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

Daily Morning Lesson: July 18, 2026

Part 1: Lesson on the topic of "Memorial Day of ARI" - Part 1

Reader: Dear friends, in the first part we'll learn from Rav's lesson on the topic of the Memorial Day of the ARI. The lesson is from July 14, 2021. It's based on selected excerpts on the topic.

Reader: Hello. Our lesson today is about the topic of the lesson is the Memorial Day of the ARI. We'll read selected excerpts. The study material can be found in kabbalahmedia.info. You can ask questions in the consent questions. And the study material will be asked during the lesson. Let's begin.

M. Laitman: (00:58) The upper light that comes from the Creator, who decided to share it with the created beings to create them and to educate them so that they will feel the upper light, its essence, its quality, its internal quality. It goes through many stages, many degrees in its decline from the upper force until it becomes something that can reach contact with the created being, where the created being is something that is the opposite of the Creator, separate from Him. This is why it is called Nivra- created being. This is why the upper light that goes through all of these concealments, all of these degrees in its decline, and it cascades through them, it takes on all kinds of different forms of clothing, garments, in order to adapt itself to the created being. 

And out of the fact that the created being needs to truly be the opposite of the Creator in order to discover Him to the fullest, he has to be completely the opposite of the Creator. And at the same time, in the created being, there has to be some connection with the Creator. So we learn that the upper light carries within it both the will to receive that was created, existence out of absence, and also this spark that comes from the Creator. And all of that comes from above, down to the final lowest point, where there is nothing worse than it, it is considered that it is already in this world. And here it begins to portray, to shape the future created being that starts to grow, to be built truly from the dust, from the lowest degrees. And it develops more and more, further and further, through the force of that spark of light that exists inside of the will to receive, and then it evolves, it develops from one degree to the next, from one time to the next until it reaches forms that already respond in the forms of the vegetative, and then the animate, and then the speaking, and it is all as a response that the created being can add to whatever it receives from the Creator. 

The form of a natural response, an instinctive one, and later on with responses that are more and more complex, where it begins to connect with the one who is awakening him, to demand from him to enter some sort of a relation with him, out of the will to receive within him, that he wants to be connected to the upper one that is taking care of him, that is developing him. So he also learns from the upper one what it is that the upper one wants from him and how he is supposed to respond to the upper one. And then we see that the will to receive — just like in a baby, the will to receive in a baby is constantly pushing it and pushing it to connect more and more, in a way that is aware and emotional and intellectual, with the one that is taking care of it. And this is how the will to receive grows, until it reaches degrees where people in this world start asking: where are we from, why are we here, what for, etc., etc.

M. Laitman: (05:34) And this is how their development reaches a state where such people grow out of them that demand — out of their nature that has developed in such a way — they demand a connection with the upper one more and more. And those people who have inside of them such a lack, such a soul, are the ones that later on tell us and explain to us whom we are connected to, and who we truly are, and who is managing us, and so on. There were many such people throughout history. We know about some of them, we remember them; others we don't, it's not so important. However, there are such people who left for us means by which to reach a connection with the upper force, and we remember them, we honor them, and we study them. 

The most important one among them is a person who was called the ARI, Ashkenazi Yitzhak Luria. And he lived in the 15th century, it's quite late already. Before him there were thousands of generations of Kabbalists. The first one among them was Adam HaRishon, and then the offspring of Adam HaRishon, that is his students, up to Abraham, and from Abraham onward — Isaac, Jacob. These are all schools; truly they opened schools and educated people.

However, the ARI nevertheless was truly great. We are going to read about him now. Today is the memorial day for his departure, and we need to remember him and to connect with him by studying, because by this we also draw upon ourselves an opportunity to connect with that very special soul that there was none other like it in the entire human species. In the system of Adam HaRishon that soul was truly a very special one, and it worked towards correction to an extent that no one else was able to reach. So let's read what they prepared for us, please. The first excerpt is the ARI's poem:

Reading: (09:16) 1. The Ari, The Tree of Life, Part One, Gate One

The Tree of Life – a Poem

Behold that before the emanations were emanated and the creatures were created,

The Upper Simple Light had filled the whole existence.

And there was no vacancy, such as an empty air, a hollow,

But all was filled with that Simple, Boundless Light.

And there was no such part as head, or end,

But everything was One, Simple Light, balanced evenly and equally,

And it was called “the Light of Ein Sof (Infinity).”

And when upon His simple will, came the desire to create the worlds and emanate the emanations,

To bring to light the perfection of His deeds, His names, His appellations,

Which was the cause of the creation of the worlds,

Then Ein Sof restricted Himself, in His middle point, precisely at the center,

And He restricted that Light, and drew far off to the sides around that middle point.

And there remained an empty space, an empty air, a vacuum

Precisely from the middle point.

And that restriction was equally around that empty, middle point,

So that the space was evenly circled around it.

And after the restriction, when the vacant space remained empty

Precisely in the middle of the Light of Ein Sof,

A place was formed, where the Emanations, Creations, Formations, and Actions might reside.

Then from the Light of Ein Sof, a single line hung down from Above, lowered into that space.

And through that line, He emanated, created, formed, and made all the worlds.

Prior to these four worlds, there was one Light of Ein Sof, whose Name is One, in wondrous, hidden unity,

And even in the angels closest to Him

There is no force and no attainment in The Ein Sof,

As there is no mind of a created that could attain Him,

For He has no place, no boundary, no name.

M. Laitman: Yes. From this, as we know, this is how the ARI starts his main book  called The Tree of Life, that explains for the very first time throughout the history of the wisdom of Kabbalah — it explains to us the entire system, and how it is built from above downwards, to the extent that it can be expressed in our language in a way that is close to our understanding. Indeed, these excerpts are very special ones.

Question (PT 6): (13:24) I didn't want to interrupt the silence and the power in the lesson, but when he said, how do we connect to the soul of the ARI? How do we do it, through the Ten?

M. Laitman: Through the Ten, for sure. This is also something that he had passed on to his students, and he demanded it from them that they would be connected. And we even have some records from his students, the way they behaved according to his guidance. And if we want to connect to the Ari it means that we have to connect through the same rules of the wisdom of Kabbalah, that are the same for everyone. Again, through that same rule of "love your friend as yourself," we eventually have to keep to the fullest. That is all.

Reading: (14:36) 2. Baal HaSulam, "Introduction to the Book Panim Meirot uMasbirot", No. 8

Come and see how grateful we should be to our teachers, who impart us their sacred lights and dedicate their souls to do good to our souls. They stand in the middle between the path of harsh torments and the path of repentance. They save us from the netherworld, which is harder than death, and accustom us to reach the heavenly pleasures, the sublime gentleness and the pleasantness that is our share, ready and waiting for us from the very beginning, as we have said above. Each of them operates in his generation, according to the power of the light of his teaching and sanctity.

Our sages have already said, “You have not a generation without such as Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.” Indeed, that Godly man, Rav [teacher/great one] Isaac Luria [the ARI], troubled and provided us the fullest measure. He did wondrously more than his predecessors, and if I had a tongue that praises, I would praise that day when his wisdom appeared almost as the day when the Torah was given to Israel.

M. Laitman: (16:05) Yes, this is what Baal HaSulam writes, that indeed what the ARI wrote, what he opened, what he revealed, was truly on the same magnitude, the same height as Moses who opened the Torah. And also the Torah that Moses brought to humanity, we are not really aware of it, we don't really know how to use it. And the ARI by that took another step forward. He explained to us what is the essence of the Torah, the internality of the Torah, and why do we have to keep it, and what exactly should we keep. That the connection between us is actually connecting all of the parts of creation, which is broken deliberately, so that we, by assembling it through our effort to connect between us, by that we cause correction, and we attain the force that connects, the inner force that exists in it, that is the Creator. So, from the Torah itself, we cannot understand these things. 

However, when the generations declined from generation to generation, and we truly reached the ruin of the first temple, and then the second temple, then we reached the exile. And already at the end of the exile, at the 15th or 16th century, then the time has come for humanity to discover the state that it is in, and what it has to do in practice. And at that point, the soul of the ARI was revealed, and he explained, he wrote, he actually founded this whole form. That is, he revealed to us what is that system of the upper nature that is working on us, and what we, accordingly, should do. 

It became clear, in general, system-wide, where we exist, what is operating, working from above, and how we accordingly, should work from below, what is our purpose, all of that became revealed.

Question (Kyiv 1): (19:00) Who did the ARI write for? For whom did he teach this book?

M. Laitman: The ARI wrote his things for everyone, for everyone. However, who came to him? Well, five or six people came. This is all in all the students around him. There were a few more, then a few less, but he wrote it for everyone. When a Kabbalist writes, and he opens up whatever he wrote, it's for everyone, so he writes it for everyone. The purpose of humanity, as Baal HaSulam wrote later, is equal for everyone — for the white, the black, the yellow, the red, it doesn't matter what race, or nothing really matters, so long as the person would want to know, what does he exists for, who is managing him, and to whom he should come closer. That's it.

Student: That group that was around him, a group of his students — were they as a vessel through which you could write it?

M. Laitman: No, I don't think so. I don't think that he wrote it thanks to his group. He was so high; he took from them a certain deficiency, nevertheless, by being connected with them. But it's not that the group seemingly somehow took part in his writing. No, it was such a soul that was truly disconnected from everyone. 

Student: And when we read it, this height, this exalted height — what should we take from this? We should be impressed, inspired by the ARI, by what he did, and to learn something from him. That actually this is the Tree of Life, his main book, and there's also the Seven Gates, there are other books, and also the books — he didn't quite write them, but rather they were already written later on by students, from whatever he left behind. The most important thing we need to learn from him is the general system, and when we study that, we already become connected to those entrances, the gates that bring us the upper light that is influencing us, the surrounding light.

Reading: (22:07) 3. Baal HaSulam, "Introduction to the Book Panim Meirot uMasbirot", No. 8

There are not enough words to measure his holy work in our favor. The doors of attainment were locked and bolted, and he came and opened them for us. […] You find a thirty-eight-year-old who subdued with his wisdom all his predecessors through the Ge'onim [pl. for genius] and through all times. All the elders of the land, the gallant shepherds, friends and disciples of the Godly sage, the RAMAK, stood before him as disciples before the Rav.

All the sages of the generations following them to this day, none missing, have abandoned all the books and compositions that precede him: the Kabbalah of the RAMAK, the Kabbalah of the Rishonim [first], and the Kabbalah of the Ge'onim, blessed be the memory of them all. They have attached their spiritual life entirely and solely to his Holy Wisdom.

M. Laitman: Yes, indeed this is how it was. These were the conditions from above, that the ARI revealed it, and in his generation no one stood against him saying, this is incorrect, this is not okay, as later on it happened in the following generation, from the Baal Shem Tov and onward where they were publicizing the wisdom of the ARI, and many people stood against it, opposed it. But during the time of the ARI, he was working in a small town in Safed with a small community and just a few students. Even today, till this day this place where he was teaching still exists, and we can go there. We once went there, we used to go there to honor this place, but time goes by, and we no longer need to be connected specifically with those places by going there physically.

But actually, this is what we have to learn from those periods that have transpired in history before us, that these great things come down to our world in a very gentle way. We don't see them. We don't understand them. We don't feel what is going on. And in some small place, there is some great person from whom the whole of the Torah, of the teaching comes to us, and he explains to us about the actions of creation and about man's duty in creation. And later on, it becomes revealed years later.

Question (Petah Tikva Center): (25:26) Rav, can you explain, if you can explain, the difference between the method of study or the form of revelation that was before the ARI and what he brought? What was his innovation about?

M. Laitman: The novelty, what was new is that humanity keeps growing in its ego. And this is why, according to the degree of the ego, it becomes more and more in opposition to the upper light, the Creator. In that state where they're opposite one another comes to a point where specifically from something and its opposite that is from the Creator- from the upper light, and from the will to receive- the darkness, they reach such a state where they already begin to feel. 

Even though the light is very small that comes,  however nevertheless, specifically the force of the darkness helps, and it emphasizes the light out of it. And this is how, from generation to generation, we come closer and closer to the revelation of the Creator. Even though His light is small, our ego has become greater, so we search more, we understand more, we discover more the plan of creation, the purpose of creation. We're expecting it, looking forward to it, and this is what is helping us to get closer. It's not because we are so worthy of it, but rather out of our ego that is growing and demanding it.

Student: When a Kabbalist brings something new to the world, very few at that time can understand anything of his words, if at all. Nevertheless, it changes all of humanity. 

M. Laitman: Because it works as surrounding light, it works as surrounding light. Now also we learn, and the whole of humanity, as much as we have people living on the face of the earth, at that moment the light that we are connected with, which is a tiny light — but nevertheless, it does pass through us to them, because we're all connected in a single body called Adam.

Reading: (28:14) 4. Sefer Habrit HaShalem, Part 2, Article No. 12, Chapter 5 Know for certain that not as in the early generations and the first days that were in the fifth millennium, since in those days, the gates of this wisdom were closed and locked. For this reason, there were only few Kabbalists. It is not so in this sixth millennium, when the gates of light have been opened, the gates of mercy. Now it is of great contentment to the Creator to make known the glory of His kingdom forever and ever, especially now that all the holy writings of the ARI have been printed. He had opened for us the gates of light that had been closed and sealed by a thousand locks since days of old, and all his words are the words of the living God from the mouth of Elijah the prophet, and by his permission he revealed what he had revealed. Now there is no obstacle or danger, just as in the revealed.

M. Laitman: This is also a well-known book, the Habrit HaShalem, the Complete Covenant. This is how all the Kabbalists following the ARI — they respect him and they bless him for what he did and what he revealed, because thanks to him they are alive spiritually. And this is how, this is what they attain.

Reading: (30:02) 5. Baal HaSulam, Letter No. 38

I heard from the ADMOR of Kalshin. In earlier times, one had to first obtain all seven external teachings, called “the seven maidens that serve the king’s daughter,” as well as terrible mortification. And yet, not many gained favor in the eyes of the Creator. But since we have been rewarded with the teachings of the ARI and the work-ways of the Baal Shem Tov, it is truly possible for anyone, and the above preparations are no longer necessary.

M. Laitman: Yes, this is truly something great that the two of them did. Usually we don't quite know the actions of the Baal Shem Tov; however, what he did — he actually took the entire wisdom of the ARI and he disseminated it. He was the greatest disseminator. We see up to this day how many people have heard about the Baal Shem Tov and they respect him, even though they don't study the wisdom of Kabbalah on their own. 

However, they have in them the results from his study, at least in the sense that they are drawn to "love your friend as yourself." This is why we need both of these people. One of them acted in order to reveal scientifically, let's say, what is happening throughout the whole of reality — the system of reality, the forces that work in reality, the Creator's attitude to the created beings, systematically. This is what the ARI did. 

And how the Baal Shem Tov clothed this in all kinds of stories, in forms by which he was able to bring the words of the ARI closer to the common people. This is why he was the great disseminator, the great interpreter or commentator. And even though he didn't write anything by himself, because he was only thinking about how to bring, to publicize the method of correction in all the different parts of the people, the population. As much as people stood against him and opposed him, he nevertheless did it. And we can see the results of his actions until our very day, even though we might say that his spiritual offspring don't really study the method of the ARI. And as a result of that, they're also not so much concerned with how to correctly interpret, practically interpret, "love your friend as yourself."

However, certainly the two of them did the same thing: the ARI revealed and the Baal Shem Tov disseminated. We don't have any questions about it, so let's continue. 

Reading: (33:55) 6. Rav Chaim Vital, Pri Etz Chaim, Gate “Conducts of Learning,” Chapter 1

My teacher would say that the heart of the intention of reading in the Torah depends on aiming to connect one’s heart to its root through the Torah in order to complete the upper tree and complete the upper Adam [man] and correct him, for this is the whole purpose of man’s creation and the purpose of his engagement in the Torah.

M. Laitman: Okay. Yes. Again, please. 

My teacher would say that the heart of the intention of reading the Torah depends on aiming to connect one's heart to its root, through the Torah, in order to complete the upper tree, and complete the upper man, and correct him. For this is the whole purpose of man's creation, and the purpose of his engagement in the Torah.

Question (Rehovot): (35:15) From this excerpt, it sounds as if it's enough to do individual work in front of the Creator, in order to climb spiritually.

M. Laitman: We have no Kabbalists who did not create a group around them — not in order to teach them, that group, but so as together with them, through the connection with them to advance together. Because the spiritual advancement can be done only in a group.

Student: Thank you.

M. Laitman: Next. Number seven.

Reading: (35:59) 7. Rav Chaim Vital, Shaar HaGilgulim, Introduction, 38

My teacher cautioned me and all the friends who were with him in that society to take upon ourselves the commandment to-do of “Love your neighbor as yourself,” and to aim to love each one from Israel as his own soul, for by this his prayer would rise comprising all of Israel and will be able to ascend and make a correction above. Especially, our love of friends, each and every one of us should include himself as though he is an organ of those friends. My teacher sternly cautioned me about this matter.

M. Laitman: Again. 

My teacher cautioned me and all the friends who were with him in that society to take upon ourselves the commandment to do of "love your neighbor as yourself," and to aim to love each one from Israel as his own soul. For by this his prayer would rise, comprising all of Israel, and we'll be able to ascend and make a correction above. Especially our love of friends, each and every one of us should include himself as though he's an organ of those friends. My teacher sternly cautioned me about this matter.

M. Laitman: This is very important- to feel ourselves that we belong to a single body. The whole of humanity will actually need to feel that. And that each one depends on everyone. That my whole spiritual life depends only on the good connection between us. And also our corporeal life. We are the last generation. We will feel more and more to what extent we depend on each other. And without achieving a good connection between us, we will not succeed in anything in this corporeal life also. And this is a study that humanity will now have to learn from life, from the blows, from all of the necessary things that it will be lacking- missing. 

Because if we don't add a good connection between us, then we will not be rewarded with any success anywhere, in any territory, any aspect of life. So the correct good connection between people has to be the main study of ours, and also of the whole of humanity following us. Man has to go back to the system, and the system has to go back from being a broken system to a single integral, connected system, where the whole of humanity depends on each other. So let's hope that people will understand that quickly. 

We already study systems and we understand how they operate so it should not be so difficult for us to understand that all of us exist in a single system, a single force. And as much as we will want to keep it this force will sustain us. It is bringing us closer to each other, it is pushing us towards each other. However, we don't want it, and therefore we resist it, and then this is the source of all of our problems. But if we will understand that we have no choice, but rather nature specifically wants to bring us to a good connection, then we will reach the point where by this we will resolve all of our problems. And therefore, here it's not an issue of left or right, or all kinds of different political parties or different movements. There is only one thing: the upper nature in which we exist is demanding of us to be connected in a good way, reciprocally to each other. This is clear? Good.

Question (Zafon 2): (41:12) So what is the purpose of spiritual work in the corporeal world?  

M. Laitman: Well, the corporeal world was given to us because here, through our own forces, by ourselves, we can determine good connections, good relations of connection between us.

Question (PT 31): (41:36) Hard to imagine that the more we approach the good connection between us, the more the influence on the upper system, as he writes. What's lacking in the upper system?

M. Laitman: So, we exist in a single system, a single system- which is nature. And the more we are in equivalence of form with the general overall nature, to that extent we can influence it. And that way, from the lower one, we are able to influence the upper one. This is called raising MAN. And then we will get from there forces and understanding and everything, until we will take on the upper force, good forms of connection, and the feeling of the upper spiritual eternal life. And it will happen until the upper world will truly descend down to our world. Or maybe you can say the opposite, that our world rises up to the degree of the upper world.

Question (PT 23): (42:45) I want to ask, he writes that each one must include himself as though he's an organ of the friends. What does it mean to be an organ of the friends? What does it require?

M. Laitman: Well, first of all, that I depend on them, but they also depend on me. And as much as I take upon myself to be the passageway that passes the good upper force, connection, to everyone, this is how I see my role in this life.

Question (PT 18): (43:25) Rav Chaim Vital writes to us — he was one of the closest to the ARI — he cautioned me and all the friends who were with him in that society to take upon ourselves the commandment to do of "love your neighbor as yourself." What does it mean to do, to do something, to do?

M. Laitman: Yes, in practice, we need to achieve such a connection that is called "love your friend as yourself." However, when you go forward and achieve it in practice, you already begin to feel that by this you're rising from one degree to the next spiritual degree. And you already exist not only in this body, in your body, but also in the upper world, in your soul, in your feeling, your attainment.

Student: So what is the physical act? 

M. Laitman: The physical action is to do everything that Kabbalists recommend to us to do, so as to all in all, get closer to one another. So much so that we will feel ourselves as one man in one heart.

Question (Kyiv 1): (44:41) Here he writes that love of others brings us to the correction in the upper ones. What does it mean?

M. Laitman: When we bring ourselves closer to one another in the Ten let's say, by this we cause a good influence to our root, and we are in greater and greater equivalence of form with it. And then we feel its influence over us in a more and more massive, intensive manner, more true, and then the force of the Creator truly begins to be revealed in the connection between us. That's it, that's what it is.

Student: But on the one hand, the ARI writes about such heights, such levels. On the other hand, he says to his students that they need to grow stronger in love between them. This connection between the upper root and love between them, is that attained immediately in the group, in his group? 

M. Laitman: Each one and the entire group can achieve, can attain, to what extent they can be connected as one man in one heart. It's only according to this condition that we attain the upper force, the spiritual force. Before that, there are also all kinds of different feelings, in small individual revelations. However, it's not truly spirituality. Spirituality is the connection of opposite forces, that they come together. That what we call oppositeness, it's actually the coarseness, the Aviut in the Kli, and the connection is the refinement in the vessel. The two of them then operate in a single direction, both the coarseness and the refinement, as like two lines, and then they establish the middle line in which we discover the Creator. He is actually the source of both of them.

Student: This method, before Rabash, was described by Kabbalists in such a way, with a group?

M. Laitman: This method comes to us even back from the Zohar. And even before the Zohar, we find here and there that people write about it. How do you think that they were able to come out of Egypt? How do you think that they were working for thousands of years from Adam HaRishon and onward? Of course, it was like that, but they didn't write about it. Rather, this was the oral Torah. They would pass it on from teachers to students. They formed groups. Of course, this is how it was. They were always sitting beneath the tree with the students. They were studying in such a manner.

Question (Turkey 3): (47:59) Question from my friend. Kabbalists have written everything perfectly. Why are we so stubborn against the work?

M. Laitman: Look at the little children. As much as you can tell them to do something correctly, in a good way, and they will do everything according to whatever they want.  Man's inclination is evil from birth. And therefore, we are operating according to the opposite force that exists in us, because this force is the result of the shattering of Adam HaRishon. The Creator had prepared this for us to be actually the opposite of Him, the opposite of the Creator. Opposite, so that by us understanding and growing and wanting to be in the opposite form of our own nature, according to that, we will establish within us the form, the image of the Creator, which, to begin with, we don't want it. Each time it's done through resistance to it. But nevertheless, we will want to adhere to Him above reason. We will want to be like Him above our desire. And in that way,  well how is it possible to do that? By us connecting between us, and then we want the Creator to give us this force of connection, and in the connection between us — not in any one of us, but in between one and the other — we assemble that attitude between us, which we call Creator. Boreh, Boreh, come and see. Only in such a way. So let us try, let us try to do so, to actually implement it.

Question (ITA 3): (50:23) To the friend, "love your friend as yourself," means to disseminate the wisdom of Kabbalah to everyone?

M. Laitman: Yes, because all in all, all of us — well, all human beings are the sons, the offspring of Adam. They belong potentially to the degree of Adam. This is why it says, "my house shall be called the house of prayer to all nations," and all of the nations will flock to him, all of the nations of the world. A goy means nation, a Gentile also means a nation, and certainly there is no difference between a Jew and all of the other nations, but rather that this group has disconnected from the rest of humanity in Babylon, and they were ready, they were willing to go forward towards spiritual development. And up to this day, the way that it exists, and also not all of it, but whatever remained out of it —  the two out of the twelve tribes, and they too, you can see what form they have. All in all, what we have out of this group that started the way, the path, in the days of Abraham, it's us. And just as Abraham invited from the whole of Babylon, meaning from all of the nations that lived, that existed in Babylon, those who wanted to come closer to the Creator, to come to him, this is what we do. We're wide open to everyone, and this is why I'm happy that we truly have such a collection from all people, from all nations. That in such a way, specifically at the time of the last generation, we are the most ready for correction.

Student: I wanted to ask, when we read these texts, they're very clear, very beautiful, but then we go back to the Ten, and then we can't connect. We go to disseminate, and we find hardship in the dissemination. It's true that we are like kids, but how can the entire vessel, the whole Ten, how can they truly reach the goal?

M. Laitman: In the same form that like we're doing it. And nevertheless, from one day to the next, we do advance. Maybe you don't see it, but it's like a baby. Does a baby know that he's growing each and every day? He's just living; however, when we look at the baby from a higher perspective, where we understand what is going on, we can see to what extent he's growing. The fact that today he's able to do something, to perform some action, which yesterday he wasn't able to do, he doesn't understand that today he's doing it for the very first time, he just does it, that's it. And this is why… that's what we see on him. So, what we need to do is just to continue. 

Nevertheless, we do need to monitor ourselves, according to how we're coming closer in the Ten, and the realization that only in the connection between us, this is where we discover the upper system, the spiritual system, and also we discover the Creator in it. This is as all Kabbalists write to us, and the way we understand it, we have to keep on doing it. Nevertheless, we exist in a special time, in a special state, and we can see that we are successful in that, we have a blessing, and the Creator is supporting us, and this is how we will advance. It's all right here, very close to us.

Question (French): (55:14) What is the source? Again, what is the source of the logo of Bnei Baruch, the tree? What does it symbolize, and is it connected to the Tree of Life?

M. Laitman: Yes, of course. Our logo, we drew it out of what the ARI writes. First of all, his book is called the Tree of Life, his primary book of Kabbalah, because out of the upper root, the light develops and it builds and it creates all of the created beings down to our worlds. This is why, this is also how we created our symbol, our logo. It symbolizes the tree. Besides that, man is called the tree of the field, as he develops from the still, from the ground, but he himself already grows, and what grows first is the vegetative.

Question (Latin 4): (56:47) Do all the Kabbalists attain the same thing, or does their attainment depend on each Kabbalist's uniqueness?

M. Laitman: Just like in our world, each one attains the world that we exist in, in different forms and on a different height, with different qualities, and it all depends on the nature of the personal individual vessel of that person. So it is also in spirituality. Each and every person attains out of his soul. To the extent that it is higher, broader, and in that there is a matter of quality and quantity, and everyone is different. But all in all, as we connect, we reach an integral attainment, that everything that each one has, and whatever we have between us, we all attain it. However, it's on the condition that we connect, and this is how eventually we reach the complete Gmar Tikkun, the end of correction. This is called as one man in one heart, that everyone, everyone has the same complete vessel.

Question (Moscow 7): (58:22) When we learn from Kabbalistic texts, the ARI, Baal HaSulam, Rabash, should there be something inside our intention beyond the reforming light? Something that belongs to that specific Kabbalist, a certain connection with that Kabbalist? Do we need to have such a thing?

M. Laitman: Actually, yes, when we learn the writings of Kabbalists, we start to be impressed each time in a different way, from each and every Kabbalist. However, all in all, what the Kabbalists, and I mean the true Kabbalists are telling us, they're telling us about the actions of their Creator. And this is why through them I become connected to the Creator, and eventually I have a single place, a single source, it is the Creator. And here on the other side, it's me, my heart, my desire, which is more and more corrected. And in the middle, we have the entire chain of Kabbalists, who all in all are bringing me an impression from the Creator. This is how we need to see it. That is, I don't quite distinguish… and also, all in all, how many sources do we have? We have the Zohar with Baal HaSulam's commentary, and we have all the writings of the Kabbalists, which is really primarily Baal HaSulam and Rabash. There are a few others from the students of the Baal Shem Tov, and that's it. All in all, what we study is maybe five sources, not more, and this is enough. We don't need more. 

Question (PT 17): (01:00:29) We know that the laws in spirituality do not change. So, according to excerpt number five, before the ARI, they needed modifications and seven wisdoms, and after the ARI, this was all cancelled. What did the ARI do that the conditions changed like that?

M. Laitman: Baal HaSulam also writes about this for us in an elaborate manner in The Study of the Ten Sefirot, that prior to the ARI, it required great modifications, and before the Zohar even greater modifications, meaning limitations on the person that wanted to achieve spirituality. However, we who have come closer to that source of the reforming, the surrounding light that is working on us, we don't require such modifications of "eat bread with salt, and drink little water, and sleep on the ground." We don't need to modify ourselves as Kabbalists used to do in the past. They greatly limited themselves. But rather, we just need to study in a group, because the sources that we are studying are so powerful, and they bring us so much closer to the Creator, that all of the physical actions that we might perform will not really be beneficial. And so for us, the most important is to study; to study and to connect, to open our heart, and nothing besides that.

Question (PT 17): (01:02:17) Is there some connection between the Book of Zohar and the writings of the ARI? Is this a continuation, or each one has a different role? One completes the other?

M. Laitman: The Book of Zohar is a commentary. It's not a study book. It is a book that is wide open to one who has attainment, and if one does not have attainment, then for him, it seems like stories and all kinds of virtues, remedies. And many books have been written around the Book of Zohar, which is all really… there is nothing in them that is truly from the book, but rather whatever those people were thinking that is written in the Zohar. And this is why we read the Book of Zohar, and we study it only with the commentary, the ladder, the Sulam commentary. Because there are many — up to these days, additional compositions are printed, where they write about the Book of Zohar and also about the writings of the ARI even. So, we need to realize that one who has attainment, only he is trusted by us. And this is why Baal HaSulam, who wrote the ladder, the Sulam commentary to the Book of Zohar, and also the commentary of Panim Meirot uMasbirot to the ARI’s Tree of Life, and later on also TES — these are actually our sources.

Reader: Excerpt number 8

Reading: (01:04:15) 8. From the book, Praises of the ARIOne day, on the eve of Shabbat [Sabbath], the ARI went with his disciples for Kabbalat Shabbat [service beginning the Sabbath] as was his custom. He said to the friends: “Let us go now to Jerusalem […] and build the Temple, and make an offering of Shabbat, for I see that this time is truly the time of redemption. Some of the friends said, ‘How will we go to Jerusalem at this time, It is more than thirty parsas away (approx. 115 km)?’ Others said, ‘Very well, we are willing to go with you, but first we will go let our wives know so they will not worry about us, and then we will go.’” Then the Rav cried out and said to the friends, “How did the slandering of Satan succeed in revoking the redemption of Israel? I testify before Heaven and Earth that since the time of Rabbi Shimon Bar Yochai until today there has not been a better time for redemption than this time. Had you admitted this, we would have had the Temple, and the outcasts of Israel would have gathered into Jerusalem. Now the time had passed and Israel went into exile once again.” When the friends heard this, they regretted what they had done, but it did not help them.

M. Laitman: This is a very interesting story that the teacher tells the students that now we have the opportunity to invite the end of correction, and there is nothing difficult here. Now we are going to gather and go to Jerusalem. And they do not agree, because they need to overcome this knowledge. What do they say? Oh, we have things to take care of at home. We have to tell our wives, our families, how can we jump to Jerusalem right now and bring on the end of correction? Where is the end of correction? What do you need to think about? And these are the students of the ARI. And you see that, along with the fact that a person is given an opportunity, that there is none greater than that, along with that, he is also given the burdening of the heart, some difficulties, and he cannot do anything against it. 

But only with faith above reason, if they would adhere to their teacher, they would be able to do it. We can't quite understand this story, and how does it happen in the corporeal world, and why and how, we don't really understand it. But that state in itself, we have what to learn from it.

Question (ITA 4): (01:08:11) It says the work of Satan succeeded. 

M. Laitman: I didn't hear the translation. Moshe, what did you say?

Student: It says — what does it mean that the work of Satan succeeded? 

M. Laitman: That the slandering of Satan succeeded? Well, Satan means the force that works against connection, the force that works against Kedusha, against holiness, which the Creator Himself is managing on purpose, you know, the force to have a place to work. This is what it means that the slandering of Satan succeeded — that the force of resistance, the opposing force was so great that they were not able to overcome it.

Question (Turkiye 7): (01:09:06) We still don't have the spiritual acquisition of connecting, so isn't it philosophizing to disseminate and explain the method of connecting to other people?

M. Laitman: No, this is how...we are broadening the circle of people who understand what we exist for, how we exist, what is this planet Earth, and what are we supposed to do. We need to connect. This is our good future in order to avoid the flaws that appear in this world more and more. We have no choice; we have to open up the source, the reason for all of the troubles so as to help humanity to rise above them. We are not talking about spirituality; we are talking about corporeality. How to have a better life here in this world. And with that, we turn to people, and we explain to them that according to what we study and we understand according to the old sources, if we are connected between us in a good way, by this we neutralize all of the bad forces from this pandemic and all of the problems and illnesses and wars and everything. Everything stands only on one thing: on a good connection between people.

Question (New York 4): (01:10:54) Our books are filled with tragic stories like this one, where the Kabbalist tries to guide his students, and the students fail. So the question is, should we learn that this is the way that it had to happen?

M. Laitman: From the sin of the Tree of Knowledge, from the shattering of the system that the Creator did on purpose in order for us to have a place of work, so that we can participate and reassemble this system, and then understand how it is built and how it should operate, and how it then operates in its complete form, so, we have to go through all of these actions, through all of these states, through our own effort. This is what Kabbalists teach us. Everything depends on our effort to come closer to one another. So it's not in the entire general soul, but in the small Ten of each and every one of us. But to the extent that we will try to do it artificially, as much as possible, by that we nevertheless awaken the reforming light, the upper light, and it helps us to connect, and in that connection we already discover the upper force. 

Student: Moses had students that didn't listen. Baal HaSulam couldn't explain it, if I can say that. The ARI, his students didn't listen here. So, what is that to us? 

M. Laitman: It all speaks about the fact that there are two forces in creation, and these are opposite and equal forces, and we exist in the middle, and we can determine it to the right line, to connection. And this is what we need to try to do. And in each and every generation, in each and every day, we have to work on that. That's it. And if you today have some lack of power, of hope, then you need to connect to the friends and get it from them. Or the other way around, connect to the upper force and pass it to the friends.

Question (Brazil 1): (01:13:41) Why does it feel like we're receiving this call right now, in the same situation as the ARI was to his students, calling them to Jerusalem? We're at the right center point again. Isn't that right, Rav?

M. Laitman: Yes, of course. We now also still exist in the broken state, and we have that same opportunity before us, and we can't quite disconnect from all of our engagements of this world in order to jump to Gmar Tikkun, to the end of correction. We don't feel that we can be divided or connected to our soul that is yearning for connection and correction — that we can divide between the soul and the corporeal life that we have to arrange in order to exist. We are not yet organized internally in such a way that the most important for us, the most important thing is our correction, our internal correction. This is clear?

Question (KabU 3): (01:15:04) Are we the architects of the Third Temple, or the builders?

M. Laitman: We only want to participate in this building, because in the extent that we agree, it is built. We don't need to search for some force in addition — this force, maybe, what rock we need to place in this place, and so on, what form needs to be. We only need to get close in the connection between us, and that this coming closer to connection between us, that this shall determine the form of the Temple, meaning the form of our soul itself. Because the true form of the soul, the corrected form, is already present. We just need to be drawn to it and to reach it, to be incorporated in it. That's called the Third Temple. We don't need to build it. Also, not in Jerusalem, not out of bricks, not out of trees, not out of anything. We need to build it only out of our desires, and the extent that they're willing to connect between us without any conditions, just to be connected, then this Temple exists. It comes to be.

Question (PT 19): (01:17:03) I wanted a small scrutiny to do with you. This is that, until this day, there was no better time for redemption like this time, if you were to admit this thing. What do we need to be admitting? 

M. Laitman: That we were in a very unique state, and we missed it? 

Student: We missed a chance. 500 years ago. So what? Was there a problem with dissemination back then also?

M. Laitman: We need to understand the opportunities we get on a daily basis, and we are even out of time. We're behind. And in each moment, the form of nature is ready for end of correction in its final form.

Question (PT 19): (01:17:58) What's so new in the ARI, in his teaching? What was so new? They always say there's something new, but what was the news there?

M. Laitman: I can't explain it. It's so wide. He opened all the sources that we don't understand what it is — these tubes from above. In addition to the Zohar. H explained them technically. He explained them in a form of cause and effect. The Zohar itself is a book of stories, of morals. And the ARI wrote on top of this a book of science, of spiritual wisdom. This you can't... And also the light that we draw by the study of the ARI is much greater for us, with respect to us, than what we can do with the Zohar.

Question (Africa 1): (01:19:32) Is there a connection between the fact that the ARI’s students refused to go to Jerusalem and the month of Av, and how we remember the ruin of the Temple?

M. Laitman: Yes, it's written that in the month of Av, in these days, just as there was the destruction of the First and the Second Temple, specifically in these days there needs to rise up the Third Temple, that it shall be the highest, the end of correction for all. Such is written. And thus, also, it's written such, the ARI called them to Jerusalem, to do this — this jump, right, this leap, to cause that the end of correction shall come to be.

Question (French): (01:20:54) I'd like to follow up on the question of my friend from KabU 3. What is the action of building the Temple within the Ten?

M. Laitman: We want to connect one with another, and we build a Ten that is as whole as possible, that is called that we are drawn to the Temple. The house is called the vessel; the Temple is called sanctity, bestowal, a vessel of bestowal — that's what we want to build between us, that is called the Temple. It's not a building; it's a vessel that wants to be in bestowal like the Creator is in bestowal towards it.

Question (PT 10): (01:21:53) When you explained this excerpt, you said that when a person is given a great opportunity, he's also given a great difficulty as well, and that you can only advance in faith above reason. And the students of the ARI didn't manage to do this because they weren't adhered to their teacher; therefore they couldn't do this. My question is like this: what in our times is considered adhesion to the Creator of the whole world, the Kli of ours, of every Ten? How do we stand on this point of adhesion to our teacher so that we will be able to do above reason?

M. Laitman: We need to understand that connection, despite all the obstacles, by us is called the action of above reason, because by us, the will to receive is very great. It operates us on a daily basis, weakens us every moment, confuses us; and if we catch ourselves at least a few times a day, again and again, to return to the urgency, the necessity for connection — such, we advance. Of course, for the students of the ARI, they had obstacles, according to them, large ones. But we are in a state that we also get large disturbances in connection between us in the Ten. But along with this, we do receive aid, assistance from above, and we have a large quantity of people. And in any case, if we overcome and reach connection during the lesson, on a daily basis, this is doing correction in the world, and bringing us closer, very much bringing us closer to the end of correction. On a daily basis, I become more optimistic; meaning optimistic in this, that we are in the process of getting closer to revelation. 

Student: With that, I want to enhance the point of adhesion to the teacher, the concept of adhesion to our teacher today, in our times — what does it mean to us? 

M. Laitman: Adhesion with the teacher is called: you hear what we read from our teachers. Rabash, the Ari, Baal HaSulam, and — one moment — Rabbi Shimon, Rashbi, the ARI, Baal HaSulam, Rabash, and that we learn it together, and I pass on to you as much as I understand and also add to it. In sum total, ultimately, we have one teacher. It's the Creator who teaches us. But He teaches us through all these sources, through these people, books.

Student: Nevertheless, the ARI said to them, let's go up to Jerusalem now. For sure, you're also telling us things, and due to the burdening of our hearts, we're not capable of doing it. So what, in our times, does it mean to hear your guidance and to do it?

M. Laitman: What it is, I don't know what it is. Whatever you hear, each one hears according to his desire, understands it according to his desire. That's how it is. I can't say on your behalf what you hear.

Student: I understand. It's such a central thing, and you're teaching us, without what you're telling us, we can't grasp or be able to implement the sources. So I'm asking, how in every Ten do we connect, and also in the whole world, please, so that we will truly feel that we're adhered to our teacher?

M. Laitman: We have two actions. In this, we perform what the teacher, our teachers say. That's action of connection in the Ten, and action of dissemination to the entire vessel of Adam HaRishon, all of humanity. Two actions. One is inside, within the Ten, and the other is expanding the wisdom of Kabbalah, disseminating — not even the wisdom of Kabbalah, but correction, the form of correction, the goal of humanity.

Question (New York 2): (01:26:57) Why were the students of the ARI so hung up with the physical aspects of going to Jerusalem — the travel, telling their wives — when Kabbalists only speak of spiritual qualities? Wasn't the ARI talking about the quality of Jerusalem found in the connection?

M. Laitman: You understand correctly that we're talking about here not about the corporeal distance but about spirituality, but he doesn't explain it in such a manner. He lets us understand it like this, corporeally. It's also from a book written by people who are not from the students of the ARI, and they're not in spirituality like them. This is from a book, Shivchei HaAri, the Praises of the ARI. So we need to understand what they wrote. The main thing is to learn from this what's the content. The main point is that even if the teacher invites you to a spiritual ascent, in any case you find all sorts of reasons, excuses in order to remain in your comfort and corporeal state.

Question (MAK 6): (01:28:35) We know from military stories that you teach the soldiers how to operate automatically, even before they start thinking. How can we come to a state in which, in the call of Rav to go to Jerusalem, we immediately recruit ourselves and go so that we don't miss the opportunity?

M. Laitman: That's on the condition that instead of your mind, you are adhered to the mind of the group, and then you perform, without thinking twice, what the group thinks and decides. That's it. That's called to be in faith above reason.

Student: How can we develop such a response, an immediate response, a thought like that?

M. Laitman: You constantly think that the friends are greater than you, and you must be subjugated towards them.

Question (Tel Aviv 4): (01:29:37) Can we now, in this lesson, come to the end of correction?

M. Laitman: In each moment; not just in this lesson — every moment, it's all opened up before us, everything. It all depends only on the connection between us.

Student: So how, let's say now, if we want to reach the end of correction, actually in this moment?

M. Laitman: If you'll connect inside the heart such that you'll be as one heart, you want to connect to be as one heart, the request of the Creator to perform this connection for you, the Creator needs to do this, we're not capable. On us is only dependent the request, then it will occur.

Student: And it only depends on my Ten?

M. Laitman: Yes, yes. And thus, the Creator broke the vessel of Adam HaRishon into so many parts, and details, and sub-parts, and details, so it shall be easy for each and every part to think only about its small part within the large system, and in this it already reaches corrections. Imagine for yourself that we were connected with all the vessel of Adam HaRishon, that shattered vessel. How would we be able to connect with it such, this way, we can be focused within our Ten?

Student: So, Rav, why did the ARI make it dependent on time, like now is the appropriate time; why did he say it that way?

M. Laitman: I don't know. I learned from this only one thing: that if we have an opportunity, we're missing it. Why this happened to the ARI, and this, I don't know, I don't care. Truth is, I don't care what happened to him and his group; I learned what I need to perform now. And so, I don't understand your questions, what are you investigating here. You won't understand the spiritual state until you reach it yourself. At least understand this, that you don't understand what's spoken about; rather, what can you learn from it for your lowly state? Think about that.

Reader: Let's share impressions from the lesson, and what from it we're taking to implement in the Ten.

Reader: Let's move to the next part of the lesson. Before that, a niggun. 

Song: (01:38:32)