Benevolence Under The X-Ray

Question: The Day of Atonement (Yom Kippur) is the most significant day of the year for the people of Israel. What is the spiritual meaning of this special day? How should we relate to it in order to correspond to its spiritual roots and to transfer our life to a new degree?

 Answer: The Day of Atonement (Yom Kippur) is not simply a tradition. It reflects a special spiritual state in a person’s development. We shouldn’t look at this day separately, but as a part of the entire year’s cycle.

Upon the completion of a year, that being a cycle of internal changes, we evaluate everything that we went through, which is called “repentance.” Thus we decide that it is necessary to rise to a new degree, to begin the new year (Rosh Hashanah), cross to a new state, a higher, purer, more exalted one. So we crown the Creator, the force of bestowal and love, setting Him up to reign over us as the most sublime property.

This is when we begin to judge ourselves: are we truly in the property of bestowal? All our properties are divided into ten parts, ten Sefirot. And we are clarifying which desires in those ten parts can be corrected, and which cannot.

In essence, a person’s soul needs to be corrected. And a soul is all our desires, which are still corrupted and need correction.

 Question: What exactly needs to be corrected: one’s actions or the soul?

Answer: In our world, actions are performed with hands and feet, or through words. But the wisdom of Kabbalah explains that most important is a corrected intention, which is the true desire of a person.

Actions alone aren’t enough, because I can perform them simply out of habit. Then, it is actually more difficult for me not to do them than to do them. And these can be the actions that I otherwise would never have made in my life had I not been accustomed to them from childhood.

In this case, it is no longer fulfillment of a commandment but traditions instilled in childhood that are performed automatically. For someone it might be difficult to carry them out, but for someone else, it is difficult to not do them.

This is why we are not speaking about an action, but rather an intention. An action, after all, does not change: As we have been doing it, so we will continue. But in intention, in a person’s attitude towards the performed action, there is always change.

The key is a person’s attitude to those around him. After all, love for one’s neighbor as for oneself is the great law of the Torah. This is the point of view from which I need to check myself in order to see how much I am capable of loving my neighbor.

The upper force is a force of bestowal and love, and our goal is to become like it. This is why we need to reach the degree of man, Adam, which means similar to (Domeh) the Creator. But how can we check this? Where is that doctor who will irradiate me with an X-Ray and tell me exactly how similar I am to the Creator?

Such a doctor does not exist, so a person needs to check himself on his own. This kind of X-Ray machine requires a special Light, which checks us. This Light is called the Light that Reforms.

If I am studying the true Torah, namely the wisdom of Kabbalah, then thanks to it, I start to see the truth. I see how egoistic I am, what exactly is it in me that is bad, and what needs to be corrected, as if I shine an X-Ray on myself.

This is only visible to me and others may not notice it. And after I have seen myself on the X-Ray image, it becomes clear to me what needs to be corrected. The Torah arranges this image where I only see intentions, and only to the level of the depth which I am capable of correcting. Everything else I do not see, and it can remain until the next year.

Immediately after the onset of the new year, I find myself in these X-ray sessions, which are called ten days of repentance. I irradiate my heart, clarifying my intentions with respect to those around me in each action, and get back these images.

Kabbalah explains that Malchut ascends to Bina and compares herself to it. Malchut is our egoistic desire, which rises to Bina, the desire for bestowal, clarifying the extent to which it differs from it, how far we are from caring for our neighbors, from good relations, and how we are only thinking about our own benefit.

 Question: What is shown on these X-ray images?

Answer: This image is black-and-white. It shows how much white there is in you, that is, the intentions for the benefit of your neighbor. And the black color points to the intentions for your own benefit, which you can correct.

Thus, the scope of our work is revealed to us. This is personal work that is in store for each of us, but it is aimed at the commonality, at bestowal to all, and through them, to the Creator, which is from the love of the created beings, to love of the Creator. The Creator is a force, integrating everyone together, and not something that exists outside. It is written: “The Creator dwells among his people.”

Thus, if I strive to unite with everyone and want to turn into one whole with them, then I reveal the overall integral system that generalizes our unity, which is called the Creator. This is how it is revealed in our perception.

Therefore, during Yom Kippur we need to strive to love our neighbor as much as possible and wider, and even beyond the people of Israel, extending it to all mankind. This is the reason why during Yom Kippur it is customary to read the story about the prophet Jonah, whom the Creator instructed to lead the city of Nineveh, which symbolizes the world, to correction.
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From the TV Show “The New Life” #438. 9/30/2014

Science Has Placed Us On The Path Of Suffering

Baal HaSulam, “Introduction to the Study of the Ten Sefirot”, section 41: The Zohar writes about the text “and those that seek Me shall find Me,” and asks, “Where does one find the Creator? They said that the Creator is found only in the Torah.”

We must thoroughly understand their words. It seems that the Creator is hidden only in corporeal things and conducts all the futilities of this world, which are outside the Torah. Thus, how can you say the opposite, that He hides Himself only in the Torah?

This means that we can never discover the right system, the true forces in nature that manage us, the higher management and oversight, nor the higher power that is at work in an action if we are not engaged in the inner Torah, which is the wisdom of Kabbalah, the correct  way. Even the science of the physical world cannot bring us closer to this.

By being involved with scientific development, a person inserts himself into the way of suffering; since he hopes and wants to reach a good life through scientific achievements, the opposite situation is created, and he only harms himself. And this is clear, for in this manner he doesn’t develop his Kelim (vessels) for discovery of the higher power which is good and beneficent.

It follows that science brings us to failure and diverts us from the right way. As much as we value and respect modern science, ultimately it must be understood and acknowledged that it leads us to the way of suffering. Certainly everything was planned from the start, for without discovering the evil it is impossible to reach the good. This is because the human intellect must discover its empty powerlessness.

But if from the days of the first Adam (man), from the first discovery of the wisdom of Kabbalah, humanity had accepted it as the solitary means for discovering the good and beneficent power, then it would have gone by the ideal way directly towards the goal of creation.

Then there would have been no need for scientific progress and the evolution of human society. A person would have been involved in his spiritual development, whereas the compulsory physical work would have been only for meeting the requirements of bestial existence, to feed his “beast.” And all the remaining developments would have been only for the need of developing the Adam within us.
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From the 1^st part of the Daily Kabbalah Lesson 8/27/14, Writings of Baal HaSulam

Internal Separation Is More Frightening Than The External Enemy

Question: What does it mean that all of the people are connected?

Answer: To connect means to be in harmony with nature. A people that reaches harmony with nature is connected from within, similar to all levels of nature: the still, vegetative, and animate.

All the levels and parts of nature are connected into one system. The inanimate nature supports the vegetative and the vegetative supports the animate. All of the parts of nature are included in one another and are in a closed sphere, except for Adam (man).

Humans are a unique phenomenon on the face of the earth because according to their primary nature, they are destructive. This was arranged intentionally to give us the possibility, through our efforts,  to link ourselves with nature in the same unified and integral form into one collective system.

People who work on themselves in this way to connect with each other and after that join all of integral nature are called “Jews.” Indeed, they aspire to unity, love, connection, and loving-kindness.

And this correction must gradually extend over all of humanity. Our forefather Abraham, who lived in ancient Babylon, began this correction when he gathered all the people who agreed with the idea; with them he organized a group. This group became the foundation of the people of Israel.

The next stage in the advancement of this group was standing before Mount Sinai. There the people accepted upon themselves the realization of the condition of being as one person with one heart. In this form, they became the people of Israel in whose foundation is the principle of unity.

The people of Israel are not like the rest of the peoples who have formed communities in particular territories and bear national characteristics in their genes. Every Frenchman who wants to, can go through conversion, become a Jew and cease being French. This means that he takes these conditions upon himself and connects with the people of Israel.

In our times, this unity doesn’t exist, and this is a sign that we are in exile. Exile means separation, and redemption is the unity of the people. Today we are not a people, but a bunch of exiles.

Comment: But our conflict with the Palestinians is more disturbing to me than the internal divisions among the people of Israel!

Answer: The conflict between Israel and the Palestinians is impossible to solve without an inner connection between us. Soon this conflict will become a confrontation against the whole world and It will then be impossible to leave here for any place abroad.

Events will develop in this way such that we cannot do anything with our neighbors. They will be able to shoot rockets at us whenever they want, we will not be able to react because the whole world will scream at us about each victim on the other side, and so our hands will be absolutely tied.

At most we could blow up some empty houses in the Palestinian territory, but we don’t win the war that way.

Israel will stand against the whole world, not just against the Arabs. Indeed, the whole world stands behind the Arabs and threaten us: “Don’t dare kill anyone!” And when the Arabs kill Jews, the world doesn’t pay attention to this. And what can we do in such a hopeless situation?

There are people who suggest that we ignore the whole world, enter Gaza and annihilate them all. But how much can we allow ourselves to behave like this? Tomorrow UN resolutions will be accepted and all of the nations will sever connections with us: cooperation, trade, banking and industrial relations. Israel is liable to be absolutely isolated, and this will kill us. In the world of today, no nation can exist if it is not connected to other nations.

Question: But what can be done if the situation continues to deteriorate? The terrorists will become more sophisticated. They pop up out of the sea and out of the ground, from everywhere! If once the rockets reached the southern cities, today they arrive reach everywhere in the country. And you say that it is forbidden to annihilate them because we will be isolated in the international arena?

Answer: But we cannot annihilate Gaza. All the people who call for this are simply making a short-term political image for themselves. Everyone understands that the world will not allow us to do this. This is absolutely clear. What controls the world is international public opinion and not governmental opinion.

And the whole world expresses a unified opinion against Israel. In this situation we have no solution other than the inner unity of the people. If we begin to work on relationships within Israeli society, we will become an example for the whole world, and these beautiful relationships will endear us to the whole world. In this form, the situation in the world will calm down in all areas, from the family and businesses to international relations and politics.

And for this it is not necessary to wait until the connection of the people of Israel will come to a complete expression. The moment we begin to make efforts in the direction of this connection, we will immediately see how the whole world and even the enemies, our neighbors, will immediately change their attitude towards us.

It is enough for us to place one sesame seed on the balance for the good of the unity of the people of Israel and our enemies will add a ton of seeds for the good of connection and good relations with Israel.
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From the program “A New Life” 7/17/14

All The Troubles Of The World

In fact, the Creator displays a “theatrical performance” before me in which everything, the actors and all, are puppets, except me.Therefore, trying to bring them closer to Him, I in essence correct myself. The whole world is part of my soul, broken and scattered vessels, desires that are split apart from me in different directions. And now I have to bring them closer together again.

If I were strong enough, the Creator would have let me feel their sorrows as my own. However, to ease my work, He sends me the feeling of “their” troubles so I will work on them. If, however, I neglect this work, I will feel that I am in trouble myself.

That’s why I still perceive the whole world “from the side,” so it is easier for me to work with. Indeed, if all the misery of people who are dying from hunger, wars, and other disasters would have manifested in me, if I had concentrated all my empty vessels even on the small degree of our world, I would not have sustained such pressure.

To prevent this from happening, these vessels were alienated from me and given to me to feel them as foreign so that gradually, as I become stronger, I would bring them closer to myself. Then, in the course of this approach, I find that they are not in trouble, that on the contrary, they are corrected and experiencing pleasure. Baal HaSulam writes about this in his article “The Creator’s Concealment and Revelation.”

There is no other way. I am not able to absorb all the ills of the world, although we are talking of my vessels, desires.

We just do not understand that higher mercy is truly hidden in the breaking of the vessels. In the end, due to it, I obtain a vessel capable of encompassing the entire reality, all the Light of the Creator; however, I never feel this empty vessel as it is because it is impossible to sustain this sensation.

A person can barely stand even on our small stage with his troubles. So, what can we say about the entire empty Malchut of the world of Infinity? Sometimes a person is given a drop of this state, the “illumination of Malchut,” a horrible feeling of a gaping abyss …

However, we were given the breaking of the vessels to help us, and now we are able to pass a series of states, gradually assembling them together. And when I bring any external part closer to me in the process, this bitter “fruit” becomes sweet, and as the result, I put it in my “basket” until it is filled with all the fruits of the tree of knowledge.
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From the 4^th part of the Daily Kabbalah Lesson 8/23/13, Writings of Baal HaSulam

600,000 souls

It is said that there are 600,000 souls, and each soul divides into several sparks. We must understand how it is possible for the spiritual to divide, since initially, only one soul was created, the soul of Adam ha Rishon.
In my opinion, there is indeed only one soul in the world, as it is written (Genesis, 2:7), “and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life.” [1] The same soul exists in all the children of Israel, complete in each and every one, as in Adam ha Rishon, since the spiritual is indivisible and cannot be cut—which is rather a trait of corporeal things.
Yet, saying that there are 600,000 souls and sparks of souls appears as though it is divided by the force of the body of each person. In other words, first, the body divides and completely denies him of the radiance of the soul, and by the force of the Torah and the Mitzva, the body is cleansed, and to the extent of its cleansing, the common soul shines upon him.
For this reason, two discernments were made in the corporeal body: In the first discernment, one feels one’s soul as a unique organ, and does not understand that this is the whole of Israel. And this is truly a flaw; hence, it causes along with the above-mentioned.
In the second discernment, the true Light of the soul of Israel does not shine on him in all its illumination force, but only partially, by the measure he has purified himself by returning to the collective.
The sign for the body’s complete correction is when one feels that one’s soul exists in the whole of Israel, in each and every one of them, for which he does not feel himself as an individual, for one depends on the other. At that time, he is complete, flawless, and the soul truly shines on him in its fullest power, as it appeared in Adam ha Rishon, as in “He who breathed, breathed from within Him.”
This is the meaning of the three times of a person:
1. A spark of a soul, the act by way of sparkling, as in prohibiting and permitting.
2. A particular soul, one part out of 600,000. It is permanently completed, but its flaw is with it. This means that its body cannot receive the whole of the soul, and feels itself as being distinct, which causes him much pains of love.
Subsequently, he approaches perfection, the common soul, since the body has been cleansed and it is entirely dedicated to HaVaYaH and does not pose any measures and screens and is completely included in the whole of Israel. … …
We learned that “if even one man came before his Master in complete repentance, the Messiah King would come at once.” It seems to mean, as they said (Song of Songs, 1), “Moses is equal to 600,000.” We need to understand it, since this would mean that there are twice 600,000 souls—the soul of Moses and the soul of Israel.
But the truth is that there is no more than one soul, as it is known by the measure of each and every soul that purifies and cleanses itself from its filth. Hence, when all the souls are corrected, they will draw onto them the entire Higher soul of Atzilut, to each and every soul, since the spiritual is indivisible. At that time (Zechariah, 14:9) “And the Lord shall be King over all the earth.” Hence, while even a single soul is denied of complete purity, the extension of Kedusha (Holiness) will be deficient in every soul from Israel.
And when a single soul from Israel is purified from all its filth, it will draw onto itself the whole of the soul of Atzilut, and through it, all the souls of its generation will be completed. This is the meaning of one being dependent on the other, as it is written (Sanhedrin, 11), “It was befitting that Divinity would be upon him, but his generation was unworthy of it.”
The content of the words is unanimously bewildering, that the same soul that was rewarded with purification immediately strives to increase the grace of the generation and asks for them, until it elevates its entire generation to its merit.
This is the meaning of “Moses is equal to 600,000.” Because he was their loyal shepherd, he had the same Kedusha (Holiness) that the whole generation had.
Indeed, the whole is found within each item, since in the end, all the souls will unite into one discernment, returning to their spiritual root. Hence, all the miracles and wonders and all the journeys they had travelled throughout the world during the 6,000 years should be experienced by each soul. The good soul draws to itself from all the discernments of Kedusha before it and after it; and the evil soul does to the contrary.
And the changing times are considered generations. However, each generation behaves as its judge, by the mind that judges it, since it receives from the Kedusha of that time.
For this reason, each soul is willing to draw the souls of Moses, Aaron, Samuel, David, and Solomon within it, as times that it experiences. During the exit from Egypt and the reception of the Torah, the soul of Moses appears on it; during the seven of the conquests, the souls of Joshua; and during the building of the Temple, the souls of King Solomon, etc.
This does not refer to the above-mentioned souls in particular, but according to the rule that we said that the spiritual is indivisible, as soon as one is rewarded with a soul, he is rewarded with the soul of the whole of Israel, though according to one’s merit and place. Hence, at a time when one is rewarded with these wonders, one receives into himself the abundance of the soul in that disclosure, hence the name of the owner of that disclosure is upon him.
And they said (Shabbat, 67; Baba Metzia, 113), “All of Israel are sons of kings. Also (Jerusalem Talmud, Masechet Horaiot (Instructions), 3, 5), “A king that dies, all of Israel are worthy of kingship.” This is a great secret, for in all the previous generations, which were but a preparation for Malchut (kingship), special Kelim (vessels) were required for anointment of their judges, such as the souls of Moses and Samuel. But the final purpose depends on the whole of Israel, since when a tiny part of a tiny spark is missing, the end will not be able to appear. Hence, all of Israel are worthy of kingship, since everyone is equal in this true discernment.
For this reason, there is no special Kli (vessel) for drawing that perfection, but anyone who cleanses and purifies his soul to be worthy of extending the revelation of Malchut in the world will literally be called “King David.” This is the meaning of “David, King of Israel, is indeed alive,” for he has not died at all. His Kli is within each and every soul from Israel. This is not the case with the soul of Moses, which is found only in the wise disciples in the generation, as well as in prophets and priests.
This is the meaning of (Jerusalem Talmud; Masechet Horaiot, 3, 5) “A king that dies, all of Israel are worthy of kingship.” This is also the meaning of exempting the public.
This is the meaning of (Sutah, 49), “At the time of the Messiah, Chutzpah (impudence) will mount,” and (Isaiah, 3:5) “the child shall behave insolently against the aged, and the base against the honorable.” This means that even an ignoble child will dare to extend His kingship to the world, as though he were one of the elders and the honorable in the generation.
Should the ignoble, too—one who has a lowly and base soul at its root—aim his heart and purify his deeds to become worthy, he will be rewarded with extending the whole of the soul of a holy nation in his soul, with all the wonders that the holy nation has tasted thus far. This is because they were all but preparations for this wholeness.
Hence, even that particular soul must taste everything, and he will buy his world in an hour due to the ability of that generation to extend the crown of His kingship, which contains everything: “And all need the owner of the needles, and every element in it is required” (Berachot, 64; Baba Batra, 145).
This is the meaning of their words: “Even if one man came before his Master in complete repentance, the Messiah King would come at once.” This means that whoever it was, even if it were only one man in the generation who was rewarded with extending that soul by himself, he will be able to reward his whole generation, since all who are obliged, exempt the public through their duty, and he can do much praying and hold his own until he rewards his entire generation.
This is not so with other kinds of redemptions, which were only in the form of preparations and did not belong to each and every one. For example, the giving of the Torah belongs specifically to the generation of the desert and to Moses. And any other generation, even if they were more worthy, did not extend that discernment, and neither did any other person besides Moses, for one they were interdependent.
However, the Messiah is ready for each and every generation. Because of that, it is also ready for each and every person to extend the discernment of the Messiah, as in “All who are obliged,” as mentioned above.
And the reason is that anointments concern the correction of the Kelim, and the portrayal of all the Kelim as equal, since any division between them is only in their HBD, by their measures. Hence, from the minister who sees the King’s face to the one who sits behind the grindstone, all are equal servants in bringing back the old glory, and in that, there are no degrees between one another.

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