BINAH: TIKKUN CHATZOT תקון חצות – LESSON WITH RAV MICHAEL LAITMAN
Baal HaSulam. Study of the Ten Sefirot. Vol. 1. Part 2. Inner Observation. Chapter 4, item 33
Morning Lesson May 27, 2022 Transcription
Transcription is made from simultaneous translation which leaves a possibility for differences in the audio
Part 3:
Baal HaSulam. “Study of the Ten Sefirot” (TES). Vol. 1. Part 2. Inner Observation. Chapter Four. #33 (“In order to provide an accurate and elaborate explanation,”)
1. R. (00:13) Yes, this part is not simple at all because he wants to explain to us the development of the will to receive over the four phases one, two, three, four in the will to receive. Let’s see what he writes, we’ll talk about it as much as we understand, we understand, as much as we don’t, it will be revealed later because everything also depends on the way the heart understands.
Reading Item 33 (00:42) “The explanation of the four phases in the desire….”
2. R. (02:14) Rav reads: There is what to explain here. We have the will to receive, before the will to receive of ours there were all kinds of fulfillment for the will to receive, the will to receive wants them. Another question is to what extent we want this fulfillment, either I intend to get these fulfillments in the will to receive in pleasure or I do not intend to get the pleasure. We understand that the whole thing here, how much we want, the extent and the size of the desire basically determines how much I’m allowed, or I’m prohibited to either come closer to the pleasure or to stay away from the pleasure. Everything is for me to maintain myself in a state where I can be in some distance from the pleasure, some the connection to the pleasure but this pleasure to be under my control. I don’t want to enjoy; I do want to enjoy for myself to give pleasure to the Creator and this is all the matters that are here. That’s all we have in the will to receive, we have nothing else, all we are is a desire to enjoy. Now here we need to learn how can we manage our will to receive in a way that we will be the bosses not someone else. Someone else has the Creator, there’s no one else, so the Creator gives us an opportunity to cope with the will to receive, to deal with it not to be only under its control like the still, vegetative and animate and also some humans they belong to the degree of animate level but we can rise above this degree and decide we want to enjoy or we don’t according to our relation to the source of the pleasure, to the Creator.
That’s why he says in order to provide an accurate and elaborate explanation I would now clarify the words of our sages in Sachim, it is said pleasure that comes to a person against his will. Meaning, there’s a person and some pleasure comes to him, fulfillment to his will to receive. Meaning a person has a will to receive and the pleasure comes to him, meaning he feels that there’s a pleasure before him. So there are two views, one is called Abaie, that is one Sage, so he says it is permitted, such kind of pleasure is permitted. The other Sage, the other view by Raba, he says it is forbidden, meaning one says it is permitted, the other says it’s forbidden. Possible and intending, impossible and intending if a person has these relations that is possible for him to enjoy, and he is intending for displeasure or is impossible to enjoy and he’s still enjoying intending to enjoy. The whole world says it is forbidden, meaning his intention is to enjoy, if we are talking about a different case, impossible and not intending, the whole world does not dispute everyone says it is permitted because it is impossible and is not intending.
They disputed over possible and not intending and Rashi, he interpreted that it is possible for him to be separated, intending, he intends to come near in order to enjoy it, like a scent of sin. Meaning, if his intention he’s not allowed to come close to this pleasure. These conditions lie before us. The first discernments, meaning this was the root 1234 in the will to receive, first discernment is impossible and not intending. 34, four descernments of receiving pleasure are found in their words, the first discernment is impossible for him to be separated and not intending to come near and enjoy. That is because by receiving a forbidden pleasure in such a way, the entire world does not dispute that this is permitted. The reception and the desire do not matter when there isn’t a way or a choice not to receive, there is also no desire to draw near to the forbidden in order to enjoy it. Meaning there is a state just like Behina Aleph in the vessel root 1 2 3 4 so in the first phase it is impossible for him to receive because those are not true vessels of reception and he’s not intending yet. It is not yet developed so this way it is allowed, it is permitted for the pleasure to fill him because he has no connection to the pleasure, there’s no awakening.
The second discernment is possible and not intending, the second discernment is possible for him to be separated, meaning to be further away from the pleasure not intending to enjoy to draw near to enjoy. He doesn’t have a desire to come close and to enjoy it, regarding the reception of forbidden pleasure in this way, Abaie and Raba dispute meaning there are two views here, you can come closer or not. Meaning, according to this state it is possible to come closer but he has no intention to enjoy. Is he allowed to come close? I go to a certain place, there are all kinds of pleasures there when basically it is forbidden to me. I don’t want to be connected to them but if I don’t intend to be connected to them, am I allowed to go into such a place or not? So, one of the sages says it is permitted, the other says it is forbidden. Regarding the reception of the forbidden pleasure in this place Abaie and Raba dispute. Abaie thinks that although it is possible meaning that is possible, meaning that there is a choice to draw far and refrain from enjoying the forbidden is still permitted to draw near and enjoy it because he’s not intending.
Meaning, because he doesn’t have, there was because there is no desire in his heart to draw near the forbidden, it is not regarded as reception, although he does draw near, and he enjoys the forbidden. Raba said that because he can also refrain from approaching in order to enjoy the forbidden he’s forbidden to come near and enjoy. It is so even if he has no desire to draw near and enjoy. Meaning here there two views, in a simple way before me there are some pleasures, I can come closer if I don’t intend to enjoy it or can I not, some say no you are forbidden, because you were going to the pleasure, into the place where it appears and even if you don’t intend to it will grab you, work on you and then you will want to receive and to enjoy it. The other view is no, if you really do not have an intention to enjoy, you can go near to it. That’s the second view, does the first discernment of the will to receive called impossible, you cannot enjoy it and also he doesn’t intend to enjoy, that is why it is allowed according to one view, the other says no, it is forbidden because you may enter, even if you don’t intend to, the place where this pleasure appears and it will affect you and you will change. This is the second discernment of the will to receive.
The third discernment of the will to receive is impossible and intending. Meaning, it is impossible to enjoy but he intends to enjoy. I really want, but I do not have the possibility to do so what state am I in then? 36. The third discernment is impossible and intending, this means that it’s impossible to be differentiated and to draw far from the forbidden so as to refrain from enjoying it. And because he decides to enjoy this forbidden because there is this intention, he feels that a desire to enjoy the forbidden. Meaning, if you intend even though it is impossible to enjoy you are not allowed to come close, to come near to such a place, you can enter into reception in order to receive and you will not be able to remain in order to bestow. Yes, what is impossible for him to be separate and to draw far and refrain from enjoying, whereas he has a yearling in his heart, this is considered to receiving pleasure of the desire to enjoy and he enjoys. Meaning it is enough that you want, and you cannot but if you really want it, that is already considered as reception of pleasure.
It is considered as receiving, clear, meaning it is not important whether we are in this world or the spiritual world where it is with intention or action if the person wants to enjoy that’s called that he is already as if he already received the pleasure. That’s considered to the reception of pleasure from something that is forbidden, and he sins, and that’s it. The fourth discernment, what is the fourth discernment, it is the harshest of them all, it is possible and intending. What does it mean that is possible and he intends? The fourth discernment means that it is possible for him to be separated and distance himself from the forbidden and refrain from enjoying it and it is also intending because he yearns to draw near and enjoy the forbidden. Here the entire world agrees that it is forbidden since it is receiving pleasure meaning, everyone says and in such a way for sure it is not allowed to receive, if you receive it’ll be a sin, since it is receiving pleasure from the forbidden in the most lewd manner for he craves the pleasure and it is possible for him to be separated and yet he did not do so. Therefore, it is regarded as the greatest will to receive in its final form, which is forbidden according to everyone, meaning, everyone understands that this is forbidden. Even according to those who say that allowing, following Abaie, meaning everyone says that this is a transgression, a sin. Item 38 is their above words provide us with the precise terms by which to define each and every phase of the four phases of the will to receive in a manner that he hits the mark and does not miss the desired aim. Meaning, in a very precise way how can we say about each and every discernment what discernment we are in one, two, three, four, Aleph, Bet, Gimel, Dalet. Because we are given four degrees one below the other in the sin of forbidden pleasure which depends on the will to receive of the sinner. In the first three degrees: which are impossible and not intending to receive, and possible to receive and intending not to receive and impossible and intends, so the prohibition is not agreed by all because he does not receive in actuality the pleasure but rather in phase four as mentioned. And we see item 39.
Item #39 (18:18)
3. R. (19:02) Meaning let us learn our will to receive in extent that we can build together in the four, in four states. Four states relative to the pleasure in which he doesn’t want, he doesn’t feel, feels and he doesn’t want, doesn’t feel, and does want, and wants and feels. From those four possibilities all together, we have two things here, I have pleasure and the possibility. So, how do I, from all these four possibilities, how can I come to the complete desire and the complete state? This is what he is about to explain to us. These things are very difficult for beginners, they are very confused ,they cannot find the difference between I want, I don’t want, intend and I don’t intend, this is permitted, this is prohibited. All those things we cannot yet locate between us the model, the picture, the state of what is being spoken here and this is the whole difficult y Hence, the more we try to be in this we actually bring ourselves near to the spiritual, greater Partzuf, greater vessel. It is best to do with this feeling and not with our minds. There are those wise people who do it easily two plus two multiplied by 4, it is very simple for them. But we need to compose these things in our desires, try to do this with your desires and within a few days you will see that it is possible to do that.
Do all kinds of lists of these four phases, these for discernments, Hochma, Bina, Zeir Anpin Malchut. I am willing to answer questions but I’m afraid, I’m very worried that I can confuse others more than they are confused right now. It is best if we were to continue, we are done with these four discernments to explain what Baal HaSulam wanted to explain to us. We will try to come closer to them, to understand them as much as possible. Not each of us to confuse others with the questions and philosophers and all that and all the rest. I don’t want that; I have experience with the extent to which this is not simple for people to digest. We need to create a certain order here, I saw people doing tables in order to understand these things, all together this speaks about the kinds of will to receive and intentions and to the extent that we are in connection between them, and we can work in this. We also know that, also when it comes to the courts, you come to the courthouse and they say you wanted, you intended, that’s what is important. Item 40.
Item #40 (23:14)
4. R. (24:42) It is hard for us to understand this in matter, in spirituality it is even easier from the desire to bestow of the upper force, emerges the desire to receive, it is born that way, that’s what it means, to emerge that way, that is called creation. That’s the way we call the action of the Creator where the will to receive begins to be and is called the created being and develops from the decided to bestow the Creator. What is that transition? There is no transition here, there simply one desire to bestow that emerges the first desire of reception and this action is called the transition from bestowing to the receiver from the Creator to the future created being. That’s how it is also in our world. Where does this come from? It is sold from the Upper root, from the initial action where there’s the Creator and from him everything is born, the will to receive in the created being is born from that.
Continued (25:55) “The exit of Malchut to Keter…”
5. R. (26:07) By the Creator created the created beings and develops and emerges from the Creator nothing remains lacking in the Creator but there is an additional form and then the upper force is being called Creator. BoReh.
Continued (26:25) “Here you should remember there is…”
6. R. (27:40) Yes, here you can already ask please, or we can wait. Let’s continue.
Item #42 (27:51)
7. R. (29:33) So there are two degrees in the birth of the vessel, one that is still under control of the upper one and the second that emerges from the control of the upper one and exists on its own. We can see this in us also, the fetus in his mother’s womb when he’s developing 9 months of gestation and when the tenth month comes he disconnects from his mother and begins to exist on his own.
Item 43 (30:10)
8. R. (32:44) Meaning, the third phase of the four phases as it comes from Keter, from the root, from the Shoresh it is filled from like the Keter and has no yearning for filling and therefore in such a way she exists, she’s lacking some developments still and she doesn’t have any extension and yearning after the abundance, like he says what happens next we will see in a moment.
Reading (33:30) “Because it comes from the first….”
9. R. (33:34) We will stop here, and we won’t continue upwards. We today ran over a lot of material which I hope that you will, nevertheless, try to read, to come closer to. Maybe understand, it is not so much of a problem if we want to talk within our feelings, try to absorb it within feelings since what do I have, what does my heart give, what I intend and in such a way. If you start to relate to the materials you will start to work with your heart, with the will to receive in the heart and to the extent to which you want to absorb these things, to receive or not receive, to intend to receive or not. Later we will all work with the restriction and the Masach, the screen and we will see the extent to which we want to reject it and receive it. Where will it get that opposite force from his desires? All those things we want to be sensed, felt in our hearts, in our desire.
10. S. (35:16) What is the meaning of such sages that have disputes?
R. They are great Kabbalists.
S. That’s my question, they are great Kabbalists and still they have a dispute, why is that?
R. Oh, why there’s a dispute among great Kabbalists, it should be clear matter after all, they want to be sure that there is here, two approaches, either according to the will to receive or according to the intention. Let’s say he’s before entering a room in which there are, let’s say, a person is a diabetic and now he’s entering a store, a candy store, and this store is filled with chocolates and what not, all kinds of sweets, so is he allowed to enter there or not. It is under the condition that he knows that he withstands it, let’s say he intends that he won’t be tempted with what is in the stores. Is he allowed or not after all? That’s the point, the extent to which he can examine himself to come closer or not, to the things which are prohibited. If he wants to constantly protect himself in order to bestow specifically through all these prohibited things that the Creator brings him in life, he uses it specifically to rise above his ego, above his will to receive and not be tempted and then he will grow spiritually more and more or not. How can he measure himself? This is how we measure ourselves, because all our spiritual work to the extent we rise above our will to receive and feel that we want to enjoy and feel ourselves or check ourselves, that it is not worthwhile. Because coming close to the Creator and knowing that the Creator is more important to me than the candy. These are things that we can stumble upon every step along the way.
S. Meaning that it’s not that one of them is right and the other one is wrong, it is our analysis to be.
R. Yes of course who tells you what is wrong or right in his spirituality you decide, no one knows what you have in your heart, what your intentions are, what your heart leans towards.
11. S. (38:48) Can we say that in Behina Bet, in the second discernment there is this dispute, it is prohibited to use one, two, and three?
R. No, we cannot talk that way yet because we are talking only about the discernment itself use one, two, three, and four, that’s it and not that in each discernment there are four phases in its own. You can talk that way, that you said, but here is not talking about that. Rather, in a very simple and elementary way.
12. S. (39:43) It turns out that there is this trick with a red pill, let’s say I really want something?
R. Wait wait wait ,I do not understand, that you want it or not? Do you want? I don’t understand that. You have a desire for something, why are you finishing it, but I don’t have a desire for it, that I don’t understand.
S. No, because if I have a desire for it and after I receive pleasure it cancels the desire?
R. That’s different. Sir, leave what will be. The question is, now I have a desire to enjoy, what is before me or not? Can I receive it and enjoy it or not? That’s what we’re talking about. Is it possible and does he intend or not? Don’t add all those other things, such as what will be later and this. That’s not what he is talking about, of what will be later. It is talking about that action that a person is in.
13. S. (41:25) I hear you say that we can use these prohibited things that the Creator brings us in life in order to rise. What are these prohibited things that you are speaking of?
R. In our desires are things that we are allowed to receive in order to bestow. We are prohibited to receive because we cannot receive them in order to bestow. We need to sort between all our desires and what stands before us. In this way as we sort each and every one of our desires and what it belongs to, we will advance correctly from one degree to another towards the general correction.
S. Each person needs to make these calculations by themselves?
R. Yes, there is no problem with that, just like you make calculations in your life. I’m allowed or not allowed, is it worth it for me or not.
14. S. (42:49) What’s the difference between a Bina a phase and a Sefira?
R. A Sefirot is a finite thing already where it is a will to receive with the restriction with the screen. That can illuminate to a certain extent like the light that shines upon it. Whereas the discernment, the Bina is still scrutinized. It’s the raw will to receive that we need to work upon. We have to do a restriction, a screen and reflected light and then work with those three, we make the discernment into a Sefira in which it illuminates to the extent in which it is participating with the light.
S. Should we know how to discern when we read the text?
R. For the time being no.
15. S. (43:54) On these relations, it seems that later the screen will start acting and then?
R. Please repeat the last part of the question.
S. It seems that the interaction between what is permitted and what is desired, they create the root of what will later become a screen? Is that the root of the Reshimot?
R. Exactly, that’s what we need to do. Where is that place for the screen and how do we with the screen, complete the vessel that intends or doesn’t intend, is it prohibited or is permitted. Because eventually we need to come to a state in which we intend correctly to everyone, to everything, to all the pleasures in creation. Therefore we are allowed to receive and enjoy them without limit. That’s the end of correction. Our intention is in order to bestow and opens for us our entire desire all the way to Eternity, to Ein Sof.