MONDAY PRAYER: BINAH-TIKKUN CHATZOT תקון חצות – LESSON WITH RAV MICHAEL LAITMAN

READING: between after midnight and sunrise of MONDAY.

Baal HaSulam. Preface to the Wisdom of Kabbalah

Morning Lesson April 22, 2023 

Transcription is made from simultaneous translation which leaves a possibility for differences in the audio

Part 2:

Baal HaSulam. Preface to the Wisdom of Kabbalah. #25

Reading Item # 25 (00:23) “Thus, as long as not all five vessels KHB TM have grown in a Partzuf, the lights…”

1. S. (03:24) What is this matter of making place?

R. So that there will be a place for the new light.

S. It is not an addition that a light is added to the previous one?

R. No, each and every light is something new or different in and of itself.

2. S. (03:52) When we say Malchut it’s a whole vessel, from Keter to Malchut. Malchut presents everything, that in Malchut there are rooms, that each time make time from one room to a new light, and when Keter gets a new light we have to make a room and take the light lower one degree.

R. Well, that’s how you think, but here he speaks differently, that Sefirot are filled with lights that come from above.

S. What are those parts in Malchut that every time we have to move the light to a different place?

R. This we talk about this later, about the coarseness, screens, but now he’s saying you have five parts, Keter, Hochma, Bina, ZA, Malchut, and the light comes and enters through all these until it comes to Malchut and on the way, it should clear the way for a new light, and that is how it’s done.

S. When the light of Nefesh makes room for the light of Ruach, so something remains or it all goes away?

R. An impression remains, the Reshimo remains.

3. S. (05:29) He writes here that you will find that every new light clothes only on the vessel of Keter and that is because anyone who receives, has to receive in a more refined vessel, which is the vessel of Keter, and then he writes that the lights are already clothed in the Partzuf, they have to go down one degree when the new light comes, can you explain that, why does it happen?

R. When a new light comes from above we have to make room for it, that’s why all the lights that already exist in the Partzuf need to descend, each one goes down one degree, lower.

S. But it feels as if it goes up, so why does it go down?

R. What goes up?

S. As if you always have to elevate it?

R. Light comes from above, a new light, a greater light, so the vessel has to make room for it, that there will be room for that new light then the light that was in the vessel, goes down.

S. This light that goes down, that is what is not clear, where does it disappear to?

R. It goes down to a lower vessel.

S. Which is now more refined?

R. We can say it became more refined.

S. It is not so clear, thank you.

R. I also don’t understand your question

4. S. (07:23) When the light goes from one degree to another, it is refined?

R. That the passage refines?

S. The light refines as it passes, it has to clear room from one vessel so it’s refined, in the transition from one vessel to another?

R. I don’t understand what it means that the light refines, there’s no such term.

5. S. (08:04) Here he is talking about the clothing of the light of Nefesh on the lower Sefirot, but at the same time, the clothing of the upper lights in the upper vessels, Keter, so what is the first action, the refinement?

R. The first action is that the light enters the highest vessel, the vessel of Keter.

S. But if there is no room down, so what is the action of the light, it simply causes lack of?

R. He doesn’t look at it like you in the global manner, he says, the light comes, enters the vessel, to what place, to the place of Keter, the vessel of Keter.

S. This means, what am I trying to scrutinize, if there is no preparation from below, then the lower vessels will feel it as destruction or something like that, if the upper like enters, the light shines non-stop?

R. So you mean before the upper light enters it sees the vessel if it is ready to accept it in its fullness right?

S. Yes, so if the vessel is not ready?

R. So the light doesn’t enter.

6. S. (09:39) You just said that the light will only enter if the vessel can certainly receive it, I’m asking about the purification of the screen, the vessel makes a coupling when it says that it can hold the Creator above the pleasure, but it makes a mistake, and when it’s about to be broken, it refines the screen, my question is, is this action under the control of the vessel the refinement of the screen, to bring the light out of it?

R. No, it is under the control of the upper force, a higher Partzuf that is above Keter determines.

S. How the next bite and the meal can be, if after the first bite the guest saw it, it breaks and it leaves the room, how can he stay in the meal without leaving the room, meaning that the lowest place it will go to will not be to eat, but not to leave the room?

R. No chance.

S. No chance?

R. Right.

S. I didn’t understand, if I go into the meal, for the first time I break, so I left the room. So if I understand, then there is the first restriction, then the vessel can’t feel it, I can’t live, it doesn’t have food, so it has to go into coupling again?

R. He doesn’t have to, he won’t be let in.

S. How can the next coupling occur after the vessel has been broken?

R. So he needs to correct himself, that is the correction of the shattered vessel.

S. Where does the broken vessel get the confidence and the strength to go to the next coupling?

R. From learning the shattering and being connected to the whole system that can correct him, that it is not the same style the way it received the light in the first time in order to bestow, that thought that it could withstand it.

S. Here we just read that the vessel of Keter is what works on the coupling with the upper light, the vessel of Keter is very weak, every time the light that goes in is stronger than the force it can sustain, and the light has to leave, how does this action, when light enters the vessels of Keter, it doesn’t matter what light, but it’s not the light of Keter, how, up until then, the actions, meaning how does the vessel of Keter or the vessel of Malchut, I don’t know who’s in control here, how does it not break, but rather how does it pass it on in Partzuf?

R. Every light that enters the vessel doesn’t come in order to shatter the vessel, it comes in order to give the vessel a feeling whether it can receive it in order to bestow, and the vessel checks whether it is ready or not.

S. When the vessel of Keter received the light of Nefesh, it eventually saw it’s not his, it can not sustain it, lowered it?

R. It receives the light Nefesh in the vessel of Keter, in order to bestow.

7. S. (13:28) Sometimes we’re talking from the perspective of the vessel and then there is always more and more coarseness, and the reason that we light has to enter the vessel of Keter is from the perspective of the intention, that is the reason for the extra coarseness that is made later?
R. There is a guest sitting before the host, and he has to start receiving something from the host, otherwise he will push everything away, what are you asking about?

S. When every time a new light has to be revealed in the vessel of Keter it’s like the goal of everything is to give him contentment?

R. Yes, of course, there is no other reason for them to be in any connection.

8. S. (14:27)  Just a question to understand, if we relate to a bus like a vessel, that it’s supposed to realize itself, and the people who enter the bus has a light, and then Keter is the driver, people don’t enter to fulfill the driver, so the driver passes them off, he can’t put them by his side, so every time people enter the bus, and the ones we’re sitting have to go back, so the light goes down one vessel, and then from the perspective of the vessels, the vessel is more coarse, that’s why they can receive more light and he can bring more people in the bus, can take the people, but from the perspective of the people, there’s a refinement, people are going back and back, so they’re making room for more people, until the vessel is full, and as you said, the vessel scrutinizes if it can bring it and when it can, it says, that’s it, stop, the bus is full. Can we see it this way?

R. Yes. It checks itself through reflected light.

9. S. (16:08) The matter of how the vessels grow, in the Partzuf he writes that the vessels grow, and then the light enters more and more, now this thing, the enlargement of the vessel, can you explain to us what this means?

R. I don’t understand.

S. How does the vessel grow, what does it mean that the vessel grows?

R. The will to receive with the screen grows.

S. What causes it, the light that enters it causes the vessel to grow?

R. The records, Reshimot.

S. We always say that there’s always 10 Sefirot, 10 Sefirot enter, so how is it that this process is not whole , it’s as if it goes by steps?

R.  I’m sorry that I don’t understand. The records awaken the lights in vessels to start connecting to one another. The light enters the vessel, and the vessel starts connecting to the light, and from then, between them, a process of connection, of the light entering the Partzuf.

S. Can we use here the example of the guest and the host, that he’s sitting in front of the host and the process starts, how does his vessel grow? The vessel is seemingly there, it’s defined?

R. When I sit before the host and I receive something in my upper vessel, in the smallest desire, 

S. So I received, then the host puts pressure, take something else. I expand my vessel and receive another portion of something else already, and that’s how it continues, from the small refreshment, to the bigger and bigger one, until I receive all the meal he prepared for me, so I need to receive a new screen every time?

R. Of course.

S. And how will that screen get force?

R. Discover a new desire, a prayer to receive from the host strength, and in order to bestow to receive a fulfillment.

S. So, the first light that enters gives something to the process that also gives forces to the vessel?

R. Yes.

10. S. (19:23) I have a problem to understand Keter’s nature. On one side it gives to the lights and on the other side it receives the lights, so what is it?

R. Keter is a vessel to receive the first light. According to the equivalence of form with the light it  can receive it in order to bestow in the closest way between them, that’s it. It has a small will to receive, it has by that a screen, coarseness which is small and then it makes equivalence of form with the light. As much as it wants to bestow to it, so does the Keter want to bestow. What examples can I give you? The host tells you well at least let’s have L’chaim, this is accepted between everyone so you have a L’chaim between you and this is considered an action for Keter in the Partzuf. Later you go deeper inside, why don’t you do that, why do you reject that?

11. S. (21:07) What is the reason that the light of mercy is the reason and the light of love is the result?

R. I don’t know.

S. Me neither.

R. That’s okay.

12. S. (21:30) What light was in the Partzuf before Keter received the light of Nefesh?

R. There was no light in the Partzuf at all, we say that it was empty.

S. What light was in the other vessels of the Partzuf when only Keter received Nefesh or does the whole Partzuf receive an illumination on the degree Nefesh?

R. If Keter receives the light of Nefesh in Keter we say that there’s the light of Nefesh, that’s it. The illumination that spreads in the whole Partzuf, well we’ll talk about it one day.

13. S. (22:27) When this vessel to receive the light of Nefesh was created, Keter does Malchut feel this vessel?

R. No. Let’s learn by the order he gives us. Malchut doesn’t yet feel any light, the light only comes to the vessel of Keter. You may say a thousand questions here and I can’t say it’s not justified, the question because how can it be that the vessel of Keter receives and all the rest of the Sefirot won’t receive? It’s not what really happens but this is how we’re learning it in the meantime, let’s learn it this way.

14. S. (23:27) I’m trying to understand the language of Baal HaSulam when he says vessel of Keter that receives the light of Nefesh. So what is this information that the vessel gives, what is this?  

R. The vessel of Keter receiving the light of Nefesh means that after the first restriction there is a restriction, a screen and reflected light. In this reflected light the vessel may receive direct light, however it’s in the smallest degree according to the reflected life it can establish. So enters the light Nefesh into the Partzuf, this is called in the vessel of Keter.

S. What coarseness is felt there?

R. Root coarseness.

S. So why is it through lights and vessels, it’s a direct relation?

R. It’s not direct, neither is it opposite but in the meantime the vessel of Keter is ready to receive the greatest light, the light of Yechida but in the meantime the smallest light enters, the light of Nefesh. 

S. So the end of the action..

R. In the end of the development of the lights in the vessels in the Sefirot. When the light of Nefesh reached Malchut then into the vessel of Keter the light of Yechida will enter.

15. S. (25:11) I’m stuck on the bus. How does the vessel grow? You said according to the records that’s what helps it grow. So the question is the Reshimot knows that there’s more public that grew and you have to lengthen the bus, it’s not a regular bus now you need a double bus or a double decker bus. Now the vessel grows according to the Reshimot? Who in the vessel or not in the vessel, where in the system does someone make the decision? Who sees that there’s more people and makes the decision for the vessel to grow and to release it out to accept the light? It’s hard for me to ask but is it a clear question?

R. The question is clear. What feels that the vessel has expanded is Keter because it’s connected to Malchut. The end is in the beginning and the beginning is in the end. 

S. Malchut of the upper one?

R. Not the upper one. Keter is connected to Malchut because it builds all the ten Sefirot and according to Malchut you call it expands or its coarseness grows, rises. So the coarseness is also felt in Keter, no other Sefira. That’s why there’s no problem to come to a decision that you need to bring more and more carts to that bus.   

16. S. (26:59) When he writes about the new light that came, that’s the light that’s working on the vessel now from Nefesh to Ruach?

R. There’s never the same light, it’s never this way. There’s no such a thing that it repeats itself, there’s always a new desire and everything has new conditions

S. So let’s say like in the vessel there’s a Partzuf. Also in the lights that there’s a different light?

R. A different light of course. The light in general is the light of Ein Sof, however the vessel according to its qualities distinguishes from that infinite light, distinguishes the light that it can work with.

S. So in the example you gave before about L’chaim, in the next action do they eat something bigger together?

R. Of course.

S. And is the L’chaim included in it, where is the L’chaim now? 

R. They did it already, it’s the first acquaintanceship. 

S. So in this new action where they’re eating something, where is the difference in the light? How do they know to say that this is more and it’s not Nefesh but now it’s Ruach?

R. It uses a new desire, a different desire. The desire always changes.

S. Meaning if there was a L’chaim now he doesn’t even feel it anymore?

R. Yes, it’s not the same as it was, it’s a lower degree already. They’re moving onto a higher degree.

S. And the fact that there was an entrance of the light before it, it brings the light in to be prepared for a bigger light?

R. Right.

S. The fact that the light already entered before?

R. Of course it built the vessel, it expanded the vessels.

S. How does it work in a way that it can receive a completely different light?

R. It’s the structure of the vessel, that’s how it’s built to begin with being incorporated with all Behinot in it. When you grow everyday you have new desires. When you were 10 years old and 11, 13, 15, etcetera, how did your desires change?

S. So at least according to what we’re learning it’s the environment.

R. Reshimot, the records that are in you, the upper light that used to work through the environment on your records got them into action.

S. Where are the records in the beginning of the development?

R. Throughout all the Sefirot, in all the Sefirot. I would say it this way, you learn that it’s 10 Sefirot all in all. In all these 10 Sefirot you have records from here until the end of correction over all the different states, there’s nothing new under the sun. The abstract upper light comes and the Reshimot determine the development and this is how everything revolves.

S. Are there records from above downwards not only from below upwards?

R. Many Reshimot, many Reshimot, dozens of records in the vessel. As an example you can see our body, how much data you have inside it

S. What do Reshimot mean from the development from below upwards? What’s an impression if it’s only developing for the first time?

R. There are things that we discover by the light that comes from above downwards opening the vessel. Some things appear from below upwards when they were in the vessel to begin with.

S. So also the first time is also called a Reshimot?

R. First time? No.

S. From below downwards the first time the light comes in, what records are there here?

R. There are records there, what do you mean? The Behinot Shoresh, Aleph, Bet, Gimmel, Dalet, root, one, two, three, four, what are all these Behinot? These are records. The light enters into them and then awakens the will to receive and the will receive starts working. This is how from the Behinot, Sefirot were made. Everything is determined to begin with in advance but there was a restriction. The light came out of this round vessel and then the lights go and awaken the vessel according to the records. This is now the development of the Partzuf, the development of the vessels.

17. S. (32:54) In this order when the light goes from one degree to the next, the light that reaches the fourth degree, is it the same amount and quality as it was when it entered Keter?

R. It can never be the same light, the same vessel, the same coarseness, never, it’s always new.

S. That light of Nefesh that entered Keter, when it reaches down to Malchut, is it the same Nefesh?

R. We call it the light of Nefesh, but it’s not the same light of Nefesh because it’s revealed in a different vessel. It’s not like us, l take a glass of milk, I put it in a small cup or a bucket, and it’s the same milk, no, here the vessel determines what fulfillment there is in it. So, if I poured milk into a glass or small cup, it will be whiskey, or in a bucket it will be water, etc. Here the vessel determines.

18. S. (34:19) Are the changes that we feel in the world a result of a new light entering Keter?

R. It is always this way, it is always all changes come from Keter and depend on the light that enters the vessels of Keter, yes.

19. S. (34:43) The matter of the records, it’s like a movie playing itself?

R. Yes.

S. So if everything is known in advance, so where do we still have choice?

R. It goes through the will to receive and the will to receive feels the records that are renewed in it, and accordingly it responds.

S. Responds, yeah, but where is the freedom, where is the independent action?

R. Independent action, we’ll talk about it, you can’t talk about it here, it’s impossible. You won’t understand it and it will only confuse you.

20. S. (35:33) The decision that the Kli is ready to receive the light, that is in the screen. After the screen says, I can receive the light of Nefesh, so the next stage is taking the light of Nefesh and putting it in the vessel of Keter. What is in the quality Keter, If we can learn from the four phases of direct light, what is in that quality of Keter that the vessel first of all has to bring it in there, it’s like a filter that Keter will receive it, and it’ll be okay. What is in the quality of Keter that in the four phases of direct light it was the most exalted and it was in equivalence?

R. In equivalence, exactly that, equivalence with the light.

S. So it’s in the part of the vessel of the created being that is equivalent to the Creator, that’s why every light that goes through it, first of all goes through Keter?

R. Yes, but is the smallest coarseness.

S. Why is that important, why is that the key to everything?

R. Because it’s still the created being, Keter. But because it has such a small coarseness, that’s why it’s so close to the light, and it seems as if there is no transition or acute transition between the light and Keter.

S. It’s like a buffer that just in case it passes the light?

R. It is not just in case, that’s why there’s equivalence of form between them.

S. So it’s a part that from the beginning of the creation is already in adhesion with the Creator?

R. It’s not adhesion, but you can say it this way, equivalence of form, because it is this way in advance. Tell me, who’s closer to the Creator, a human or some fly? The fly is closer.

21. S. (38:01) What is the force of shame? Is that a measurement in the friend’s desires and on the coarseness?

R. The force of shame is to what extent the vessel, the will to receive in the vessel feels that it’s different from the Creator.

S. How to use the shame to build, to come to the restriction and screen? What is that action that..?

R. The shame should be sufficiently strong so that by the strength of the power of the suffering it can overcome itself, wanting to perform actions of correction. And then it will receive the force from above, from the light that will build the restriction, the screen and the reflected light in it, turning it into a Partzuf.

S. And the action to correct my desire to receive, that’s to ask for the friends even though I feel that I need it so badly, I need a correction but I’m asking for the friends instead of me?

R. Through your request for the friends you come closer to the light.

22. S. (39:54) Baal HaSulam wrote that the state where I have the cup and I go into the King’s treasure and I go in and out, in and out. 

R. Okay.

23. S. (40:26) I heard that the upper light is working through the environment. How does it work in the group? Why does the upper light work specifically through the environment?

R. Because the environment all in all incorporates all the upper light in it. That’s why whoever wishes to get the upper light has to come closer to that environment, that’s the most simple thing.

24. S. (41:09) Is what messes up the vessels calculation a pressure on the upper one, that it can receive more and the records in the vessel?

R. There’s something to it, yes.

25. S. (41:39) The Creator is keeping such a distance between me and my ten until I receive a strong force of shame to pray for a true correction?

R. Yes.

S. How can I give a good example to society from a state that the Creator is keeping me a big distance from what’s right in society?

R. Distance.

S. Every effort I make to come closer to the friends comes to some ridiculous troubles where I’m a great interference to the friends. So if I reach shame greater and greater every time..

R. Okay that’s very good, that pushes you toward correction.

S. Can I skip over being a bad example constantly?

R. This is something I don’t understand.

S. He is saying that I feel that the Creator is holding me in a distance from my ten, He won’t let me go closer to them and He’s doing it so I can reach some sort of prayer. In this state where He’s keeping me away how can I still be a good example to the friends?

R. Try, try at least externally. I understand him but he will be for many degrees this way, a long time he will feel this. 

26. S. (44:18) How from the sea of light that exists we can choose the vessel of Keter and the light of Nefesh?

R. He takes the smallest light and calls it the light of Keter.

S. He checks and weighs everything that exists or only what he can take?

R. The smallest light. The smallest lights he can distinguish is called the light of Keter for him

Compared to what he can discern, compared to what with what he can discern. Today we’re not advancing at all. What item are we in? 

Reading item #26 (46:01) “We have thoroughly clarified the issue of the screen

that has been placed in the vessel of Malchut-phase four…”