TIFERET: TIKKUN CHATZOT תקון חצות – LESSON WITH RAV MICHAEL LAITMAN
Baal HaSulam. Study of the Ten Sefirot. Vol. 1. Part 2. Inner Observation. Chapter 2, item 9
Morning Lesson May 20, 2022, Transcription
Transcription is made from simultaneous translation which leaves a possibility for differences in the audio
Part 2:
Baal HaSulam. “Study of the Ten Sefirot” (TES). Vol. 1. Part 2. Inner Observation. Chapter Two. #9 (“Know that what distinguishes the five worlds of AK and ABYA..”)
Item # 9 (00:19)
1. S. (02:58:) If he is in the world of Adam Kadmon there is a screen and coarseness of phase four, why do not we feel it as created beings?
R. We are not in the world of Adam Kadmon, we are in this world in a dark point that feels nothing outside of its own state. How could it be that, what is this demand of feeling the world of Adam Kadmon? Do you belong to the Aviut, coarseness, of Behina Dalet? Do you have a screen with the coarseness of Behina Dalet and the hardness of the screen of Behina Dalet?
S. It’s just that here it is written that it extends from end to end from Ein Sof to this world?
R. Yes it is the world that is inside all the worlds, but it has nothing to do with us, we are not in it we do not belong to that system.
S. This world, what does it mean?
R. This world is not our world all the words that are spoken, what Aviut do we have, what screen do we have we, have nothing.
S. What is this world, what does it mean this world?
R. This world of ours is what you feel in your senses, in your feelings, emotions and mostly in your intentions and desires in order to receive. That is your world.
S. According to the text, what is this world?
R. According to this world is considered the central point of all the worlds towards which all the worlds operate. All the worlds operate towards it in order to raise this point until it will develop and cover all the circles all the light of Ein Sof.
2. S. (05:48) Can we assume that the root of the soul of Moses is as the root, like at the root of Pharaoh is in the screen of the world of Adam Kadmon?
R. I do not want to answer such questions because there is no such basis. The root of Pharaoh, what are you talking about, where did these definitions come from that you are asking about? Let us learn what is written, it will give us a much faster ability to understand these things.
Item 10 (06:53)
3. R. (07:08) Already from here you can see the coarseness and you have a screen of Behina Dalet of the fourth phase and you are in the world of Adam Kadmon. If you have the coarseness of the third phase, the desire to receive from the third phase and a screen from the third phase then you are in the world of Atzilut. Second phase, first phase and root, that’s Beria Yetzira and Assiya, but if we don’t have that coarseness and moreover we do not have a screen over it then this is completely outside of us and do not ask about things that are unrealistic for us. The world of Atzilut is from the screen of phase three, therefore it is external to AK which is phase four. AK is the internal world upon which all the world’s clothe.
Item 10 (08:16) “The Screen in the Vessels of the World of Atzilut…”
4. S. (09:26) What is the coarseness of phase four?
R. This is the greatest coarseness in the fourth phase and the greatest coarseness in the will to receive and the screen upon it, the restriction, and the screen. Hence from the restriction and a screen, a response is built upon phase four towards the upper light then the light can build all kinds of connection between the light and the desire in phase four, and what it builds is called a world and that will be the world of Atzilut, the world of Adam Kadmon.
S. I wanted to ask what we, in this world and what we feel in this world has no connection to the coarseness of phase four?
R. We are not in any coarseness, we have no coarseness whatsoever. coarseness is after the general restriction that is on the general will to receive. The coarseness can be revealed only to the extent that you have the power of the restriction and the power of the screen then the coarseness is revealed in you so that you can use it correctly with the restriction and the screen. If you do not have these forces of overcoming then you cannot even reveal this coarseness, much less the light that appears on the level of the coarseness.
5. S. (11:28) Can we know what is the screen of Behina Dalet or we cannot know this?
R. The screen of phase four is considered the force power of overcoming the coarseness of phase four. What is the coarseness of phase four? You do not know what it is, I cannot describe it to you from examples of this world because this whole world relative to phase four is zero.
Item 11. (12:28)
6. R. (12:39) That is we have the world of Adam Kadmon with the coarseness of the will to receive is of phase four, the restriction is of phase four, the restriction is of phase four as much as he can receive in order to bestow, this is actually the world of Adam Kadmon, AK. Then there is the world of Atzilut and now we have Atzilut which means screen of phase three. And what about the screen of Beria? He says the world of Beria is from the coarseness of phase two and over it there is restriction, a screen and reflected light and in that reflected light the one that does that feels the world of Beria.
RAV READS ITEM 11. (13:34) “The screen in the vessels of the ten Sefirot of the world of Beria is even more refined than that of the world of Atzilut. It is lighter, weaker, that screen consisting only of the coarseness of phase two. Thus, the level of its ten Sefirot does not reach higher than Bina.” Meaning all of these ten Sefirot of the world of Beria reach the degree of Bina. Therefore the world of Beria is regarded as more exterior, weaker than the world of Atzilut. “Where there is coarseness of phase three making it interior to the world of Beria which is only the coarseness of phase two. The world of Beria is considered to be an external clothing over the world of Atzilut.” Meaning any world that is lower is considered more external, that it cannot attain as much as the world before it which is higher.
7. S. (14:47) In Adam Kadmon they have all the coarseness and the screen upon it, why doesn’t the process end there?
R. In the world of Adam Kadmon there is the greatest coarseness, but we do not start to develop from the world of Adam Kadmon but to the opposite from the world of Assiya, from the lowest world. Because we advance from the small vessels, from the weak forces to the greater forces to higher worlds and this is how it is from this world. We start to climb on the ladder of degrees of the worlds of Assiya, Yetzira, Beria, Atzilut, Adam Kadmon and Ein Sof.
S. The more coarseness is being revealed then they have a screen for in Adam Kadmon?
R. No. Precisely the same coarseness is revealed as there is a screen following the restriction. The shattering and all the preparations, it cannot be that we will get stuck in some desire that there is no screen over it. A person must first prepare his screen and then according to that he receives the coarseness in actuality with which he can work.
8. S. (16:36) What is this principle that the ten can obtain this restriction?
R. If ten people or less than ten, even two Rabash writes, that is also enough, but if they work towards each other and the ten it is a lot easier actually, that the ten is the optimum force, the optimal number of participants. If they want each one to annul himself towards the others, then in ten people they have the most optimal and the easiest conditions for advancement, for restriction, annulment, acquiring the screen and building the forces that we are learning about here, the entrance of the spiritual worlds.
Reading Item 12 (18:06)
9. R. (19:10) Meaning the coarser the world is, well if there’s a screen then it is more important, if there is no screen then it is worse, this is how we look at it and how we see it. That the worlds that the created being discovers in from below upwards, according to the screen that grows in him out of his spiritual work, and this is how we discover the worlds from this world to Assiya to Yetzira to Beria and so on.
10. S. (19:47) We have here in chapter two of Inner Observation and analysis from below upward. Rav said that after the breaking there’s no such thing called a desire that clothes without the screen and if we have a screen of phase four then we reach the world of AK. When we study the Preface to the Wisdom of Kabbalah about the world of Adam Kadmon and all the Partzufim there, we study that it is very refined and very high. Here we learn that it is phase four, so how does that work out?
R. Clearly this is how it works out, the greater the coarseness is without the screen, it is just coarseness and darkness, the greater the coarseness is, but with a screen then it becomes a refinement and light. It depends on what we are talking about just phase four, when we say that, we do not know what phase four means. What does he want to say, phase four without a screen with the screen? This is the difference between light and darkness.
S. This means that when we study the Preface to the Wisdom of Kabbalah about the world of Adam Kadmon, so there it is without the screen of the created being? Do we study there even before the breaking?
R. I do not know exactly what you mean but we are learning about the vessels. The vessels can be with screens, without screens. In our studies we learn these things in all kinds of different states. We certainly want to attain and when we want to attain these worlds and live in these worlds, then we have to enter into these worlds. It is a must for us to enter there, it is necessary that we live in them there, so it is necessary that we need coarseness and screen. We get the coarseness according to our ability to overcome the coarseness and to be above the coarseness and to rise above the coarseness, this is considered that we acquire a screen. All in all that is all there is, there is no more is in the Wisdom of Kabbalah. The coarseness that the Creator created and the screen that we demand from Him and get it and then we work correctly with the coarseness. Instead of wanting to receive we then turn to the Creator, and we want to bestow.
Item 13 (22:58)
11. R. (24:53) That is here we are already talking about the relations between the worlds as much as the coarseness on the one in hand can distance between the spiritual degrees and to bring them closer, to clothe them one over one of the other. This is the difference between the worlds, that the one that is coarsest is considered as the farthest from the Creator but through the screen it becomes closer because out of its coarseness it can make itself resemble to the Creator. Therefore all of the worlds are on the one hand, and they can be concealment, on the other hand they can be as revelation and this is why everything depends only on the coarseness and the screens, we have nothing besides these two elements.
12. R. (26:00) How can there be a screen without coarseness? I thought a screen was resistance to the will to receive?
R. Right, a screen cannot be without coarseness. First coarseness is revealed and then through the work of man, that he wants to overcome the coarseness, overcome his ego, he wants to come closer to others. Then his coarseness becomes refinement and through that he advances, he rises on the ladder of degrees and that is why without the revelation of coarseness it is impossible to do anything.
S. In item thirteen he writes that there is no coarseness in the world of Assiya but still there’s a screen?
R. Because the coarseness is seemingly so small that we don’t take it into consideration zero coarseness. It’s not really zero because there too you have ten Sefirot and each and every Sefira, there’s a difference between it and the other and also what is the difference in the coarseness and upon the coarseness you already have all kinds of other phenomena, but with respect to all of the other worlds it is considered as truly coarseness zero .
S. How do we acquire the coarseness and the screen in our situation?
R. I want to connect with the friends in spite of all disturbances and in that I see how much I’m capable of it or not capable of it and I ask help from above and with that I get even greater coarseness and along with that I get over it the ability to overcome the coarseness.
13. S. (28:05) You already explained a part of it concerning the coarseness, but in our case coarseness creates or generates the revelation, the recognition of the evil between us?
R. Well certainly it depends on the magnitude of the coarseness in us. We discover the evil in us and as much as we overcome the coarseness we acquire the measure of refinement and according to that we already reach degrees of Gadlut, greatness and refinement congruence with the Creator, connection with Him.
14. S. (29:05) In item thirteen by Baal HaSulam writes that the world of Assiya is clothed not only over Yetzira but in all the worlds?
R. The world of Assiya is the most external to all of them, the smallest of all of them, the weakest one, therefore it clothes over all of them. External is not as a benefit but a detriment because it doesn’t have a screen that allows him to be more internal and besides that there is nothing to the coarseness except to turn it into refinement to use the forces that are in the coarseness but in order to bestow. This is considered refinement.
15. S. (30:10) The screen, the coarseness, the restriction, this overcoming is when you are not dependent on not wanting to connect with the friends again, but you connect, nevertheless. You go for this connection, but we do this work all the time, you don’t want to go to a meal, but you do, but you don’t discover the world of Assiya . What is lacking in our work, so we build the screen?
R. The fact that you are going to a meal let’s say with the friends, and you’re doing it in order not to feel ashamed. Meaning is not a correction, but it is rather running away from the shame, and a correction is if you will be thinking for the benefit of the friends or for the benefit of the Creator. Here you are thinking for your own benefit so they will not say anything, or they won’t think or that I’ll feel unpleasant on the next day. In order to prevent this unpleasantness you go to them, meaning all in all you are going to benefit not to contribute yourself to them but to benefit and then you think that by this you will get some spiritual benefit. This is how it works in us, meaning we need to know how to use the coarseness.
S. I think that we are actually constantly running away from this important component and don’t overcome correctly, we constantly run away from the shame, so how do we make the correction correctly for the sake of the Creator?
R. Only to become incorporated inside of the friends, this will give you a clear indication so you will also be able to check yourself for whom you are working, for the Creator or for yourself? This is why you were given the friends; the Creator arranged the entire system in this way so you have friends so that if you operate for their benefit then you can check your intention if it’s correct or not.
16. S. (32:57) The screen of Adam Kadmon and Beria complete one another or are they simply one on top of the other?
R. They have connections between them, very special connections. They connect, they rise, they help each other. We will talk more about the connection between the worlds, how much they help each world and helps the adjacent world to go up and down, it is a system, it’s a live system. The Creator who is above all of the worlds he’s managing them and arranging them in an optimal manner for us who are on the bottom of all of these degree so that the person will be able to rise through all of the shakes, shake ups that occur in the worlds, to be able to rise on top of the, rise up the ladder.
17. S. (34:21) In our prayer can we ask for addition of Aviut of coarseness or ask for more of the scrutiny?
R. With our prayer we should usually come to the state where we are asking for help, help in reaching bestowal, reaching connection, reaching mutual support, all kinds of states that are along our way to correction. To ask for coarseness for a descent, because coarseness always brings about a descent, we cannot ask for this, it will be a lie if you are asking for this, it is not within man’s powers to ask for something bad. If we ever come to it then we will learn how we can use the additional coarseness to through it come to refinement too.
S. Can we ask to feel the coarseness that we have, let’s say if we don’t feel it?
R. If you don’t feel it it’s a sign we cannot work with it correctly, that’s it. When we can work with it correctly we will feel what to do with it, and we will ask for the restriction on it and the screen and reflected light, and we will build all this coarseness, all these degrees of coarseness that are revealed you will be able to build out of this the Partzufim of bestowal.
18. S. (36:44) What is the meaning of the coarseness and hardness for us in the ten? How do we experience it?
R. To the extent that I feel rejection towards the friends, this is called my coarseness, to the extent that I can overcome all this rejection and connect above it, this is being in my refinement, in my hardness.
19. S. (37:22) Is the internality coarseness with the screen? What does it mean that internality and coarseness are one and the same?
R. To the extent that I can overcome the coarseness and be connected to what I feel that I am moving away, if I skip over the distance between us, between me and the friend and I want to be connected her, to that extent I rise above the coarseness into refinement and accordingly if I do these exercises I’ll begin to feel the difference between darkness and light.
20. S. (38:16) If only five out of ten friends will annul themselves before the others completely but the other five cannot do it, will there be a screen over the common desire of the ten nevertheless that can bring the ten closer to the Creator?
R. Yes, we need to see the ten in every situation it is in as a ten that is ready for connection and for revelation. The Creator will take care of everything, we only need to make an effort in every station whatever it is, to bring more connection.
21. S. (38:56) What is the advice if we feel great coarseness but also lack the ability to work with it correctly?
R. Continue, continue, and most importantly pray, start praying together where everyone prays and then you will feel afterwards what to do next, the Creator will give you advice.
22. S. (39:30) How to reach this inversion that enables us to operate not for myself but for the Creator?
R. This is possible only if the Creator does it, this change, so you begin to think about others, about Him and not about yourself. This, it’s a problem, we need constantly try to ask the Creator to do it and in the end He will do it.
23. S. (40:20) How can I know that I’m coming to the lesson for the benefit of the friends and not for my own benefit?
R. Simple, understand that we need to see our system where we are, by what we can rise, by what we can rise to in the degrees, that’s it. Think more and more about all those states and how to rise on the ladder with respect to them.
24. S. (41:10) I heard you say that my Arvut is in supporting the others so they will advance. What does it mean to support the friends, what is this action, how do we do it correctly towards the friends?
R. We will see their desires and all their desires which are directed towards the Creator. Support these desires, relate yourself to them, this is called supporting the friends, this is very helpful.