[Albert – KabU Instructor]

Hi Sheila,

I’m sorry, my previous answer on this topic of a virtual connection was incomplete. If the Creator leaves a person with no choice but a purely virtual connection, then it is enough. For example, if a person was imprisoned and his only connection to the spiritual environment was through books, then that is enough for him to correct his soul.

But for the rest of us, who were not imprisoned, it’s highly encouraged to supplement the virtual connection with occasional physical gatherings. It could be once a week, once a month, once a year, etc.

These things will be more relevant for us in the advanced semesters of KabU, when everyone will receive their own virtual Kabbalah group with whom they can put these things into practice. And for those interested in local KabU groups, after graduating from KabU there is an option to be put in contact with other KabU students in your area.

Regarding the age at which a person finds Kabbalah, check out this blog post from Rav Laitman: https://laitman.com/2018/03/is-it-worthwhile-for-an-older-person-to-study-kabbalah/

Albert @ KabU

[Albert – KabU Instructor]

Hi Manuela,

Reaching that collective consciousness is against our nature. So we cannot just make that switch with our own strength. As such, all we can do and all that is required of us is to aspire to it. Such an aspiration, especially during the Kabbalistic studies, helps to extract the force of the light. It’s ultimately the light that makes all the changes on us. Our work boils down to extracting more and more of the light, and it does all the rest.

Check out this blog post from Rav Laitman for more details: http://laitman.com/2013/02/sunbathing-in-the-rays-of-the-reforming-light/

Albert @ KabU

[Albert – KabU Instructor]

Hi Sylvania,

I’m not sure what you mean by upper forces, but when we use such terms in Kabbalah, upper is referring to higher and higher levels of bestowal. While lower is referring to greater levels of egoism. The only way we can come into contact with the upper force, is in our aspiration to become like it, to imitate its qualities of love and bestowal. As such, it’s impossible to use the upper force for egoistic reasons. Any aspiration for personal gain is diametrically opposed to the upper force and will automatically disconnect us from it. All of this follows the law of equivalence of form.

Check out these blog posts from Rav Laitman for more details:

https://laitman.com/2015/09/where-is-the-upper-world/

https://laitman.com/2013/04/everything-is-attained-by-the-equivalence-of-form/

Albert @ KabU

[Albert – KabU Instructor]

Hi Danny,

Yes, the law of equivalence of form will be covered in lesson 5. Here are some more details about it from Rav Laitman’s blog: https://laitman.com/2013/04/everything-is-attained-by-the-equivalence-of-form/

Albert @ KabU

[Albert – KabU Instructor]

Hi Christian,

I would break it down like this:

Our nature is the desire to receive pleasure. It simply means that every calculation we make is to chase pleasure or avoid pain. This is similar to how any other animal functions. By itself, there is nothing wrong with this nature, it’s simply the program by which we function and preserve ourselves.

Egoism is when this program begins to be used in a way that harms others. Not only do I want to receive pleasure, but I want to receive it at the expense of others, at their detriment. This is the corporeal ego.

There is also a spiritual ego. Spiritual egoism is everything that stands in the way of our connection with the Creator. Normal people don’t have a spiritual ego. This is only something that we discover after doing some serious spiritual work.

Check out this blog post from Rav Laitman for more details: https://laitman.com/2010/10/true-evil/

For the most part, when we speak of egoism in Kabbalah, we’re referring to the spiritual ego, which separates us from the Creator. This quality was purposely ingrained in us in order to help us to develop. Since without separating from Him, we would not feel ourselves as existing or having any free choice in this whole process.

Furthermore, as we develop, our relation to egoism will also change. At times we will hate it for separating us from the Creator. At times we will appreciate it for helping us to develop to higher spiritual levels. And at times we will even see it as the Creator in disguise, playing a game with us. So it depends on our level of development.

Check out this blog post from Rav Laitman for more details: https://laitman.com/2011/02/the-worse-the-better/

Albert @ KabU

[Albert – KabU Instructor]

Yes, those are exactly the questions Rav Laitman addresses in that blog post: https://laitman.com/2014/01/from-perfection-to-perfection/

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