.

Question (Petah Tikva Center): (12:12) To continue that, what is the Torah because the fathers, too, are a will to receive which the light lifted to bestowal. So, what was the difference here, the light received a new name, Torah. So, what is the Torah now? It's the light that lifts a person to bestowal.

M. Laitman: Torah isn't just abstract light. It's light that is clothed in actions and intentions in a special connection with special knowledge of the lower one towards the upper one.

Student: What is different between us and our forefathers? Is there a fundamental change, difference, in our structure, in our will to receive?

M. Laitman: Again? 

Student: What is different between us and the fathers? Is there a difference in the will to receive, in its structure?

M. Laitman: There is a difference between us and the fathers because they started from a higher degree. They had a different type of aid than we do.

Student: The assistance is from the light?

M. Laitman: An aid from the reception of the Torah.

Student: We, too, are assisted by the light, so, what's the difference?

M. Laitman: No, we don't want to receive the Torah the same way they wanted to. We don't have a willingness for it, we don't have an approach for this wholeness called Torah.

Student: The agony we went through in Egypt, so we, in order to receive light, we have to torment in connection? We have to go through some sort of, before any reception of Torah, we have to labor in connection and go through some softening?

M. Laitman: Correct.

Question (Petah Tikva Center): (15:00) If we don't have the approach, like you said, what they had for the wholeness, for faith, for the Torah they had. And that's what gave them the forces. So, what's right for today? What motive do we have that is other in order to reach Arvut?

M. Laitman: We can reach it, we have different conditions.

Student: Yes but not external conditions, I'm asking about an internal motivation for Arvut?

M. Laitman: We also have different internal conditions.

Student: What's our motive to reach Arvut?

M. Laitman: We need to understand that the fact that we are given from above, what we are given from above is what's right for us to receive and to continue.

Student:  What are we given from above?

M. Laitman: A feeling of reality, the feeling of the connection between us, a connection with the Creator. That we cannot position ourselves as it seems fit to us. Rather, we can ask, demand, try, to change the relationship between us.

Student: So, to continue what you're saying, now in these conditions, are we not afraid to move ahead in the connection between us, specifically, on these conditions? Not to be afraid, not to, because we're speaking about the burdening of the heart, all kinds of fear in a person to really go into more of a closeness between us. These are the conditions that are pushing us to go into an even deeper connection. So, this depiction, how not to remain in fear but to actually go more into closeness?

M. Laitman: We have to help each other, there is nothing else here besides this. 

Question (Petah Tikva Center): (18:05) What's the difference between Achishena and Beito, at its own pace, or hastening the times?

M. Laitman: Hastening that comes to us, right now; and in its time is when it comes according to special times and special states.

Student: That's according to our choice, or is it also given from above?

M. Laitman: From above.

Student: When we choose the path of the Torah, is there also Achishena and Beito, there?

M. Laitman: Yes. Okay, continue.

Reading Item 24: (19:13) “Thus, because of the above necessity…”

Thus, because of the above necessity, the Torah was given specifically to the Israeli nation, solely the descendants of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. 

For it was inconceivable that any stranger would take part in it. Yet, because of this, the Israeli nation had been constructed as a sort of gateway by which sparks of purity would flow onto the entire human race throughout the world. These sparks multiply daily, like one who gives to the treasure until they are filled sufficiently, meaning until they develop to such an extent that they can understand the pleasantness and tranquility that are found in the kernel of love of others. For then they will know how to shift the balance to the side of merit and will place themselves under his burden, and the side of sin will be eradicated from the earth. 

Reading Item 25: (20:43)

Now there remains to complete what we have said in the previous article, “Matan Torah,” Item 16, about the reason that the Torah was not given to the fathers, since the Mitzva, “Love your friend as yourself,” the axis of the whole Torah and around which all the Mitzvot revolve, so as to clarify and interpret it, cannot be observed by an individual, but only through the prior consent of an entire nation.

This is why it took until they came out of Egypt to become worthy of observing it, when they were first asked if each and every one in the nation agreed to take that Mitzva upon himself. And once they agreed to it, they were given the Torah. However, there still remains to clarify where we find in the Torah that the children of Israel were asked that question, and that they agreed to it prior to receiving the Torah.

Reading Item 26: (22:07)  “Bear in mind that these matters …”

Bear in mind that these matters are evident to every educated person in the invitation that the Creator had sent to Israel through Moses prior to the reception of the Torah. It is as it is written (Exodus 19:5), “‘Now, if you surely listen to My voice and keep My covenant, then you will be a Segula [virtue/power/cure] unto Me from among all peoples, for all the earth is Mine; and you will be unto Me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation. These are the words that you will say to the children of Israel.’ And Moses came and called for the elders of the people and set before them all these words which the Lord had commanded him. And all the people answered together and said, ‘All that the Lord has said, we will do.’ And Moses reported the words of the people unto the Lord.”

These words do not seem to fit their role, since common sense dictates that if one offers one’s friend to do some work and wants him to agree, he should give him an example of the nature of that work and its reward. Only then can the receiver examine it, whether to decline or to accept.

But here, in these two verses, we seem to find neither an example of the work nor its reward, because he says, “If you surely listen to My voice and keep My covenant,” and he does not interpret the voice or the covenant and to what they apply. And then he says, “Then you will be a Segula unto Me from among all peoples, for all the earth is Mine.” It is not clear whether He commands us to labor to be a Segula from among all peoples, or whether this is a promise of benefit for us.

We must also understand the connection to the words, “for all the earth is Mine.” All three interpreters—Unkelos, Yonatan Ben Uziel, and the Jerusalem Talmud—find it difficult to interpret these words, as is the case with all the interpreters—RASHI, Nachmanides, etc. Even Ezra says, in the name of Rabbi Marinos, that the word “for” means “although.” He interprets, “Then you will be a Segula unto Me from among all peoples although all the earth is Mine.” Even Ezra himself tends to agree with it, but that interpretation does not coincide with our sages, who said that “for” serves for four meanings: “either,” “lest,” “but,” and “that.”

And he even adds a fifth interpretation: “although.” And then the writing ends, “and you will be unto Me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation.” Here, too, it is not self-evident if this is a Mitzva, and one must exert in this, or a promise of benefit. Also, the words “a kingdom of priests” are not repeated or explained anywhere in the Bible.

The important thing here is to determine the difference between “a kingdom of priests” and “a holy nation,” for by the ordinary meaning of priesthood, it is one with sanctity, and it is therefore obvious that a kingdom where all are priests is a holy nation, so the words “holy nation” seem redundant.

M. Laitman: A lot of questions. Yes.

Question (Petah Tikva Center): (27:20) I don't know exactly how to ask, but in the previous item he said that the sparks of purity accumulate, and so on. So, what's the process in the end because you explained about special conditions. We also read in the letter that he mentions world, year, soul, that there's different constellations, things have to take place, I don't understand all this. 

M. Laitman: Understand what?

Student: The state that suddenly that group or a person are able to break into spirituality. 

M. Laitman: That's really a question, let's ask the friends. Ask them in a way that.

Student: How to understand correctly what's that accumulation of states and efforts that we can break ahead, through them?

M. Laitman: Who has some answer or at least a thought in this direction? Seems to me, like first, we first have to come to a state of a kingdom of priests. And then, we will be able to be in a state that corresponds to what he's asking.

Student: So, what does that mean, to reach that state of nation of priests?

M. Laitman: Reaching the state of kingdom of priests means we come to a state where we become partners of the Creator.

Student: He said that you have to explain to a person what the work is and what the reward is. So, what is the work and the reward?

M. Laitman: What is the work and what is the reward? The work is to change from the state we were in, to the state that the Creator expects us to be in. That's the change we need to undergo.

Student: In the next item, he says that we have to relinquish any corporeal possession.

M. Laitman: That by this, we need to become similar to spiritual vessels.

Student: What does that mean? Before a person gets there, we also say we will do and we will hear, so, what emotionally does this mean?

M. Laitman: Emotionally, we have to come to a state where we feel ourselves as standing and as able to connect between us. To such an extent that there is no distance between us. 

Student: And if we feel we want it but we're not sure what this limit is?

M. Laitman: Turn to the Creator. He's the one giving you the work, so, turn to Him and say, I am willing to do except I'm not sure if I understood, correctly.

Student: So, to turn to Him also if we feel that there's a desire but we don't know if we're?

M. Laitman: What's missing, yes.

Question (Petah Tikva Center): (31:42) He writes that by working Lishma, we advance on the ladder of love of others towards the whole world. We also read that the sparks of purity are what help us understand the pleasantness and love of others?

M. Laitman: Yes?

Student: What about recognition of evil? What causes a person to want to be in love of others? The fact that the sparks of purity come to him? Or that the revelation of evil comes to him?

M. Laitman: Both, first, the sparks of refinement and as a result, he has recognition of evil. And within that, he has the tendency, the inclination to attain the connection.

Student: The sparks of purity is the connection to the nation of Israel, somehow?

M. Laitman: Yes. 

Student: So, if there is people or nations in the world that are against us. So, they recognize some gap? They have some recognition of evil compared to that recognition of good in the people of Israel.

M. Laitman: I don't think we need to work according to such data, such information. We need to reveal all the things we need for our advancement in ourselves, and not in other nations. 

Student: We don't need to see how, as much as the connection between us, works on the outside?

M. Laitman: No. 

Student: So, how can we measure that we're advancing enough compared to the advancement of the world, I'm asking?

M. Laitman: We will talk about it but of course, initially, we don't have to approach all the nations and advertise the Torah, the teaching to them. That's not our goal. 

Question (Petah Tikva Center): (34:51) If we're already towards the end, I wanted to ask: How can we take this charge in the morning lesson? We're going to also pray in a minute with the prayer book, how can we take this charge we got in the lesson and use it in the prayer that we're going to do at the end of the lesson?

M. Laitman: We're going to read what we're learning now, which is the Giving Of The Torah and the Arvut, mutual guarantee, and see how we can realize what is written in these articles, the giving of the Torah and the Arvut, which are actually one article. And see how we can understand them, now, and to implement, that's the most important. Because if we begin to implement the demands in these articles, the Giving Of The Torah and the Arvut, we don't need anything else, that's it.

Student: Let's say now I'm reading the prayer from the prayer book. The words aren't always precise like what we learned in the lesson, although I'm pretty sure it's the same thing in the end. How do I take this demand for Arvut, the Giving Of The Torah and bring it into the prayer that we read in the prayer book? Does it go together?

M. Laitman: Of course it does. Let's go. 

Question (Petah Tikva Center): (36:47) It's about implementing Matan Torah and the Arvut. What I understood in Matan Torah, most of the article, he's asking about this commandment. He's saying it's supposedly, you can't actually perform it, love your friend as yourself. But at the end, he gives a solution, he says the solution is mutual guarantee, Arvut; If you do that, it'll be easy to keep this commandment, on one hand. On the other hand, it seems that there's another difficulty, here, because suddenly each one is dependent on everybody. And if even one drills a hole, you can't keep this commandment because they're immersed in self-love. And not only that, they're dependent on the whole world. And only then, if everybody agrees to perform, love your friend as yourself, only then they can be corrected.

M. Laitman: But in the beginning it's possible even in a small group.

Student: Yes, so, even if we focus on a small group, and I heard you say a few times that man will help his friend. How does this, how do we implement this advice, man, will help his friend in order to reach, love your friend as yourself?

M. Laitman: When each one sees his friend as trying with all his might, as much as he can, to realize this commandment of connecting everyone together, bonding everyone. By this we draw, we pull each other, and in this way we eventually come to helping one another, and to love your friend as yourself.

Student: But if he doesn't see his friends trying with all his forces?

M. Laitman: Then he turns to them with a demand because without them, he will not, he himself will not be able to build the right state.

Student: What is the demand, how do you reach that demand, correctly?

M. Laitman: Speak among yourselves, simply speak among yourselves: How it is possible to observe the commandment, to love your friend as yourself in our society.

Student: Everybody knows the answer to that. 

M. Laitman: What? They don't know.

Student: Of course we know.

M. Laitman: They don't know how to implement it.

Student: In practice, we don't implement it.

M. Laitman: So?

Student: Don't know how to implement but know how to explain how we should implement it.

M. Laitman: Yes?

Student: So how in practice, to perform, man will help his friend, how is that expressed? When a person doesn't see his friends are actually implementing it or trying to implement, love your friend as yourself?

M. Laitman: So, how do we show each other that everyone wants to do it, to observe it, as a game.

Student: That's what we talk about?

M. Laitman: Yes.

Student: Let's say, sometimes you say like in this present state, I see that except for one friend, everybody wants to sleep, or rest, or something.

M. Laitman: So?

Student: So, there's states that it's not, a man will help his friend. Meaning that it doesn't only depend on my eyes to see that the friends are implementing?

M. Laitman: Perhaps, check and see if you are engaging in this.

Student: In a state like now, I see that the friends are sleeping, and also Rav says the friends are sleeping. 

M. Laitman: Yes.

Student: What should I say, I have eyes and they cannot see the friends and all their forces are trying to implement, love your friend as yourself?

M. Laitman: No, everyone should take an example from the friend, for example, that's it. 

Student: And I need to come to the friends with the demand. Friends, take an example from our friend, how he's alert, how he's asking, how he's yearning. And you also have to show me that example?

M. Laitman: Yes. 

Student: To actually come and say it to them?

M. Laitman: Try, try, why not? All right, be well.

Reader: (41:53) So friends, now we first of all, we have a few announcements. Good day.