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Dear Instructor,
In my 10 we are reading Shamati progressing chapter by chapter. Last night we read ‘2 Divinity in Exile’.
My question is, with these new ideas and new terms it is difficult to relate to them in any actual way in the corporeal sense. I have learnt before that the first steps of learning don’t seem to result to much (rather like forming mental pegs on which to hang future information).
Is this approach right, I mean not to be able to really understand/grasp fully the terms Shechina, Shocken etc as we all got a little bit confused and it can be deflating. This is such a short chapter too.
Any thoughts would be of great help. Warm wishes. Lyndon.
Hello Lyndon. You bring up a problem that we all have – how to study the writings of the kabbalists. It’s problematic for at least two reasons that I can think of. One, there is no way to know what they are talking about without first entering spirituality – just like there is no way to know what an apple tastes like without eating one. Actually knowing what an apple tastes like can not be put into words. Second, we are not studying in order to understand something. We are studying in order to be transformed. There’s a big difference. Here is a famous quote from the Introduction to the Study of the 10 Sefirot, item #155 that addresses the matter:
155) Therefore, we must ask, Why then did the Kabbalists obligate every person to study the wisdom of Kabbalah? Indeed, there is a great thing about it, which should be publicized: There is a wonderful, invaluable remedy to those who engage in the wisdom of Kabbalah. Although they do not understand what they are learning, through the yearning and the great desire to understand what they are learning, they awaken upon themselves the lights that surround their souls.
This means that every person from Israel is guaranteed to finally attain all the wonderful attainments with which the Creator contemplated in the thought of creation to delight every creature. And one who has not been awarded in this life will be granted in the next life, etc., until one is awarded completing His thought, which He had planned for him, as it is written in The Zohar.
And while one has not attained perfection, the lights that are destined to reach him are considered surrounding lights. This means that they stand ready for him but are waiting for him to purify his vessels of reception, and then these lights will clothe the able vessels.
Hence, even when he does not have the vessels, when he engages in this wisdom, mentioning the names of the lights and the vessels related to his soul, they immediately illuminate upon him to a certain extent. However, they illuminate for him without clothing the interior of his soul, for lack of vessels able to receive them. Yet, the illumination one receives time after time during the engagement draws upon him grace from above, and imparts him with abundance of sanctity and purity, which bring him much closer to achieving his wholeness.
Dear Mike, I watch recorded sessions/classes from the grad environment.
I love your classes but I struggled a little more with the latest one and I have a question [class 23 June 22].
At about 35 minutes into the class, you mentioned that you had visited Buchenwald Concentration Camp [with other KabU members] and you thought to yourself “what happened to all these people that suffered so much but then it hit me!, it is both sides that went through this”.
You then go on to explain that we need to make a connection with everyone and the lesson continues . . . My question is what do you mean when you said “it is both sides of me that went through this?”
Thank you so much in advance. Lyndon S
About Lesson “A Sage Speaks” June 21st:
Hi Seth,
In the last lesson, you asked us to give you some feedback and suggestions on where we wish to go after finishing “Preface to the Book of Zohar”. I still have some difficulties speaking during the lessons, so I hope it’s OK to write it down.
I find your sessions very helpful. I read the text before the lesson and understand nothing. I know the words, but they are empty for me. During the lesson, I feel like I a great kabbalist, I get it (sweet, sweet deception 🙂 ). After the lesson I read the text again and I am able to grasp some little percentage and make my own notes. So it’s working. Slowly, gradually, but still.
So I have 2 suggestions aboout future lessons:
1. We read the same, very short excerpt from a kabbalistic text in the beginning and at the end of the lesson. Thus, we can scrutinize for ourselves how our state has changed in the 90 minutes of connection.
2. Your drawings in the beginning of the last lesson were great. Very clear and understandable. So why don’t you try us with “Preface to the Sulam Commentary”? I am curious about that one. No idea if it is suitable for us though.
Regardless of which article you and the rest of the group choose to start, I am grateful to be part of this environment and will try to keep waking up at 3 a.m. to connect to you all.
All the best and thank you!
Ralitza
Dear Instructor,
My 10 and I looked at Shamati 48 “The Primary Basis”. We read it though twice and contemplated its possible meanings.
I think we’re stunning here as there are multiple stands in one text and it seems we were unable to get anything from the text.
Can you help at all. I’s there a commentary or explanation otherwise we don’t know how to interpret what is in this particular stanza.
Thanks. Lyndon S.
Hello Lyndon,
Baal HaSulam is talking about our work on the path before and after the Machsom. Questions are constantly awakening from the spiritual reshimot of the shattered soul. We have to guard ourselves with the help of the group so we don’t leave the path. We don’t want questions to go away, we need them in order to advance. After the machsom we have a different type of work. The Creator provides us the left and right line so we can build our soul in the middle line
It is all about deficiency, correction and fulfillment.
Hello Lyndon. Maybe this helps. Our advancement is always from darkness to light. From questions to answers, then again from question to answers, and so on. What we need is the right question, the right deficiency. For this we need the Creator’s help. Even in spirituality, when we have all the answers, the Creator is able to give us the right deficiency.
Hello Teachers,
To be in bestowal and love, to become similar to the Creator, in part means that I should listen and accept and share all of my friends and my corporeal stories, what goes on outside our Kabbalah environment and so on ?
Or should we be reading texts from the sources, bnei baruch sharings, scrutinize the readings, homework, listening to the Rav, uplifting each other to better states and seeing my friend with no flaws ?
Or both?Thank you!
Liza
Hi Liza,
The whole purpose of being in this environment is to acquire the ability to bestow. One must feel a need, a desire, to reveal the quality of bestowal. This is the only thing we lack, nothing else. We should come to our ten everyday asking how we can connect with one another in the right way for the desire, the need, to bestow to appear in the connection between us. This is the Kli for revealing it.
Lesson on the topic of “Silence”
Jan 12, 2012|Hello David, I guess my question is, how do we connect in the right way?
Regarding part of your answer…
<i><u>“Connecting with each other in the right way</u></i> for the desire, the need, to bestow to appear in the connection between us.”I heard Rav’s Lesson on the topic of “Silence”
Thank you again David.
Hello Liza,
We must follow the advice of the Kabbalists, mainly Baal HaSulam, Rabash and Rav Laitman. Through the social writings Rabash provides us guidance of how to work properly in the group.
We must connect in a way that will give the friends the feeling that bestowal is great and important.
The thing we lack is the desire to bestow and the only way to get it is from outside oneself, from the environment, the Ten.
We build the environment around our common desire for the goal. Even if we don’t have a true desire yet we must act as if we have it. Our friends are impressed by what you display to them. So, what are we bringing to our ten every day? Are we inspiring them toward the goal?
Rabash “They Helped Every One His Friend” Article No. 4, 1984
“Rather, it is one person who can help another by seeing that one’s friend is low. It is written, “One does not deliver oneself from imprisonment.” Rather, it is one’s friend who can lift his spirit.
This means that one’s friend raises him from his state into a state of liveliness. Then, one begins to reacquire strength and confidence of life and wealth, and he begins as though his goal is now near him.
It turns out that each and every one must be attentive and think how he can help his friend raise his spirit, because in the matter of spirits, anyone can find a needy place in one’s friend that he can fill.”
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