[Albert – KabU Instructor]

Hi Zorica,

Yes, it’s possible for these states to alternate. Ultimately though we should keep in mind the rule that “one is raised in holiness and never lowered.” So we never go backwards. It’s possible that we receive an additional challenge that belongs to a higher degree and that challenge can feel like we’re going backwards, but it’s still a step forward. Similar to how a bodybuilder that masters a five pound weight moves on to ten pounds. That ten pounds is much more challenging and he cannot do as many reps as before, but this is nonetheless considered progress and advancement.

Albert @ KabU

P.S. I’m not sure what BTG stands for, please clarify if you want me to expand on that.

[Albert – KabU Instructor]

Hi Luke,

The 613 desires that we are learning about are spiritual desires, meaning desires that we don’t yet have. This is similar to how a single cell in a body only has some basic desires. But when that cell is part of a greater body, it reveals there higher desires which are impossible for the individual cell to have: desires for money, honor, power, etc. Same with us, until we integrate with the general body of Adam HaRishon, we don’t reveal or understand these 613 spiritual desires.

Check out this blog post from Rav Laitman for more details: https://laitman.com/2008/12/all-you-need-to-know-about-the-613-desires/

As for the 613 Mitzvot, each Mitzvah (commandment) is an INTERNAL process by which we correct the corresponding desire. In other words, Kabbalists don’t look at the 613 Mitzvot as physical actions to be performed by our hands and feet, but rather as allegories to the internal process of correcting our desires.

Check out this blog post from Rav Laitman for more details: https://laitman.com/2016/02/mitzvot-commandments-the-correction-of-desires/

Albert @ KabU

[Albert – KabU Instructor]

Hi Dustin,

There are no free rides towards correction. This is called “there is no coercion in spirituality”. Meaning that no one gets corrected without putting in their own efforts towards their correction.

So what then are we seeing in the world? On the one hand, we see how the ego is constantly developing and pushing us forward. On the other hand, we see how the very thing that drives us, our ego, is actually the source of all of the problems in life. This process is called “the recognition of evil”. It’s a necessary part of our development, since without seeing the harm caused by the ego, we don’t feel the need to come out of it.

Check out this blog post from Rav Laitman for more details: https://laitman.com/2015/08/the-sinking-of-science-the-past-pride-of-humanity/

Albert @ KabU

[Albert – KabU Instructor]

Hi Dustin,

The system we live in is built such that you wont be able to use the Creator as a scapegoat, even if you tried. Let’s take an extreme situation where a person kills another person and then tries to tell the judge “but there is none else besides Him”. The judge will still send that prison to jail.

We need to keep in mind that ascribing everything to the Creator is our INNER work. Externally we must continue to function in this world in the normal way. If I’m sick, I must still go to the doctor. If someone is hurting me, I must stop them, call the cops, etc. If I hurt someone, I should apologize, make amends. Externally, we must continue to deal with all of our problems in the normal way. Internally on the other hand, we will begin to feel ourselves connected with the Creator through everything that we experience. More on this in the future.

Albert @ KabU

[Albert – KabU Instructor]

Hi Andreanne,

In the next semester, we’ll learn this concept of “there is none else besides Him”. It means that there is a singular benevolent force behind EVERYTHING that is happening to me. All of my thoughts, desires, life events, EVERYTHING comes from Him.

If so, am I to blame for what I did in the past? No. This force arranged everything the way it needed to happen. So it’s not good to dig into the past. The healthiest attitude towards the past is to say “there is none else besides Him” and that we went through exactly what we needed to go through. And instead we should focus our spiritual work on the present moment, on trying to reveal this force behind everything that is happening to you in the present.

More on this in the future, in the meantime, check out this blog post from Rav Laitman: https://laitman.com/2017/12/there-is-none-else-besides-him/

Albert @ KabU

[Albert – KabU Instructor]

Hi Sarah,

1. The soul is a type of desire. Our nature is the desire to receive pleasure. The soul is the corrected form of this desire, when it’s operating in order to bestow. By default, no one has this corrected desire, so no one has this thing called a soul, only a soul in potential that we call the point in the heart. If we develop that point, it can turn into the soul. If not, this same potential continues to reincarnate again and again until it gets fully realized.

Check out this blog post from Rav Laitman for more details: https://laitman.com/2015/06/what-happens-to-the-soul-after-death/

2. You’re right, it is a bit limited. People naturally wake up during the disaster (like sheep that band together when a wolf shows up), but afterwards, it’s business as usual.

What would it take for humanity to advance through the good path? That depends on us, on those with awakened points in the hearts. This is because we’re all part of one system. In this system, we don’t choose when to be awakened, but rather there is a certain order of corrections that needs to take place, and each one receives a spiritual awakening when it’s his/her turn for correction.

It’s similar to building a house. There is a certain order in which you need to build it. I’m not an expert on house building, but for the sake of the example, let’s say first you dig the foundation, then pour the concrete, lay the beams, etc, and only at the very end do you paint the house. Meaning that there is no point in even taking out the paintbrush before you finish all of the preliminary stages.

Likewise with us. Those that were awakened to this work first are like the foundation of the house while the rest of the world belongs to the later stages. So until those with awakened points in the hearts complete their correction, there is no point in even awakening the rest of the world for their correction. So we don’t need to wait for humanity to wake up, we need to finish our correction, and this will wake them up.

Albert @ KabU

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