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

Daily Lesson June 24, 2025.

Part 2: Recorded lesson - June 5, 2006. Baal HaSulam. Preface to the Wisdom of Kabbalah. The Refinement of the Screen to the Emanation of the Partzuf #31.

Reader: We are reading the “Preface to the Wisdom of Kabbalah”, item 31. 

M. Laitman: (00:14) Thus far, we have learned that from the light, from the Creator, with His intention to benefit His created beings, a desire, a will was created - something from nothing. And the desire developed by the light, was developed by the light through four phases until it came to feel Who it is that's developing him. And then, other than just feeling his own desire, his own will - the One who gives, the One who fulfills the desire. Well, there was a response called the restriction, after which came another response, another reaction, by which it came to equivalence of form with the light that created him, called screen and coarseness. And so, the will, after reaching its fourth discernment, it felt such a reaction, such a response, that compelled it to come into equivalence with the light. And then, through these actions of equivalence with the light, the desire, the will, performs actions, which are called Kuf-Chaf-Hey degrees, 125 degrees, or Partzufim, faces, which emerge one after the other, from above downwards, meaning from the degree that is closest to the light, and down to the degree that is furthest from the light, which is this world. In that way, were created the five worlds, Adam Kadmon, Atzilut, Beria, Etzira, Assiya. And now, we will learn why there even exists a series of degrees, a series of degrees, which emerge one from the other, by order of cause and consequence, from degree to degree, and who causes the degrees to emerge? Why wasn't just one action performed, coupling through striking, Zivug-De-Akaa, the screen with the upper light, and a single Partzuf, a single face. Rather, after this Partzuf, 125 Partzufin in total were born. So, let's hear about the reason for this. 

Reader: Item 31
Reading: (03:26) Baal HaSulam. Preface to the Wisdom of Kabbalah. #31

The thing is that there is no Partzuf, or any degree at all, that does not contain two lights, called “surrounding light” and “inner light,” and we shall explain them in AK. The surrounding light of the first Partzuf of AK is the light of Ein Sof, which fills the whole of reality. Following the first restriction and the screen that was erected in Malchut, there was a coupling by striking from the light of Ein Sof on that screen. And through the reflected light that the screen raised, it drew the upper light to the restricted world once more, in the form of ten Sefirot of the Rosh and ten Sefirot of the Guf, as written in Item 25.

Yet, this extension from Ein Sof in Partzuf AK does not fill the whole of reality as prior to the restriction. Rather, it is discerned with a Rosh and a Sof [end]: From above downward, its light stops at the point of this world, which is the concluding Malchut, as in the verse, “His feet will stand on the Mount of Olives.” And also from within outward, since as there are ten Sefirot KHB TM from above downward, and Malchut concludes the AK from below, so there are ten Sefirot KHB TM from within outward, called marrow, bones, tendons, flesh, and skin [Mocha, Atzamot, Gidin, Bassar, and Or]. The skin is Malchut, which ends the Partzuf from the outside. In that respect, Partzuf AK is considered a mere thin line compared to Ein Sof, which fills the whole of reality. This is so because the Partzuf of skin ends it and limits it from all sides, from the outside, and it cannot expand and fill the entire restricted space. Thus, only a thin line remains standing in the middle of the space.

The measure of the light received in AK, the thin line, is called inner light. The difference between the inner light in AK and the light of Ein Sof prior to the restriction is called surrounding light, since it remains as surrounding light around Partzuf AK as it could not clothe within the Partzuf. 

M. Laitman: What does he wish to say? That we have a limitation from above and a limitation from below, from the right and from the left. The vessel is limited. We don't have up, down, left and right, but rather in the vessel there are a few inner restrictions, its own restrictions. It's according to some specific data and that we say our restrictions above, up and down according to the coarseness of the screen and outside and inwards, that's according to the light. That's according to the structure of the vessel. Or it can be said that from above downwards, it goes according to the screen or the light of Hochma and in coarseness, this is according to the light of Hassadim. Certainly, these limitations are natural limitations, which exist in the vessel because there always need to be five and five, yes? Five Sefirot in length and height and five Sefirot in width or coarseness. But what is the order determined by? From above downwards, you have the Masach, so these are the vessels for the light of Hochma; and in width - it's according to equivalence with the light of Hassadim. We will study this. He explains this, he says this just to explain to us that there are limitations to the expansion of the light, and these exist in length and width in each and every degree, but we haven't yet learned why degrees even exist, why one degree begets another, and so we have a series of degrees from above downwards. And the whole of reality is 125 degrees, which emerged. Why? 

Reader: Item
Reading: (08:32) Baal HaSulam. Preface to the Wisdom of Kabbalah. #32

This thoroughly clarifies the meaning of the surrounding light of AK, whose immensity is immeasurable. Yet, this does not mean that Ein Sof, which fills the whole of reality, is in itself considered the surrounding light of AK. Rather, it means that a coupling by striking was made on Malchut of the Rosh of AK, where Ein Sof struck the screen that is placed there. In other words, it wished to dress in phase four of AK, as prior to the restriction, but the screen in Malchut of the Rosh of AK struck it. This means that it detained it from spreading into phase four and repelled it, as written in Item 14. Indeed, this reflected light that emerged from the pushing of the light back became vessels for clothing the upper light.

However, there is a very big difference between the reception in phase four prior to the restriction and the reception of the reflected light after the restriction, as now it clothed only a thin line in Rosh and Sof. This is what the screen did through its striking on the upper light. And the measure that was rejected from AK by the screen, the full measure of upper light from Ein Sof that wanted to clothe in phase four—had it not been for the screen that detained it—became the surrounding light surrounding AK.  

M. Laitman taking and drawing: Prior to the restriction, the whole of reality was in the form of a circle. Prior to the restriction. After the restriction, when the light departed, this is before the restriction, this is one, now two, let's say two is the departure of the light, the light which was here inside departed, came out. Departure. And what remains then is three, a void, and then it was decided in the middle point from which mostly came the departure of the light, that now the reception of lights will be according to equivalence of form, because it wants equivalence of form. So it assembles a screen, Masach, and accordingly, according to the Masach, it receives. To what extent can it receive the light? Well, a little bit, not the whole circle, but just a little bit. She has here the Rosh, the head, where she calculates the, well, she calculates. And what's here, inside, is the Toch, the inner part, and what's outside here, all this is the Sof, the end. And that's what happens with Malchut of Ein Sof, after the restriction. That's it. He says that the reception of the light, after the restriction, into the will, according to the thought in the Rosh, [the head], according to decision, according to equivalence of form with the infinite light, the Ohr of Ein Sof, which is here. Here you have Ohr Sovev, [surrounding light], with which you want to reach equivalence of form. And the measure of that equivalence is so minuscule that it's not really this part, but rather it's like a very, very thin line, a thin line. That's what he describes later on, as a line within the void. This is the point. The point of Olam Hazeh, this world, and this line is all of the degrees. They're all inside this line. Here you have all the worlds. Everything is inside of this.

And in general, that is the form of reception that the screen allows after the restriction. And everything else, everything else cannot be received in order to bestow. It stays restricted. And all these other desires. Lev HaEven, the heart of stone, when will they be corrected and the light received into them? After the end of correction, or at the end of correction. And then the light will return to fill this infinite void as it did before the first restriction.

Reading: (15:04) Baal HaSulam. Preface to the Wisdom of Kabbalah. #32

The reason is that there is no change or absence in the spiritual. And since the light of Ein Sof is drawn to AK, to clothe in phase four, it must therefore be so. Hence, even though the screen has now detained it and repelled it, it does not contradict the extension of Ein Sof. On the contrary, it sustains it but in a different way: through proliferation of couplings in the five worlds AK and ABYA, until the end of correction, when phase four is completely corrected through them. At that time, Ein Sof will clothe in her as in the beginning. 

M. Laitman: So, which is to say, Malchut of Ein Sof can either receive the light, or rather, she can receive the light all at once with no limitations. However, in that, she feels different to the Creator. And when she receives, the light doesn't depart, there's no restriction, it's not forbidden to receive or to enjoy it, but she decides by her own free choice, not after being threatened or from a state of helplessness or suffering or darkness, nothing is missing. She lacks nothing but for one thing. She has no equivalence of form, and therefore, she makes the restriction and she decides that this is the only thing she wants. And so, all of the corrections happen only on the condition that a person has all the abundance and pleasure, all he wants, other than equivalence of form. And then it is said that he walks above reason, and he decides and determines that he wants only that, only the ability to achieve that, like in Malchut of Ein Sof, because all the degrees are a mini-form of Malchut of Ein Sof, and they are parts of her, a miniature.

And therefore, the smallest degree that we can imagine, that we can describe from below upwards, from the middle point, the point of HaOlam Hazeh, this world, from which we want to ascend, that is the point where we meet the condition of Malchut of Ein Sof. So after exerting ourselves greatly, gaining some little desire for spirituality and all that, after that, we are given this chance, this option. You want it? Go ahead. The whole of Ein Sof, infinity, is yours, according to our little vessel, of course. But there's no limitation. So for you, it's infinite. And so then a person needs to stand against that state and to prefer adhesion and bestowal to the infinite fulfillment and satisfaction of his vessel. And then if he attains the power to resist this, then he rises to that first degree, which is called Ubar, embryo. So from here, we can learn what the spiritual nature is, and how we need to decide to go for a higher degree each time. And what is the actual condition for this to be in this line of Ein Sof from below, which we call the middle point, up to the beginning, the head of the line. And after we make this decision, after we make that choice, and realize, act upon our decision, then we reach a state where by ourselves, from the darkness, from this middle point, we build a line of bestowal. And when we reach the end of that line, this is called the end of correction. We corrected everything that we can correct, to the extent that we can correct our vessel through equivalence of form with the light, the surrounding light here. And after that comes the general correction of this entire space, the heart of stone, Lev HaEvan, which receives a screen. And then we return to the state, the same state as in Ein Sof, infinity, but with a screen.

So this entire space, this entire void, is full of the infinite light, Ohr Ein Sof. And then it is said that the Creator and Israel are one in that space, that void, which was created after the restriction. 

Question (Petah Tikva Center): (20:25) Based on what, you decide that you choose the next degree if you don't know it? You just decide to be on the next degree? 

M. Laitman: Based on what do you decide, make a decision about the next degree if you don't know it? Well, throughout this process, we just have to understand that with all this process that we study, from below upwards, from above downwards, in general, if we ask about something, anything, we need to return to Ein Sof, because there all the decisions were made made and all the actions stem from there. The state which existed in Ein Sof was called the first state, Alef. Then the cascade down and so on and return the cascade downwards is called the second state and then returning back to infinity, this whole process, is called the third state. 

By nature the light constructs the vessel, leading the vessel through this entire process bringing it to its purpose. Throughout that the light has to supply the vessel with all everything it needs, all the knowledge and data and there's nothing that the light does not provide. However, in the vessel after the light provides everything to the vessel, there remains something in the vessel which is called free choice, a free decision. Now this decision, we see that its source is in Ein Sof. The light created the vessel through the four phases of direct light as the will to receive. It gave, in the second discernment in phase two, after having created the raw will to receive, in that raw form he immediately puts the feeling of the sense or the feeling of Him, that He exists. Not just that the will to receive feels that it's enjoying something, right, the will to receive isn't his, right, it just feels a little drop of liveliness. And then it immediately begins to feel that someone is giving him that vitality and then from the nature of the will to receive in it there is some aspect, some reaction, some attitude, some regard for whoever it is that's giving it this vitality, this life. And then what does it want? It wants to be like Him, like the source of his life, like the Keter. And so the first discernment immediately wants to be like the Keter. And then it inverts into the second phase, the second discernment. It's not that the light does it directly, but it sort of invites behind the scenes that reaction in the vessel. And the vessel cannot feel that yet consciously, but its response automatically is to want to be like the light, meaning opposite to the way it was before. There's this flipping process. There's some trigger, as you say. There's an inversion between the first and the second discernment. And this is how it is for all discernments. If you have two adjacent states, they're always opposites to each other. 

And the light is always operating within the vessel, but one time it's revealed as the giver, the bestower, the pure, the great. And another time it's revealed as the source of pleasure, and the vessel just enjoys it. And then the vessel is between these two influences - from one side, you have the pleasure, from the other, the greatness of the giver. And they're opposites, like the first and second discernments, like Hochma and Bina, the vessel of reception and bestowal. And then these two things, which supposedly contradict each other, they bring the vessel, these influences from the light, they bring the vessel to a state where she has to reach some completion, right? How do I complete these things? Otherwise, I can't find any rest. I have to, from the nature of creation, the first nature is the will to receive, and my root is in a state of complete rest, and that pushes me to find some kind of compromise. How can I remain calm in a state where on the one hand I want to enjoy, but on the other, if I feel joy, I don't, well, to the extent that I receive, I feel shame, so I don't actually find any joy. How do I make these two things complete each other? And so, the solution is that in the fourth discernment, there is an understanding already that it's possible to achieve reception with the intention to bestow, in order to bestow. And then, the more I receive, the more I fulfill the bestower. And I also enjoy the fact that I am like Him. Because if the vessel is empty, I'm rid of the shame. But then, I am lacking. I have nothing. And if I fill myself up with pleasure, then I feel that I did nothing. And I feel shame with respect to the giver, the host. Because if I receive, I don't receive. If I receive, I have shame, because I'm not like the bestower. And if I don't receive, I restrict myself. There's also shame, because I decided not to feel shame, right? But by that, I'm disregarding the bestower, who wants to bestow upon me.

So, it follows that the vessel, after gathering all the impressions from the four phases of direct light, she receives everything which satisfies her. And it's sufficient to come to decide upon the restriction, the screen, and the reflected light. And these decisions also come gradually. But what I want to say is that this decision, which was made back then, in Malchut of Ein Sof, with all the data that was available there, where you have the Ohr of Ein Sof [the infinite light], and the revelation of the host, the giver, the emanator, which is also unrestricted, and you have the sensation of fulfillment within the vessel, where the light doesn't cancel out the vessel, as it happens later. But rather, the light fills the vessel. And it is called, He and His name are one, where the Creator allows the vessel the freedom to remain in whatever state it wants. And then, a decision is made after all the data, after everything is known, basically. And that decision remains through to the end of correction. When you return to that first state, but it is actually the third state, that decision made in the first state, Malchut of Ein Sof, makes the decision. And that decision only comes to fruition. But what's added here is one more thing, one more element. Why does Malchut of Ein Sof decide to reach the third state? Is it because of shame. What cancels out the shame? Equivalence of form. How is equivalence of form expressed? We find that Malchut of Ein Sof, in its decision at the end, she understands that she lacks a place which is devoid of the host. She has to part from Him. She has to establish herself independently. And from that independent form, called the point of HaOlam Hazeh, the point of this world, to begin making independent decisions, truly independent. Why is it so important for her? Because she's in a state where she has everything, and in that state, she cannot express her independence - “It's me deciding that I want to be like the Creator. I'm deciding that I want to be the bestower. I want to be rid of the shame. I want to fulfill, to satisfy Him!” She lacks that point of… that status where she can say, this is me who decided. Because even if she makes a decision, the free choice from a state where she's disconnected from the Creator, it doesn't exist here in Malchut of Ein Sof. And that's what she has to achieve. First of all, she says, what I now decide, I want to realize from a state where I'm completely disconnected from the Emanator. And then, if I realize it, it will truly be me. I decide that I want to be like the Creator. 

Reader: Next part in our lesson on the topic of winning the war, and before that, a song.

Song: (31:33)