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Hi Gianni,
This was the clearest lesson for me about the nature of egoism and how to correct it. There is one thing though that remains a mystery,
Does having more desire potentially increase more hatred and violence towards things in the limited perception of the creature ?
In the second reading, Rav Laitman states that egoic desire increases when spiritual desire does, and that is what we’ve been learning until now. This seems to contradict my understanding of the creator, who is pure love, and therefore tolerant.
to show this in an example, let’s say a farmer with a greater desire, on the path of correction, grows lettuce. His duty and responsibility is to his crop first so that’s where his desire is oriented. However, a cow wanders onto the field and eats his crop so he kills it.
A second farmer, not on the path of correction, experiences the same thing–but since he has less desire towards his primary objective, he may be able to rationalize this behaviour before acting. Realizing that a cow compulsively eats crops, he has tolerance for the behaviour. It might even turn out that the cow belongs to an important person so by allowing i to live his plants were protected even more.
What I mean is both desires exist in us, but by increasing all desires, the desire for hatred, destruction, violence, can also increase, and it may turn out that the action is done because of a false understanding.
It comes from a realization that everything is the will of the creator, every unpleasant experience I experience throughout the day is an opportunity to work on egoism. This way when I encounter obstacles, there is none that is too small or too big, because to move toward being altruistic my motivations have to be equal in wanting good for others as for myself and that they will have the quality of bestowal.
When the created being has a sense to bestow, is that when it is considered a complete being similar to the concept of ownership and property? For example, if someone has the will to recieve, because it is only created from the light of the creator it is considered incomplete, like in the same way a student is simply recieving an instruction from a professor so he is not fully engaged, then when the desire to bestow appears it’s like he becomes an apprentice, would that be an apt analogy?
Next, about the phases of light, why are the sephirot named so and does this relate in anway to the phases of light and parzifum? For example, if we translate tifaret to beauty does this have to do with the desire to receive in order to bestow?
Lastly, if the 4 worlds exist in humanity and the body of Adam Kadmon does this mean that the light of the creator, Keter is also present in individual people? Can we sense this light?
To move forward on the path, to see progress in the change, to connect the sephirot and correct the reshimot.
What I got from the past courses is that spiritual work is can only be done in a group, which is consistent with my gut feeling. Now, I can pay more attention to the most spiritually effective actions, instead of other actions that may feel gratifying to some extent but represent lower desires. I’m looking forward to using the map of the scattering of Adam Kadman into the reshimot and our collective correction for this. After the first two courses now I know what to expect; The content remains challenging, but as it builds on itself it is beginning to feel like a more complete system that I can use to always be moving towards having less egoistic desires. Even if the speed it happens is slow, I am sure that by completing reflections like these, I’m in the right direction. My expectation from this course is that we will interact more with one another.
What inspired me are the gems of meaning that come occassionally. It truly is inspiring to see there are others who can access the same spiritual power.
I learned to differentiate between the spiritual and the non-spiritual in the context of activities and involvements.
I wish for other students strength in their authenticity and the will to continue.
