HOCHMA: TIKKUN CHATZOT תקון חצות – LESSON WITH RAV MICHAEL LAITMAN
Faith Above Reason
Morning Lesson November 29, 2022 Transcription
Transcription is made from simultaneous translation which leaves a possibility for differences in the audio
Part 1:
Faith Above Reason – Selected Excerpts from the Sources. #56
1. Rav’s Introduction: (00:22) Well I hear you talk before the lesson. It fills me with great joy and recognition more and more the greatness of the friends, of the students. That we are indeed approaching the good state closer and closer. We have before us a beautiful transition from Lo Lishma to Lishma and we understand more and more and what that depends and how we go through it. I hope that today and also now we will talk about it, and we will make efforts to prepare ourselves for it, and each day we are approaching this Machsom between Lo Lishma and Lishma. And there are those who are close to the Machsom and some that are on top of it and a few that are beyond it. So let’s try to help one another, each shall help his friend and in this way we will reach it. These are things that should happen already, we have made a lot of preparations and may we continue. Then more and more we need to try and disconnect from the past and live in the future.
2. S. (02:33) What does it mean to disconnect from the past and live in the future?
R. What does it matter? The method of the perception of reality called in order to receive and then another method for perceiving reality called in order to bestow. In order to bestow is called within reason because we received this nature from the get-go we were born in it. And the perception of reality called above reason is what we have to acquire transition into. That’s what we need to do. At the end of the day everybody needs to do it: all of humanity. Accept we are Pioneers on this path and what is interesting is that we are on the last stage of the first phase;the first stage. We are that part of humanity that needs to go to in order to bestow and above reason Lishma. But it doesn’t matter how you call it, we are the first, as a group. And before us this is what Kabbalists did throughout the ages.
Each and everyone according to his individual effort and we need to do it according to the group effort, the general collective effort. So just as Baal HaSulam writes, other than the group of Rabbi Shimon. What does he write in the article for the Completion of the Zohar? He says other than the group of Rabbi Shimon that we are in that same state before going from Lo Lishma to Lishma. Let’s hope that we will succeed, that the Creator will help us and we will be the group after Rabbi Shimon’s group that is going into Lishma.
3. S. (05:28) You have talked about the Machsom or the future that we need to focus on for us the boundaries of that future. Is that the greatness of the Creator. Above reason? The Machsom of the future is the greatness of the Creator? In our next state?
R. Yes. In effect the greatness of the Creator is what we have to attain to reach Lishma.
4. S. (06:09) You said in your build up that there are some individuals on top of the Machsom, some close to the Machsom and some across. How can a person tell if he is getting close to any of these states or is close to the Machsom?
R. He knows, he will know it. There are those who feel it ahead of time, comma in advance, there are those that feel it during the transition, and there are those that feel it too after the cross over. It depends on the person’s sensitivity to it but it doesn’t matter if everyone is approaching it we are all going to cross it. We just have to help each other by talking about it, by looking after everyone because it depends on the general atmosphere that we have.
How much we all want to do it, how much we all want to be as one. The one big group of B’nei Baruch, men, women, veterans, newcomers: It all depends on how much each and everyone is trying to be in faith above reason, and even if we don’t know exactly what these words mean exactly but we have to try, to try like a little child who does not understand the words but even with his mouth open he hears it, and he looks at the moving lips of the grown-up and gradually learns.
We have to do the same. We have to try and grasp it from the air. So what is faith above reason? We can’t find it within our nature, it goes against our nature. We are unable to understand it, to feel it, it is totally opposite from us but as much as we want to do it nevertheless, just like little children we will grasp the opposite world that is found in above reason. This is right ahead of us; it is very close. Ask, ask, this is the most important thing.
Reading excerpt 56 twice (09:13) “ Since there is a matter of above reason..”
5. S. (11:00) We know that we are working powerfully with the will to receive and with all the parts of the desire. What is the intention, the meaning that the desire does not understand what our Sages are telling us?
R. Our entire nature is in order to receive. Our will to receive is the foundation of the entire still, vegetative, animate and speaking. And if we wish to understand the other side of creation as it is written, “I have seen an upside down world,” this inverted world is working in accordance with the law of bestowal and not according to the law of reception. This is what makes it inverted. Hence, what Kabbalists tell us that what we need to do is prepare ourselves in the connection between us.
So that the connection between is opposite to our natural egoistic nature and after we agree to be connected above our calculations, then we begin to gradually feel a second nature, which is built entirely on connection, bestowal, on consideration for the other, feeling of the other and in this instance we truly transition to another world, the upper world of bestowl. And there we begin to feel, we begin to feel the other just as we feel ourselves. We begin to feel all of reality as one reality and the Creator who is revealed is fulfilling all of reality as the force that connects everyone, that unifies everyone and this is how we enter into this inverted world; spiritual world. The quality in which we exist is called Lishma or in order to bestow. That is what is ahead of us.
6. S. (14:16) In the excerpt it talks about faith. Can we hold the faith in our intention?
R. Try. Try.
7. S. (16:35) You talked about the importance of the group, about the special connection between us that is embroidered everyday and makes it through the group and the friends. How does this help us go with our eyes shut? We feel these feelings to go with our eyes shut thanks to the connection with the friends?
R. When I love the friends, I feel like hugging them and in hugging them to follow them wherever they may take me with my eyes shut. I don’t need anything besides being together with them. You can’t quite see it from the outside but there are many friends among us who have such relationships between them. Let us hope that we will connect more and more in such a way and accordingly we will feel the Creator is present with us.
S. Yes we can feel it is a great gift that the Creator gave us here.
R. That’s the main thing. The force of connection between us is the correction of the system of Adam HaRishon: that is the biggest gift we can get from above.
8. S. (16:32) What happens when we move to Lishma as a ten? It’s not just that we want to embrace one another but there is some force being revealed between us that goes through us.
R. You are then incorporated with the desires of the friends and the force of separation that existed between you and is starting to work as the force of unity. You begin to activate the system from both ends so to speak. It is like plus and minus that are working together. I don’t know how to express it. I will try to express it more.
S. Is it the same force that was the force of separation between us that now starts working in connection between us or is there an additional force here?
R. There are additional forces,here additional forces.
9. S. (17:56) You started the lesson with us being before the Machsom to Lishma. What exactly is that Machsom before Lishma?
R. It’s a problem to explain it using corporeal terms. The Machsom to Lishma is to begin to work according to the force of bestowal and not according to the force of reception. If this explains anything.
S. But in what way is it blocking you?
R. It’s not blocking you. It’s called Machsom between you because beyond it I come to actions of bestowal, true acts of bestowal and I remove myself from acts of reception.
S. So what does this transition from the current stat, beyond that Machsom of Lishma depend upon?
R. The transition depends on love; the love of friends. Between them mutual help and mutual support, and how we wish to rise above our individual ego.
S. And how do you start to love more?
R. I think about it more. I obligate myself to think about it more. And the more I am thinking about it the more I am incorporated in it. Until I expect the Creator to be revealed and to give me an example for what do I have to do. What actions do I have to take so that they will be in Lishma.
S. I see that especially lately much more during the day and all together you are constantly wanting to return to this connection that we create between us within the friends.
R. Because that’s the main thing, ‘from love of the created beings to love of the Creator.’
S. But I can’t manage to hold onto that power that is created there all that time. We are constantly falling from that.
R. This is true. It is done in this way on purpose so that you will return to it more and more and pray to hold on to it, to get a hold of it and for it to support you until you discover Lishma in such a way that you will get to live in it, to hold onto Lishma and try not to come out of it; try not to fall from it.
S. So if you can zoom us in, focus us in, you always do this but if you could do a little bit more what should we put the emphasis on in order to manage to hold onto Lishma.
R. When you want to feel the friends and not yourself. When you want to live in them, their desires, thoughts, and tendencies and not in yourself.
10. S. (22:10) A person is in a certain degree of understanding of knowledge. How can I understand what the next degree I need to yearn for with my eyes shut is?
R. I need to imagine or portray a state where the entire group is working in order to bestow and that everyone is in the connection and each one cares for the other and is holding everyone else so that they will not fall from this tendency, this feeling that we are all connected with a good desire. And when I delve into it and I try more and more to have that tendency towards everyone towards all the friends, then I begin to feel that yes there is such an atmosphere indeed, I wish to be incorporated in it, and to simply exist in it, exist in it. And by grasping this atmosphere then from that point on I begin to see myself advancing together with them, holding onto them, collecting them, assembling them, tying them all together and so on and so forth. After all the connection between us and to that Ten Sefirot as it used to be before, a long time ago.
S. Rather we attain Lishma one time or is it a process we go in and out of?
R. It’s a process.
11. S. (24:25) Thanks to what, are some of the friends closer to Lishma and some not?
R. It depends on the subtlety of the soul and on the exertion of the person and the environment. These are essentially the conditions.
12. S. (25:00) What does it mean that Adam HaRishon received it from above?
R. What about Adam HaRishon?
S. That it is a gift from above.
R. I don’t know what he’s saying. The force of connection between us that is called Adam HaRishon is the gift from above but later it was shattered, this force of connection and Adam HaRishon was left in ruins. And in each one of us there are sparks that we need to connect slowly until they connect together and once again begin to exist in one system. That’s what we are learning.
13. S. (26:48) A person that is in Lishma or is close to Lishma like you mentioned how does he relate practically to the friends?
R. He wants to assemble everyone, connect everyone together into one system, into one ten in which the Creator will be revealed and will pull them forward together.
14. S. (27:38) Do we need to feed the desire to go through the Machsom as fast as possible or have patience for the Creator to let us pass when he’s ready?
R. No. We need to want with all our might to come closer with a connection between us to the Machsom.
15. S. (28:11) What is the meaning when you say to hug the friend and what does it mean the hug to the friend that you are talking about and the hug that we know from this world.The embrace vs this world?
R. The embrace that each one needs to embrace the other means to show him love, help, support in any state he might be in. That I am together with him, towards our goal, forever. This is the meaning of an embrace.
16. S. (29:33) Now we are talking about this transition and the ascent and it really feels let’s say as turbulence in the ten and the question is how to hold everyone as one unit, one point inside this whirlpool that is making it very hard for us to hold onto?
R. I think you need to talk amongst yourselves and also men if they have such a phenomena and of course there will be and you need to agree what do we do against the disturbances that are constantly rearing their heads between us. There are many articles about it and material. How to beware of getting under the influence of egoistic forces that wish to tear us apart.
17. S. (30:55) You talked about two methods, a method to receive and a method of bestowal. The method of bestowal you described as some ideal, as something we should aspire to obtain, bestowal. The question is how was this change created from the personal work of a Kabbalist to the group work. And what do we need to do in the group work in order to advance to this ideal of bestowal and is there additional work that we need to implement?
R. Group work is the main thing in order to reach Lishma and there is plenty of material written on it. You have to look through it and each one should try to find where there are some excerpts, verses and bring it to the ten, maybe to her entire group. This is very important. We must try and bring to the friends, try to bring my friends such sources that will impress them and to make them yearn to move forward and reach the Creator.
18. S. (33:00) What is the true bestowal?
R. True bestowal has two degrees. Bestowal in order to bestow, and to receive in order to bestow. And we need to go through these two degrees one after the other. That’s it. When you reach the end this is called true bestowal where with everything I have got, with all of my will to receive I will be able to bestow to the other. Meaning by that I will resemble the Creator.
Reading excerpt 57 twice. (34:18) “When a person wants to understand the path of the sages..”
19. R. (39:21) Then we see an upside down world and something new because the connection between things are revealed in a new style of bestowal; the light of the Creator.
Reading excerpt 58. (39:50) We were given the path of faith, which is above reason,..”
20. S. (42:02) About excerpt fifty-seven. When we read the excerpts from the sources, do I try to understand what they are saying-the Kabbalists, to understand their discernments, their advice, to understand in my reason?
R. Of course you don’t have any other Kelim.
S. The question is that we need to accept the words of the sages not above reason but within reason because maybe we will be doing something wrong that we have to add something?
R. Yes, but you don’t have any way of receiving them in Kelim of above reason, in vessels of bestowal and that is why you are where you are. So we need to prepare the conditions that are between us in the group. So that where you relate to everyone in connection and in love and you want that whatever you are hearing will appear in the ten, in your circle and in this way, the way you think the Creator wishes to see us connected together, that we are close and that will actually give you the opportunity to come closer and to feel how the Creator wishes to see us. That’s how we will approach him.
21. S. (43:51) When we speak of an embrace I look at corporeal things in my ten, women in my ten. If I don’t feel the embrace of the ten what should I do?
R. If you don’t feel the embrace in the ten you need to show them that you do want and give them an example of it. As much as possible. There is nothing more to say. Give them an example.
22. S. (44:41) The world of the Ein Sof, is it built out of our efforts?
R. Yes.
S. no translation
R. I do not hear the question.
S. Meaning that the world of Ein Sof is what we build through our efforts, meaning it is that realm, that space between us where we enjoy the connection between us. Is this the world of Ein Sof?
R. No it is absolutely not that.
23. S. (45:44) What is the difference between the feeling of gratitude within reason and above reason? Gratitude and joy.
R. The difference is that within reason we feel it within our reason and above reason in in order to bestow, we feel it in a different way, in an opposite manner.
S. From your answer it feels like these decisions are similar.
R. No, no, they are not similar. Nothing is similar, one is not like the other it is either in order to receive or in order to bestow, it is called an opposite, an upside world.
24. S. (46:50) You said that the Creator sees us but can you tell us how he sees us?
R. In vessels of bestowal, in vessels of bestowal, very simple.
25. S. (47:22) How can we hold on to the sensation of connection where we are integrated in everything and we can feel all the friends, how can we hold on to this feeling?
R. When we care for one another. I care for my friends so he won’t fall from connection and he cares for me so I won’t fall from connection and in such a way we hold on to one another and sustain the whole system.
26. S. (47:55) Based on excerpt 57 where it says that I do not care about how I feel, is this the restriction? How do you work with it?
R. It is not important to me how I feel myself the main thing is that I want to be connected to the friends, to be amongst them, to hold on to them, to hug them.
27. S. (48:40) From all the excerpts that we read, can we say what is the difference between belief in the sages and faith above reason?
R. There is no difference, it is the same thing because what the sages are bringing us they are bringing us knowledge of faith above reason.
Excerpt #59 (52:42): “One should depict to oneself as if he has already been rewarded..” twice
28. S. (58:35) What is complete faith in the Creator?
R. Complete faith in which both from the side of good and bad completely, completely is incorporated in the Creator meaning he receives from above the power of light which raises him above all the doubts, desires and thoughts and then he adheres to the Creator in all states. That is called complete faith.
29. S. (59:32) Where does the Kabbalist take the power to justify the Creator in the world?
R. From the Creator where he receives the upper light.
S. But still he is Incorporated in his sufferings, he suffers as well.
R. No he does not suffer. If he is incorporated in the Creator he does not suffer but not to be included in the Creator in order not to suffer but rather he is included in the Creator and therefore as a result of that he does not suffer.
S. On our path in the love of friends will we also have the power to justify?
R. Yes, certainly, we will certainly merit that, we must go through all those states and they are close to us.
30. S. (01:00:36) I do not understand, what does it mean to give contentment to the Creator and to make him happy? Is it like living in order to give contentment to the friends?
R. We need to connect to the friends, to come closer to them as much as possible and then specifically through this work where we are nearing the friends we will bring contentment to the Creator and He will allow us to come closer to Him.
31. S. (01:01:34) Does the feeling that the Creator leads the world in the good that does good is what we call I’ve seen an upside-down world?
R. Yes.
32. S. (01:01:49) In our work in connection is the indifference between us a greater evil compared to the rejection and all kinds of friction in relationships?
R. Yes, the worst of all is indifference.
33. S. (01:02:26) Can we say that everything that is happening to me and the world even if it seems bad to me is an order to advance us to the truth and that is why it is good?
R. Absolutely so, certainly.
34. S. (01:02:51) When a person looks at the suffering in the world, what is the deficiency that he needs to take for our work?
R. That he must change his outlook at reality and then I have seen an upside-down world.
S. This is for himself and what is the deficiency?
R. That’s towards everyone.
S. And the deficiency towards the other who is suffering?
R. Also towards others, the main thing is to replace his vessels from reception to bestowal and then you will see the world in an opposite way.
35. S. (01:03:47) If we have to go through two stages to reach true bestowal, bestow in order to bestow and and receive in order to bestow, receive in order to bestow is clear because we are created with this quality, it is natural for us, characteristic of us to ask but what is the stage of bestow in order to bestow, is this a perceptual stage?
R. Yes, yes.
36. S. (1:04:33) In the beginning of the excerpt here he says that the person should depict to himself as if he has already been rewarded with whole faith, complete faith and complete bestowal, the question is what is it or how can you depict to yourself that you are in complete bestowal? Is that connected to the second question where he seemingly says that I don’t have to depict to myself that the group is in bestowal, that the ten is in connection rather that I am in complete bestowal, it sounds somehow contradictory.
R. I do know what conclusions you are making, we need to depict ourselves that the friends are already in the bestowal and that I want in the same manner to adhere to them and be in the same state, that is it, you do not need anything else, just that, those two things: that the friends are already in absolute bestowal and I want to adhere to them and be in the same state.
37. S. (01:06:12) You said before that we need to come closer to the friends because by that we can closer to the Creator, the question is if we are talking about specifically the friends in the ten or is it enough to come closer to the friends in the society, in Bnei Baruch in general or do we have to do something special in the ten?
R. I didn’t quite understand the question. Maybe repeat yourself.
S. We need to come closer to the friends because by that we come closer to the Creator, you said that a few minutes ago, the question is are we speaking specifically about the friends in the ten or is it enough to come closer to the friends in Bnei Baruch and the society in general?
R. No no no, that is too broad and without any obligation there. what you must do you must do first of all in a ten.
S. So what is so special about them?
R. That the Creator arranged for you, even though you do not know how, but the Creator arranged for you to be in one thing and you need to try first of all to be connected between you and the fact that you want to run away from that and you think that with others it will be easier and better just strengthens my words.
38. S. (01:07:53) It says that the person has to cancel his own authority before the authority of the Creator. What is the authority that he needs to cancel and how is it expressed in the ten?
R. Make your desire his desire, that’s it.
S. How is that expressed? Is it corporeal things that I’m giving up on or something in the heart?
R. You annul your desire and in its place you receive the desire of the Creator. Okay?
S. Okay, thank you.
39. S. (01:08:42) There are friends that set an example because they are constantly busy with awakening the friends, pushing them and some friends do not have that advantage they are waiting to be pushed and awakened, what do you recommend for those that do not have that energy, how can they help?
R. They can annul before those who do have the forces and that is how one will help his friend each time, those will incorporate in those.
S. How do you annul towards someone like that, what do we have to do?
R. We need to try to come closer to his desire to receive and to see in what way he wants to work with it in order to bestow. Okay?
S. He seemingly is bothering me, I do not have the energy, how do I respond to that?
R. I do not know, you need to annul yourself.
40. S. (01:10:03) In the various excerpts that we read it speaks of advancing with your eyes shut, he has eyes but he cannot see, what are those eyes, what are eyes?
R. They have eyes and see not meaning what he sees is not correct because what he sees through his eyes, he goes through his heart, his egoistic corrupted heart and therefore his eyes do not see correctly.
41. S. (01:10:41) Baal HaSulam writes that he sees that the whole world is tormented, each according to his degree, how are the two related?
R. I do not understand, repeat.
S. He sees that the entire world is tormented, each according to his degree, how is the degree and the suffering related?
R. To the extent to which the degree is higher then the suffering is greater also and also the reward is greater.
42. S. (01:11:43) We have a young ten, we are working a little bit more than two years. Can we also not give importance to how we feel and annul our desires completely?
R. Yes, you can incorporate with those that are more veterans and go together with them without any problems whatsoever, without any trouble and shorten your path greatly by doing so.
43. S. (01:12:29) What should we do with the need in the ten to incorporate with another ten, to invite another ten as guests or go to them?
R. You can do that however you want and as much as you want. There is no special relation to what we are talking about or learning about right now but it’s good.
44. S. (01:13:08) I feel that there is something that I want to reveal, something is about to be revealed but according to excerpt 59 I would rather have everything else, even to die except to cancel my opinion, how to deal with that?
R. Very nice, advance, it’s a sign that you have a strong reason and advance with it, advance with it and you will also come to a very strong above reason as well.
45. S. (01:14:28) A question about the text, it says that he believes that the whole world belongs to the Creator but that a person also has something that belongs to him, is that free choice?
R. Nothing has to do with the person, it only seems to him that way, it only looks like that to him that also something else is attributed to him but nothing is associated with him.
46. S. (01:15:00) How to tolerate the time until you actually feel the Creator in spirituality?
R. Incorporate inside the ten and forget about yourself.
47. S. (01:15:24) It says here in the excerpt that a person has to depict to himself that the Creator is the good that does good, we know that the prayer is the work in the heart so to do that is the beginning of the work in the heart and then we scrutinize what the eyes can see and then we ask the Creator to annul what we see and accept his reality?
R. Yes.
48. S. (01:16:17) I wanted to ask: to acquire a second nature is this a privilege or is it mandatory?
R. Both.
S. If I can make it more precise let’s say there is a person and he sees that his friend is great in all honesty and also others but in terms of acquiring a second nature he thinks about it as some privilege that I do not deserve but they deserve.
R. No, it is their own laziness, it is the laziness that is speaking within them.
Excerpt #60 (01:17:07): “The friends’ discussion of the greatness of the Creator awaken..” twice
49. S. (01:20:40) That the Creator is good and does good and guides the world that way we can achieve that with people in the group, we have a proper Kli for it, but the rest of the world, they do not suffer? How do these two pictures, the group and the world, how do we connect to them that the Creator really is guiding the whole world as the good that does good?
R. We need to accept it, that while we do not yet see, it is the truth, we do not understand what is happening. We do not understand what is happening, they have eyes but they cannot see, very simple, we need to accept what we see and continue until we see the truth.
50. S. (01:21:40) He starts here by saying that by the friends discussion about the Creator of the Creator it awakens a desire and yearning to annul before the Creator, why?
R. Because I see to the extent that they are doing it and from envy, lust and honor I also want the same.
S. Then he continues and says that from this I feel that the Creator loves me. How can the friends’ words and stories of the friends help me love the Creator?
R. Yes, it works on me that way, it works that way. No matter how much you ask you will not understand, you need to feel that it works that way and if it does not it means that you’re not even involved.
S. What if I feel that I’m not in that at all? What do I need to add?
R. You need to connect to the friends.
51. S. (1:22:42) He writes that as much as the friends can appreciate the greatness of the Creator they still have to go above reason, why what the friends appreciate, why is that called reason?
R. Towards him it is called reason but he needs to go above that reason.
S. But why is it called reason, what the friends think? It is already outside of me it is already above what I feel and think.
R. Why is it above, outside?
S. If you see that it comes from other friends it’s not what I think and appreciate?
R. Why is it above? Do you appreciate them as being above you?
S. To accept their reason, their view that the Creator is the good that’s good, I have to go about my reason.
R. So, go and see are you above that or not?
S. I do not understand, the fact that it is the friends who gave me this view that is considered within my reason?
R. Yes, for the time being it is within your reason.
52. S. (01:04:10) In this excerpt it says, we have to love the Creator until we come to ‘you should love the Lord your God with all your heart and soul’ and this you must receive from the friends. So if I understand this correctly we first achieve love towards the friends and then we attain the love of the Creator but here it sounds like the opposite?
R. Oh yes. Generally yes.
53. S. (01:24:52) If we have to imagine to ourselves that we are in bestowal and on the other hand we should not believe what we see in our eyes because it’s really does not exist, so it turns out that we imagine what we do not have and also we do not receive what we see so where are we in an empty space?
R. You are in whatever you depict you are, it is a great question. You are in whatever you imagine you are in.
54. S (01:25:55) How can we talk about the importance and the exaltedness of the Creator, I’m struggling with this, can you give me some advice?
R. No. You need to learn this from the friends. You need to learn this from the friends.
55. S. (01:26:20) No matter how much I yearn for annulment it is very difficult to hold on to, why is that?
R. Because it is against your egoistic desire. That is clear. But continue and give it more strength and you will cross the barrier.
56. S. (01:27:01) How can we taste something from our study while we are using faith above reason?
R. Because all of the study is also in a spiritual degree called faith above reason. That is why until we attain that degree of faith above reason we do not understand not the articles and even more so the study of TES, nothing, none of that. We cannot comprehend any of the kabbalistic writings because it is all written from faith above reason; it is as if we read we learn another language that we are not familiar with.
57. S. (01:28:14) Without the importance of the society it is clear that we cannot reach the importance of the Creator, so how can I raise the importance of the society?
R. That you need to pray that the Creator will shine on you a little more and you will see to the extent that you are less than everyone in the ten, in the group.
S. But I’m arrogant, I’m arrogant and sometimes I feel that I’m wiser than any of the friends.
R. It does not matter. It doesn’t matter that you are arrogant. You will start feeling that you are lesser than everyone and from that you will have the breaking of the heart and you will want all of your true states to be revealed; even though it is not pleasant and the fact that you will feel them as not pleasant, that specifically will help you rise above it.
58. S. (01:29:58) Many times you said that we are in the first phase of the last generation. Can you explain that first phase?
R. When we need to study, to hear, maybe to understand that we are facing an internal revolution of each and everyone and we need to go from within reason to above reason; from not working for the Creator sake, Lo Lishma, to working for the Creator sake, Lishma. Then when we will learn about this and a little bit about that as well, we will be on the borderline between these two states. Then we will be able to accumulate our forces, our desires, our yearnings and ask the Creator to pass the Red Sea; to take us through this transition, and then we will succeed in crossing the barrier and arriving into the land of Israel. Meaning, to the desire that is entirely aimed towards the Creator.
59. S. (01:31:59) You answered one of the questions that we can learn from our friends. Is it right to imagine that the whole ten is corrected and each friend is like a teacher so that I can learn the greatness of the Creator from him?
R. Yes.
S. When I portray to myself that the ten is corrected, should I aspire to find joy in that?
R. For sure.
S. Why?
R. Why? because you have such friends that are corrected and you can connect to them and you can be in them and develop together with them.
S. So it is like a whole, something intricate?
R. That is the condition for your success.
S. What if I lack joy? Is it incomplete work?
R. It does not matter. For the time being you cannot. Be happy for others.
S. Is it a flaw? Is it something very fundamental that is why I am asking.
R. No. No. Advance, keep advancing. The most important is to depict the ten as whole and in it you can reach every stop, every goal.
60. S. (01:33:58) It is written my son’s defeated me so there is a war going on but to me it does not seem like a war but more like a game?
R. That is correct you understand everything correctly.
S. So we should stop fighting the Creator and move to some game that is such a game that you are going win or you are going let him win or lose?
R. Yes
S. What is the last hope that when you detached from it you move to the state of Truth, can you order with that or it is always by faith above reason?
R. In faith above reason, in faith above reason.
S. So, it’s something that cannot be graspe, Right?
R. He will start grasping it, it will be revealed in him.
61. S. (01:35:20) With all the different forms that appear in our feelings if they are imaginery then our work is to shift everything to the Creator side?
R. Yes
62. S. (01:35:42) I see how the friends are so great how they asked deep question and I have a desire to just cling to them just be that way, is that a correct state or do we need to aspire for more?
R. It’s a very good State and if you will develop it more and more than that way you will gradually grow from that state and you will be great for the time being it’s a state of smallness of childhood that would be evolved.
63. S. (01:36:50) I heard you say before that nullifying my own authority before the Creator’s authority is making my desire making his desire, how does a person know what is the Creator’s desire?
R. Bestowal and love of others.
S. And what does it mean to take some egotistic desire of my and transform into the Creators desire?
R. Every single one of your desires is an egoistic desire inverted to in order to bestow towards the friends and that will be its correction.
64. S. (01:37:39) I feel that it does not influence me when the friends speaking about the greatness of the Creator, so what can I do?
R. Continue, continue I have nothing else to say.
65. S. (01:38:23) How to know who from my friends is corrected?
R. You don’t need to know nor can you know you need to love everyone and connect to everyone and to be in the state of love with everyone and not criticize but only connect.
66. S. (01:39:06) So all of our work is to find the greatness in the friends?
R. I did not hear a question.
S. ….
R. Yes after that and following that come closer to the Creator, Yes.
67. S. (01:39:57) When I hear about the greatness of the Creator from the friends I can nullify when I am on my own I cannot imagine it to myself and not even hearing the lesson does not help?
R. When you think of the friends to start off you need to start think of them as greater than you higher smarter more corrected than you, you must aim yourself that way.
68. S. (01:41:05) Is entering Lishma a personal individual action or correct collective action?
R. Personal.
69. S. (01:41:23) What testifies about a person that he’s working above reason?
R. For himself or for the others to the others there is no such a matter they cannot see but for a person that he goes above reason or not that is to the extent that he accept reality to the extent he accept reality and related to the Creator and raises himself above from in order to receive and he’s in order to bestow and he is prepared to connect with everyone in the whole world and maybe everyone I don’t know maybe depending on the degree that he is in that it is entirely if he is already in faith above reason.
70. S. (01:42:34) How to overcome the lack of trust in the friends and turn the external closeness into internal as well?
R. We need to calculate here what is more important for us to reach internality spirituality wholeness correction of the Soul or that we will remain in all kinds of egotisitc calculations these lowly small calculations.
71. S. (01:43:14) You answered before that what we through what we imagine that we are in the suffering of the world is this our imaginery illusion the suffering of the world and how to get rid of this feeling of the suffering of the world?
R. If we will start to see the world correctly that we see the beginning and the end and the middle of all reality in our life then our observation of the world on the providence of the Creator towards the created beings that will change from one end to the other.
72. S. (01:44:00) Based on item 59 we red how is it possible to not fall into indifference and suffering of the world when we understand that the Creator rules the world completely with the quality of good that does good?
R. You can read this example there was a host sorry a landlord who went a way and left his worker with the cruel manager and the manager gave him many many blows to these poor worker of his and when the landlord came back and the worker told him what has been going on you can see that you can see that in all of the materials that story, so what do I want to say we need to see the truth from the beginning until it’s end the whole of creation and then it will be clear what is going on.
73. S. (01:45:17) Also following item 59 if you can clarify what is the state where a person sees that he is naked and has nothing?
R. That’s what it seems that what he feels inside himself and that I can’t say.
74. S. (01:45:45) What to do if a person tries to put the friends of the 10 into his heart but he does not succeed?
R. He needs to continue to see by what he does that what is it considered in his heart what he gives them how he raps them warmed them up, we need to see how it is done.
75. S. (01:46:18) Is it in my power to push my friends into Lishma or is it depends on their effort?
R. Support them for sure that is what is required for me.
76. S. (01:46:33) We have such a vital Congress after years of intensive work in our fixed 10 it feels like that is ideal framework to give the effort to go to Lishma together, how not to let the random tens in the Congress to make us less effort?
R. If it will be strong strong tens than they will be included in us and they start subjugate towards us and they will also succeed.
77. S. (01:47:18:) In my work in the 10 I’m noticing that if I say don’t see the friends as great then I asked the Creator to show that to me but I don’t see it at the moment I see it afterwards not in that moment, will that always be the case?
R. That’s possible, so what?
S. So I’m always thinking that I can see I asked then I do see?
R. No no you can’t imagine them as being great even you don’t see it even you’re not able to depict it now it all depends on love, just love. Just like you treat your child with love so he seems to you as great.
78. S. (01:48:19) If you can help with 2 points on the one hand kabbalists advice us to see the friends as great and want to cling to them like little one to the great one on the other hand Rabash writes that connection can only be amount equals?
R. Of course each and every one of us is very different from the other otherwise we wouldn’t be created beings every created being has his own root. It is like two hairs don’t grow from one source.
And that is why there is no problem here of course we are all different in our root we are all different completely completely each and every one from the others and that is why we need to take this into consideration and to try and be close above our root to one another meaning in action in intention in all of these things that we can from our root which are separate that in spite of that we connect, that is our work. That is considered to be one man in one heart although nothing has no one has any similar to the other and we see this in all states in our life, between partners in a relationship and children it doesn’t matter what in our body we see how these parts are working everything is working in contrast to the other back towards to one mutual goal, that is the secret of the existence of reality.
S. I meant something else we have to reach connection for that we have to see each other as equals because Rabash writes that connection can only be among equals or we need to see the friends as greater than us does not prevent connection?
R. Nothing doesn’t disturb connection nothing only us. So connect that’s that and you will see how everything falls into place.
79. S. (01:51:30) Question about random tens in the Congress we are working in the regular 10 for years how to produce the maximum from going out to random 10?
R. I don’t know I don’t know, I don’t know you have many systems you can discuss and you can decide I don’t know I am not related.
S. I don’t want to ask about the shape of it I know you’re not the address for it we want to ask more about the effort to give the maximum effort in this Congress the feeling that is in the regular 10 that it’s easier to make the effort because we’re used to this tight work between us, how to make a great big effort when we go out to random tens?
R. Also that you need to discuss among yourselves, that too. I’m not getting involved in anything related to your connection I don’t get involved in that I only give you a blessing.
80. S. (01:52:59) Is it more correct to measure the greatness of the friends according to their importance or according to the qualities in their actions? What is more?
R. To measure the importance of the friends?
S. To see their greatness. To see how much they are important to me. Do I need to look at their qualities or actions?
R. You don’t need this nor that. According to what do I measure the greatness of the friends, according to what it seems to me I need to lift him to the degree of the Creator. Every single friend is as a representative of the Creator in front of me.
S. Okay, but how do I feel him within the Kelim that I have, which are for now the Kelim of reception?
R. I don’t know. According to how you appreciate it, that’s what you will feel.
81. S. (01:54:15) Do I understand correctly that if I can do something it is not effort. The effort is when I ask for forces of faith and bestowal that is my main effort?
R. Yes the main effort is to reach out to the Creator and to demand help from him.
82. S. (01:54:50) You said today that the transition depends on love. You also said that everything depends on love. What is that love that everything depends on?
R. Love is, we don’t know exactly how to interpret it but the closest to it is connection, connection, a hug, that is a result of love.
S. And why does everything depend on it?
R. Because love represents the unification of the broken Kelim and that is why the Creator purposely shattered the Kli of Adam HaRishon so that we will feel how we are in a state of mutual hatred and how we can change ourselves and start coming closer from the opposite forms; one towards the other. To such an extent that we start entering connection with one another. That’s the transition that we need to go through.
S. And what will that give?
R. I don’t even know what word to use. It will give an outburst of connection an outburst of results of connection. That things are contradictory, that they are hated, that they are distant from one another and they start feeling, they start locating themselves as connected as being included one in the other: there is no greater, more pleasant feeling.
83. S. (01:57:26) To continue, how does the inversion happen when the contrast becomes mitigation?
R. I didn’t understand.
S. You told friends when all of the contrasts, all the oppositeness we work on becomes this eruption of love, of joy like you said of sweetness. This inversion when does it happen?
R. It happens when two things are opposite: the will to receive and the will to bestow. Through the restriction of the Masach and the Ohr Hozer they reach the Haka’a and then they reach unity and this force of the Haka’a that enters connection. Well there aren’t really words here. Just imagine to the extent that things are opposites when they hate one another, they are opposite on all levels: mind, heart, the action, the intention, to the extent that these forces begin to reveal the completion, the connection, the inclination to such an extent that one cannot be without the other. That we are incapable of becoming distant ever again. Well there are no words here, there are some here and there, in Psalms and so on. We will continue and attain it from within our sensation.
S. So the states of this hatred and contrast in all the levels, that is clear. What is the first step to move closer from the opposite state from separation. What is that first step, first action? How does this change happen from separateness to the first step towards connection?
R. By the environment that influences the person and he doesn’t want and doesn’t hear and then suddenly he begins to feel that there is some kind of crack, like a crack in his heart and something from the ten penetrates and to some extent, it begins to influence him on the internality of his heart, it is a long process. I hope that we will be able to delve deeper into it throughout the convention.
84. S. (02:01:21) I looked for a month-and-a-half or for two months where we were studying about entry into Lishma, above reason and we have never had such a condensed period of being in a certain topic and entering a Congress about this topic. How can we maximize it so that the Congress will give us something that is way beyond everything we’ve managed to accumulate in the last two months?
R. This convention is special. It is the first time that we understand a little bit what Lishma is and that is what we are going towards,and that only. And that’s why we have to enter it and we will certainly reach it.
S. That is clear. What I’m trying to understand is what do we want to get out of this Congress?
R. To feel what Lishma is: to feel what Lishma is. To an extent, slightly to taste it.
S. And that depends on what, to get this taste for everyone?
R. In the heart of each and every one.
S. I see that your answers have become very emotional recently. I don’t know how to quantify to an action that I can make. What depends on the person so that he has the ability to make, to go through these changes we hear about now?
R. This is a problem that always faced students throughout the hundreds of years that Kabbalah was studied and I hope that we will nevertheless open it up from our hearts and it will be easier for everyone to reach it, to understand it, to feel it, to relate themselves to it.
S. When does the Creator open the heart of the person?
R. If a person can reach the Creator inside the ten with the friends then the Creator can’t hold back he opens the door to them.
85. S. (02:05:18) To continue this point, how do we bring everything, all this effort back to the Creator?
R. How do we bring this effort back to the Creator?
S. How do we bring him contentment in this action?
R. By asking to be incorporated in faith above reason.
S. So it’s the actual request itself?
R. Yes, it’s our request to get in there; to get into it.
S. I’m asking because this point, that this request, maybe it’s just me. It’s like when a friend said in the beginning you get lost somewhere in this state. You take it to yourself with this request so how did you ask not for yourself?
R. I don’t feel it as for myself. Above reason it’s not for myself.
S. But how does this request above reason if we receive a certain taste, make a certain action and receive something from the Creator and now I am asking to bring Him contentment. Again I am asking for myself.
R. No, I don’t have words here,but maybe talk about it with the friends.
86. S. (02:07:00) On one hand I hear you say that the revolution of all Lishma is almost here and a group of friends at least are entering, and on the other hand it’s a long process, years, etc. How can these two things fit together?
R. We can enter any moment the matter of Lishma, it depends on each and every one’s effort and all of us together, and the Creator’s help is certainly standing by from above. We just have to reach in quantity and quality, that’s it, then we will continue. We’ll continue already on the degrees and we are close to it; and we do feel more and more that spirituality is coming closer to us, or we are getting closer to it. It will happen. It will happen.
87. S. (02:08:28) You told some friends that we are where we imagine, our reality is what we imagine to ourselves. My question is do we need to imagine our connection between us and then to spread this image of connection to all of Bnei Baruch and all of the world, that there’s no wars etc?
R. Yes, we can depict it to ourselves like that and see it that way and I think it will happen that way; that’s thanks to our efforts we will cancel these great wars that might evolve to a global war. We can do that.
S. And all of our work is work above reason, it’s two depictions: that I see my friends love one another and I want to connect with them and then I have to depict the whole world that way, that all the people are in good relation?
R. Yes, we will think this way and want it to happen at least in thoughts and by that we will act so that it happens in the world in actuality.
88. S. (02:10:27) In this network of connections, if the person plays the role of the conduit, that is called love?
R. There are more degrees. There are more degrees.
89. S. (02:11:08) Incredible lesson, thank you to everyone thank you teacher. Regarding what the friend from Bulgaria said, I feel it’s very close very important so if I may, actually it’s talking about the person’s ability to imagine how can we use this force of imagination and maybe it’s possible the lessons towards the convention we can dedicate part of the lesson to how to imagine and we need to depict these things? How to activate this force?
R. Talk about this among yourselves. Talk about this among yourselves and you need to discuss this and describe to yourself how it can be? If you have a question then ask, but first ask each other then you can ask me. I’m ready for any connection with you.
S. And can you say we take this advice and we’ll start talking about this we won’t be afraid to imagine and won’t be ashamed that we will be..?
R. If it’s to the point then yes.
90. S. (02:13:09) You spoke before about the first step of coming closer between opposites and you said it takes place through the environment, so I would like to ask if the environment is what it aspires to, to melt our hearts? How can I take this example from the environment? What does the environment do with me that I subjugate myself, why does my heart crack open?
R. The environment gives you a general common vessel in which you evolve and grow; the environment helps you feel the Creator because He in some sense is the environment. Then there are further circles from the ten, from 10 to 100 to 1000 to all of mankind, to all of Nature: this is all the environment. And we have to try to nullify and to cancel all the boundaries that exist between the feeling of the self, what is in me, and what is outside of me.
S. Can I say that I work on the importance of the environment to such, invest into it and as a result of it it starts influencing me?
R. Yes, you can say that.
91. S. (02:15:15) Is it correct to ask that the friends will have a strong desire towards the quality of bestowal that the Creator will give them this quality?
R. Of course. Otherwise it will be disrespectful to you both; towards the friends and towards the Creator. We have to make requests and don’t leave these requests unless we get answers for them.
92. S. (02:16:32) If there are areas where I have no agreement with a friend or even repulsion or rejection, do I make an effort to love him? Is that where these borders begin to open between us?
R. Let’s say so, yes. For each one it can be in a different way.
Reading Excerpt 61 (When one is engaged in the right, the time is right to..) twice
93. S. (02:21:30) When a person sees how coarse he is, what should he be grateful for and happy for?
R. Now that he sees that he is gloomy, that he has arrived at a state where he is against his lowliness. He’s at some high degree and he sees that he is low. Otherwise, he wouldn’t even recognize it. And then he’s happy.
94. S. (02:22:22) In reason, I understand that all of my correction depends on my annulment and my authentic desire to bestow so that the Nations will be released of this picture of reality and from suffering. I believe that what the world is lacking is faith above reason because there is no inspiration. Can we help them better imagine, better see?
R. Yes.