The transcript has been transcribed and edited from English simultaneous interpretation, thus there may be potential semantic inaccuracies within it.
Daily Lesson (Morning) December 12, 2024.
Part 2: To Bestow in Order to Bestow - Selected Excerpts from the Sources. Item #3.
Reader: We will read select excerpts from the sources on the topic of bestow. In order to bestow, we will continue with excerpt number three. You can find study materials at Sviva Tova in the Root System, where you can also send live questions.Whoever asks a question in the hall should stand up, hold the microphone close to his mouth, and speak loud and clear. Excerpt number three from Rabash.
Reading: (00:30) 3. RABASH, Article No. 586, "Which Is the Straight Path"
“Rabbi says, ‘Which is the straight path that one should choose? Anyone that glorifies its Maker and glorifies Him by man’” (Avot, Chapter 2).
The thing is that there is the matter of the correction of creation and there is the purpose of creation. The purpose of creation is to do good to His creations, and the correction of creation is equivalence of form. That is, as the Creator bestows upon His creatures, the creatures should come to a degree of bestowing upon the Creator.
It therefore follows that the correction of creation is called “glorifies Him by man,” which is glory for man when he has corrected himself, when he achieves equivalence of form, regarded as bestowing in order to bestow, meaning when he has come to obtain the Hesed [grace/mercy].
The purpose of creation is when a person has achieved a degree where he can receive the pleasures of doing good to His creations, called “receiving in order to bestow.” This is called “glorifies its Maker.”
Question (Petah Tikva Center): (04:21) What's the connection between the correction of creation and the purpose of creation? Is there a certain, like initial condition that refers to the correction, and then?
M. Laitman: How can you reach the purpose of creation without correction?
Student: I don't know, it sounds like the correction is just to reach equivalence of form, and then the goal is completely different, the purpose. So, I can't understand how this leads to that.
M. Laitman: By this, you're not preparing the vessels.
Student: I can't manage to realize, what's the preparation of the vessels? Because correction is just not to receive, and then the purpose of creation is to receive in order to bestow. Where is that connection between the correction of creation and the purpose of creation?
M. Laitman: Do you want to say something?
Question (Petah Tikva Center): (06:01) Actually, yes, I also asked that question, but actually, a person that will try to awaken the other parts of creation, he starts to enjoy that by bringing them closer to the same attainment that he has attained in his personal correction, and that's what I think, that he also starts to enjoy as well as he begets new deficiencies, that's what I thought. I don't know if that's right.
M. Laitman: Whether it's right or not, that the friends have to say. I don't see anyone who is waking up.
Question (Petah Tikva Center): (06:51) I think that the correction of creation is connected to the screen. A person that's correcting himself builds a screen, and then he can reach the purpose of creation. There's here, there's a definition of screen here, it can help. He writes, he writes where is this, he writes what a screen is. It's restriction, overcoming the desire to receive, and the moment he does that, he has a striking of coupling, and he receives the light, he says, okay, that's the purpose of creation. So the purpose of creation is to receive all the light, but you can't receive it in order to receive. You can only receive it in order to bestow. So you have to build a screen, and there's a precise definition for the screen in TES. I'm excited, so I'm not finding it, but it's always good to read it.
M. Laitman: Okay, relax, there'll be another time.
Question (Petah Tikva Center): (08:06) When a person exerts to have a need for vessels of bestowal, is that considered that he is lacking wholeness?
M. Laitman: Yes.
Student: Only then it could be that, only then he can depict this wholeness he has to reach, which is to receive in order to bestow?
M. Laitman: Yes.
Student: That's the deficiency and wholeness?
M. Laitman: Yes.
Reader: Excerpt number four.
Reading: (08:49) 4. RABASH, Article No. 31 (1990), "What 'There Is No Blessing in That Which Is Counted' Means in the Work"
Things that a person gives to his friend so his friend will enjoy. The giving itself is called “bestowal.” A person who is Zach is one who tries to make people happy, to make them feel good. On these Kelim, it cannot be said that there is Din in these actions, meaning that there is a judgment that prohibits using Kelim that wish to bestow.
However, here, too, there is a matter of intention, meaning whether he is sincere. That is, when he gives, is his aim that others will enjoy it without a care for himself, for he cares only about others? This quality is called “bestowing in order to bestow,” when the act and the aim are both in order to bestow.
M. Laitman: No questions? All right.
Reader: Excerpt number five.
5. RABASH, Letter No. 40
Reading: (10:26) One should not think that one can do anything without pleasure. In fact, (one should know that) there are many discernments in Lishma, meaning in bestowal: “bestowing in order to bestow” means receiving pleasure from giving to the Creator. “Bestowing in order to receive” means that he gives to the Creator and by that will receive something else, whatever it may be—this world, the next world, attainments or high degrees.
However, one should be bestowing in order to bestow, meaning derive wondrous pleasure from giving to the Creator, as it truly is for those who are rewarded with it. One should plead to the Creator from the bottom of his heart to give him this feeling of loving the Creator because of His greatness.
And if he is still not rewarded, he should believe and compel his body that this is a wonderful pleasure and of great importance, and to love the Creator because of His greatness and sublimity. But one should know one thing: without pleasure, one cannot do anything to the fullest.
Question (Petah Tikva Center): (12:24) Can you bestow to the Creator not through the society or through the Ten?
M. Laitman: Directly?
Student: Yes.
M. Laitman: Well, I guess so.
Student: Let's say he sends you a certain state and you justify it without any context of the Ten or the society. It's like we have two different kinds of bestowal. By bestowing to a friend, I don't know, I raise his spirits, the greatness of the goal, so that's clear, that's bestowal. That's one situation. The second situation is as if it's not connected to the society. Each of us has all kinds of states that the Creator sends, and by justifying and not critiquing, that's also called bestowal. Can you say it that way?
M. Laitman: Yes.
Question (Petah Tikva Center): (13:42) It's suddenly unclear, how can you be a bestower in order to bestow? Because in order to bestow to the Creator, we know there's only one thing that you can do, and that's to receive pleasure.
M. Laitman: Yes.
Student: We know that bestowal in order to bestowal is something that precedes that? So, if I'm receiving pleasure from Him, but I'm receiving in order to bestow, what does it mean that I'm only bestowing in order to bestow?
M. Laitman: Well, what do you think?
Question (Petah Tikva Center): (14:29) He says in number four, that the meaning, the intention, and the deed are all in order to bestow. Bestowing in order to bestow, meaning the deed and the intention, everything in order to bestow. That's the answer to friend’s question.
Question (Petah Tikva Center): (14:58) Nevertheless, what does he enjoy in this state? I know what restriction means.
M. Laitman: Well?
Student: What am I enjoying?
M. Laitman: You probably enjoy equivalence of form.
Student: I'm trying to be in equivalence of form. I'm trying to be in equivalence of form. I'm trying to restrict my desire to enjoy for myself. But I need something to do some kind of actions. So, what, just a restriction? Baal HaSulam gives an example. You still have the environment, a society where you show yourself that you're restricting, that you're even barefoot to such an extent. Everybody sees how great he is, so it's fuel to work. What bestowing in order to bestow? What motivates him? Our nature is to enjoy. What motivates the person?
M. Laitman: What does he enjoy from?
Student: Yes, what's his fuel?
M. Laitman: Well, what can we answer in this?
Question (Petah Tikva Center): (16:57) It's like the example when someone wants to do something for someone great, so he enjoys doing it for him. Also, if you want to do something for the Creator, so he enjoys it. He feels more pleasure in that.
Question (Petah Tikva Center): (17:22) So, one is a Hasid. He's willing to take the suitcases. Why? Because that's his payment. The other, I don't know. How not to just confuse myself?
M. Laitman: What do you think?
Question (Petah Tikva Center): (17:50) What I think exactly, the fact that serving the greatness of the Creator, that's enough. That's the biggest pleasure you have. It's not like bestowing in order to bestow is to be a monk and you must suffer there. On the contrary, it's the greatest pleasure that can be in reality, the greatness of the Creator. You just have to annul towards that. That's the wholeness you have to start working from.
M. Laitman: Yes.
Question (Petah Tikva Center): (18:30) I would go in the direction of hatred towards the will to receive. Even if I don't have pleasure, who hates the will to receive so much, understands how much suffering it brings, how everything is opposite because of it, and he wants to come closer, that creation will come closer. And from that oppositeness, there's hope for pleasure, even that you don't enjoy in the current state.
M. Laitman: No.
Question (Petah Tikva Center): (19:29) I remember the example you gave once that the king lets a servant and forgets about it, and that servant walks for 30 years to give some letter and nobody needs it, but he's full of joy that he's doing what the great one told him to do.
M. Laitman: Yes.
Question (Petah Tikva Center): (20:02) When bestowing in order to bestow, is there still Lo Lishma there? That's why it's not receiving in order to bestow? That a person does everything he can in order to bestow but in practice, there is still a force that makes him do it, that it's in order to receive, right?
M. Laitman: Could be.
Student: What's the difference between bestowing in order to bestow to receiving in order to bestow?
M. Laitman: The emptiness of the vessels.
Student: What does that mean?
M. Laitman: That in bestowing in order to bestow, all his vessels are empty.
Student: What gives him the confidence to receive in the end, but from the knowing he won't do it in order to receive?
M. Laitman: Well, tell me.
Question (Petah Tikva Center): (21:36) I feel that only prayer, only prayer helps a person really do it. To ask all day, and to be in contact with the Creator, to feel that He's giving us this force, He's helping us, He's building the screen. He is helping in building the screen, we're not doing anything. We just discover how much we can't, and we ask from Him.
M. Laitman: Hmm.
Question (Petah Tikva Center): (22:42) You said that to bestow in order to bestow is that all his vessels are empty. And a few minutes ago, the friend explained that the greatest pleasure is to resemble the Creator. So, his vessels aren't empty. So, what does it mean to bestow in order to bestow that all the vessels are empty?
M. Laitman: That all depends on the situation.
Student: I want to resemble the Creator, that's why I decide not to receive in order to receive.
M. Laitman: Yes. So you're similar to the Creator only by not receiving.
Student: Yes, and that fills me with happiness maybe, and great pleasure, because suddenly now I resemble the Creator a bit. A little.
M. Laitman: Yes.
Student: So, the question now, so my vessels are being filled.
M. Laitman: Yes, well?
Student: So that's bestowing in order to bestow?
M. Laitman: I don't know.
Student: It sounds like bestowing in order to receive, I'm receiving something.
M. Laitman: Yes.
Student: What brings me to that place of bestowing in order to bestow? What's that state that the vessels are empty, and the person just stands with empty vessels and feels good about it? That's what I don't understand. How will I feel good by the vessels being empty without any pleasure? Because he says also, number four, a person always has to receive. So, what's bestowing in order to bestow?
M. Laitman: Does anyone have an answer?
Question (Petah Tikva Center): (25:02) The other's benefit will be before him all the time, that he's looking at the deficiency outside of him and bestowing to that.
M. Laitman: Yes.
Student: And through that, to the Creator. That's equivalence of form.
Question (Petah Tikva Center): (25:28) It's thought that there's a difference between vessels of reception, that he restricted them, there are certain types of vessels, or vessels that he's enjoying, and called vessels of bestowal. There he has pleasure by bestowing, but it's not the vessels of reception that he was receiving in the beginning. What it reminds me is the scroll of Esther where Mordechai sits, and in order to help him grow, the Creator raises Haman. The Creator is the one awakening a person to come out of the state and to start receiving. Then, because of that push, he can start opening the vessels of reception that were restricted in him.
M. Laitman: Yes.
Question (Petah Tikva Center): (26:36) When bestowing, in order to bestow, what a person enjoys is the light of Hassadim. Is it the light of Hassadim?
M. Laitman: Yes.
Student: It's a different light of the light of Hochma, right, which is felt in the vessels of reception. And the light of Hassadim is felt in a different vessel that isn't a vessel of reception, right?
M. Laitman: Yes.
Student: How is that light felt, or that vessel?
M. Laitman: In vessels of bestowal.
Student: We learned that the vessel of bestowal, that it's a vessel of reception with a screen over it, right? And so on. What does it mean in the vessels of bestowal if it's not in the vessels of reception?
M. Laitman: If a person receives in order to bestow, it's clear to us. And if he bestows in order to bestow, that is clear to us. Not so, since he doesn't feel it inside his own vessels. And if he... What else do we have?
Student: So, it just appears one day that you enjoy something called bestowal, and you feel that that pleasure isn't in the vessels of your reception, that's how it happens?
M. Laitman: Let's say that's how it happens, yes.
Student: And as we always ask, so what can we do at the Ten, in order to reach that feeling? Are there exercises, anything, or it just comes from above?
M. Laitman: No, it doesn't come from above. That's actually from you awakening and wanting to operate in the vessels of bestowal.
Student: They started the lesson that a person has to copy the actions of the Creator, and the Creator only bestows.
M. Laitman: Yes.
Student: So a person's effort is that he'll be able to be concerned of others or what?
M. Laitman: Well, let's think.
Student: How can a creature that only knows how to receive know what a feeling is to bestow?
M. Laitman: Well, who thinks how we can do that? Back there in the end?
Question (Petah Tikva Center): (30:03) And then he wrote that there are two actions. To believe that that's not clear what that is and to convince the body. So maybe we should scrutinize what they mean.
M. Laitman: Well?
Question (Petah Tikva Center): (30:31) It could be that to bestow in order to bestow is that a person constantly works on unity.
M. Laitman: Yes, and?
Student: So he has nothing, he doesn't want anything, only to unite everybody. The Creator will unite everybody. For himself, he doesn't want anything, only to bestow. Just to unite all of creation.
M. Laitman: Just to bestow, he needs to open his desire to receive everything from the Creator and to be a bestower for everyone.
Student: From himself, the perfection of the Creator bestows. So it's only in vessels of bestowal. He doesn't want anything for himself. He takes an example from the Creator, that's his wholeness and supposedly wants to work like Him.
M. Laitman: Yes.
Question (Petah Tikva Center): (31:39) From his attempts, he starts knowing His qualities and recognizing what he can work with.
M. Laitman: Good. Yes.
Question (Petah Tikva Center): (31:59) Our actions in society aren't in vacuum. Meaning, when I do an action for society, a person can get hands clapping, or society can be indifferent towards them, or even reject them for an action he did. Now, let's say there's friends that do very special actions that we don't even know about, even people that empty out the garbage.
And the friend knows that nobody knows he did it. But he knows that there's a society that values bestowal. He knows that the action he did has a meaning. Bestowal gets filled from the action he did because there's a society that values bestowal.
M. Laitman: Yes.
Student: So the question is, if he came in advance with a yearning to do that action, that's one state. But if his desire wouldn't be to come out of his house to do the action but he did come, a friend mentioned the screen, but if he overcame, it could be that that's that jump that he has nothing to receive here. He knows nobody's going to know about him. There's like an addition, a special addition to this quality.
M. Laitman: Yes.
Student: So, the quality of bestowing in order to bestow has to come on a certain overcoming.
M. Laitman: Of course.
Student: And that's this connection from the will to receive.
M. Laitman: Yes.
Student: So, specifically those actions that I don't want, and I know that it benefits society. So, when I make the effort, that's where I can do the jump.
M. Laitman: Yes.
Question (Petah Tikva Center): (34:10) It's written here that he should pour his heart out before him to give it. And this feeling to love the Creator because of His greatness What is that prayer? It's a prayer to love the Creator. It's not to correct.
M. Laitman: Yes.
Student: It's to actually love the Creator That's the prayer That's the request
M. Laitman: Yes, but why to love? What's the reason?
Student: The reason is his greatness. That he's great.
M. Laitman: Yes.
Student: So to discover his greatness?
M. Laitman: Yes.