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

Daily Lesson (Morning), December 25, 2024.  Lesson on the topic of “Hanukkah”.

  Lesson on the topic ofHanukkah"

Part 2: Select excerpts on the topic of Hanukkah

Selected excerpts on the topic of Hanukkah. We are under the heading, “Greeks Have Gathered Around Me”, then “in the Days of the Hasmoneans”. Excerpt number 6 from Rabash on the article, “The Miracle of Hanukkah”.

Greeks Have Gathered Around Me

Reading: (0:22) The matter of the Greeks is that we must go only within reason in both mind and heart. Naturally, when Israel wanted to go above reason and not consider what the outer mind necessitates, they could not. This is called the war against the Greeks. This is when the real work begins, namely that the people of Israel wanted to mount the track that leads to Dvekut [adhesion] with the Creator. This path is called “faith above reason.” The Greeks wanted to control the body so it will not relinquish anything unless the reason agrees to it.

Question (Petah Tikva Center): (01:47) Is there such a thing as above reason without there being another reason that we go towards? Or, is it simply that there's my reason, and there's another reason, and that's called above reason? 

M. Laitman: Could be, yes.

Student: So, towards what is that, if we go that way? 

M. Laitman: We study according to what we have before us. That's it. Whoever wants to go within reason, or whoever wants to go above reason. And you're saying, whoever wants to come out of his reason and go according to the reason of a different reason, right? Or what? 

Student: I'm asking… there's my reason, and let's say the reason of the Kabbalists, of the Rav, or of the Ten. Should I go towards the reason of the Ten? Of the Rav? Is that considered to go above reason? 

M. Laitman: Instead?

Student: In place of my reason, my opinion. 

M. Laitman: Your reason? Well…

Student: Is that called above reason? That I go to the reason of someone who is not me? 

M. Laitman: A person who enters a spiritual field, he's being taken care of spiritually. And in the Ten, he starts getting all kinds of thoughts, desires. And then he needs to think, who's the justice with? Who is he with? How does he develop? 

Student: So, that's where the question is. Because according to what he writes here, if the Greeks want to control the body, so it will not relinquish anything unless the reason agrees to it.

M. Laitman: Yes?

Student: So, I can't go towards connection, if I won't see within reason that it's good. And then I remain within reason, even towards connection, as he writes. Do I need to go towards connection above my reason? Meaning, according to the reason of the society? Even if I don't see that it's good for me or benefits me? But simply to go; because, it's them who decide that that's how it is?

M. Laitman: Yes. 

Student: Is that called above reason? 

M. Laitman: Yes.

Question (Petah Tikva Center): (04:35) In the Ten, say, I have one reason, and I have other reasons. And I go and nullify before that. Why is that not below reason? Maybe it's below reason, because I agreed. Okay. I think that I'm right. But they're saying no. So, okay, I agreed with them.

M. Laitman: So you're not going out according to your reason or their reason, you're just... 

Student: So, that's below reason, yes? 

M. Laitman: Below reason, or… but according to your spirits. 

Student: How to make it to, yes, be above reason? 

M. Laitman: Above reason is that you accept the reason of the society that you entered. You take their reason or their opinion, even though, to begin with, it's opposite of what you have. 

Student: I don't feel the difference here between me agreeing or receiving.

M. Laitman: Or you agreed, or you received. It doesn't matter. 

Student: Where is the point that decides whether it's below? That it is above reason or within reason? Or to my spirit or below reason? 

M. Laitman: If it's against reason, what you have before you right now. Let's say, alien thought or opinion, you accept it, because it's foreign to you, and it's higher than you, than your opinion that you had earlier.

Student: Maybe for me to receive it in order to rise to connection? For the sake of connection, for the sake of love? I need to accept the reason with my heart, truly, like it's mine? 

M. Laitman: It's not instantly, but yes.

Question (Petah Tikva Center): (07:00) Earlier you said, a person that enters into spiritual care in the Ten, receives thoughts, desires… and only then he can think, who the justice is with? Who he's with? And who he's developing with? Meaning, if I enter a Ten, I receive their thoughts. And then I have this calculation between above reason, to accept their reason or to remain in my reason. 

M. Laitman: But you already entered the Ten, you said.

Student: Yes, but then I have two reasons now, two opinions. I'm in between now in this struggle between mine and theirs. How do I make a decision here? How do I tip it towards their reason and not to remain in mine?

M. Laitman: How do you succeed in taking their reason and not remain in your own? 

Student: Yes. How? How, how do I decide? Make a decision here correctly? 

M. Laitman: You should always, it's worth it, for you to take their reason. 

Student: But there's my reason. There's my opinion, my reason.

M. Laitman: So, why are you between them? 

Student: I want to receive their reason, but my reason against that awakens. I have a thousand and one excuses. And then I'm in this inner conflict. 

M. Laitman: And you're asking what to do? 

Student: How to tip it correctly? Decide it correctly? 

M. Laitman: How to decide correctly? Well, let's say I don't know. Can someone help me? 

Student: It's a matter of importance. The more the society appears important to you, you are tight with their reason, and if you're more important then you're connected to your reason. 

M. Laitman: Well, let's say so.

Student: I think that to the extent in which we manage to place the Creator behind the reason of the society, then we receive the forces to do the nullification towards the reason of the society. 

M. Laitman: Could be, yes. 

Student: The goal is connection, and not who's right. And you once said, I heard you saying, that it's better to be wrong with everyone together than right alone. 

Student: Do what they say, but continue to scrutinize. I think a person should never relinquish his reason. Maybe it's a question, but it's also a question. 

Student: Maybe like in the first part of the lesson today? Measure what will bring more love of friends between us. That's that direction that will be for sure correct. No matter what the decision is; the decision needs to serve that. 

M. Laitman: All right. Any more opinions?

Student: It's more of a question than an answer. Because if it was that simple, that we would know what would bring the more love of others, it would be easier to choose. But now we have this very strong test here, because it's a question that we're all contemplating as a society. We talked about this yesterday. I heard the friends in the Ten, there's no clear opinion of the Ten. Meaning, a variety of friends thought this way, and others other ways. So, I don't have the clear reason of the Ten. There's the general reason from the management, who talked to you. So, is that the right thing to say, that that's the reason of the upper? That's what I accept? Is that the implementation of rising above reason? 

M. Laitman: Probably.

Student: I think we always need to check ourselves in relation to what we're learning. It's not important what my opinion is. It's also here, he writes that the Greek wants you to go by your body. The body always demands. So, that's my individual's reason. And if you look at towards the goal and towards who you're connecting to reach the goal, and what your faith is, and what your Torah is. And from there, to receive the reason that you need, the upper reason. Not the external reason, but internal reason. And aim towards there. Otherwise, each one will have his opinion from his body. 

M. Laitman: And this way there isn’t?

Student: That way I think, we scrutinize it according to what the teacher says, and we follow him. 

M. Laitman: Okay.

Student: We need to try and hold on to this scrutiny. It's actually all our work; our natural desires, desire to receive, it will always pull us, and there's the reason of the society and always make it bigger and find the forces. That's the work all along the way. 

M. Laitman: Yes.

Student: Maybe that's the point, we have to turn to the Creator, to pray, to receive the reason of the friends above mine. 

M. Laitman: Yes.

Student: You actually… you receive the reason of the society. And only through there being the upper force. And it doesn't matter, the only thing is, that you have to have a connection with the Creator. Without the upper force, a person can't.

Question (Petah Tikva Center): (14:01) How to defeat, or to win the war of the Greek? 

M. Laitman: In a manner in which you go against them, first of all.

Student: I'm stronger than them?

M. Laitman: I don't know, but it's a war. Either you're for or you're against. 

Student: Okay, now they're overcoming, those Greeks, the reason.

M. Laitman: Yes.

Student: And they're gonna defeat me. 

M. Laitman: Yes.

Student: Subdue me against society. 

M. Laitman: Yes.

Student: So, how can I win? What tools, what means do I have to win? 

M. Laitman: What did you have? 

Student: Nothing. An initial desire to enter society, to accept their opinions. But now they're getting stronger against me. It's even more clear, I see those Greeks before me. What's disturbing me? How from this state, can I win? What will determine? 

M. Laitman: Well?

Student: The only force that can win is the Arvut. A person can't beat his own Greek.

M. Laitman: Okay, that's an answer. 

Student: Society needs to press on a person to accept their opinion. And a person has to agree. 

M. Laitman: He must agree?

Student: He has to come in advance with that agreement. Either way, he's gonna have to take their opinion. So, there also must be pressure on their behalf. Otherwise, he won't feel that his reason is going against it. 

M. Laitman: Yes. 

Question (Haifa 1): (16:25) To remind myself who I am, and who's in the war of the inclination. I have to remind myself that I'm the will to receive, that I have pride and ego. That's the starting point of who I am. 

M. Laitman: Okay.

Question (Toronto 2): (16:57) There are different degrees in faith above reason, as much as I understand. 

M. Laitman: Yes. 

Student: I'm constantly searching for this answer: what is the difference between faith above reason and all those states? What I understand is faith above reason: one is the Greek, one is Israel. So, here and there, you have to see that state, where we reach… when we build in faith above reason. And here we bump into the state, that we're unsuccessful, and we need the Creator's help. So still, what is the difference? Sorry if I'm asking wrong?

M. Laitman: No, no, you're okay. You're okay. 

Student: Okay.

M. Laitman: What should we answer him?

Question (Kyiv 1): (18:07) Let's say, we have a gathering of the Ten, and the friends have different opinions and approaches. What does it mean to take the opinion of the group as one, and that will bring me to connection with the Creator? 

M. Laitman: That's a question. That's a question. 

Prayer Song: (19:04)