Forum Replies Created
- Replies
Those are really high things, where you need to be not only a Kabbalist, but a Kabbalist in the attainment of the high degrees of Atzilut, where the roots are. Even if he would tell you the meaning, it would do no good to know that, say, the Tefilin represent a certain action in Zeir Anpin. Basically, they’re all ways – if you’re a Kabbalist in those high degrees – to complete the action on the lowest degree of our world; or if you fell all the way to our world, to somehow do something to start remembering and climbing back up; or, in the case of that people who once was in some association with spiritual degrees, to at least retain some connection to their past since that past is also their future – to be united as one man in one heart, to be a Light to the nations – so at least not to lose every thread of connection to that. It’s a framework too, that if you can’t do true spiritual actions, it’s nevertheless better to put oneself in some kind of fences – because “a man is born a wild ass’s colt” – and for him to just run completely free all the time with his ego isn’t ideal. If he won’t be burdened with the work in connection and intention, so then it’s not so bad that he’s burdened with whether to put on this shoe first and that shoe next and which side of the street to walk on, and so on. The Kabbalists left all these customs, which are sort of wooden-airplane models but of true spiritual actions, and with them, simple people could – all the more so when they have no idea why they’re doing such things – be always reminded that they’re under one Upper Force, and to always pay attention to that instead of all kinds of imaginary things.
I look for, in every state and situation, what is desired of me, from those who are outside of me. Not what I want, and not even what I would have liked to give, but what do they want to see from me now? This way, I study from the Creator my future states – through this powerful environment that allows me to, for once, put myself completely under the control of the Upper Light. But I would say that even if I’m not ready for all that, it’s worthwhile to come to the Retreat. Everyone will advance greatly.
Despite appearances and our understanding – reality doesn’t change by the means you’re suggesting. It’s like fighting the wind. Baal HaSulam calls this “the weakness of world-reformers.” Not just here but in every scenario, one is inclined to respond that way – to decry, to force. In short, I want reality to change – and it’s not me who is the only one who really needs to change because all that I see in the world is a projection of my own qualities. To show me what’s hidden in my intentions, the Creator shows me specifically this picture of reality. And through the wisdom of Kabbalah, He is willing to change me – and then I would see a different picture in reality. In another way I would prefer to change it instead? So then, from such actions one only learns Who one stands against – the Creator who makes this picture the way it is and doesn’t permit it to truly change by any other means.
This calculation is especially sharp toward those who have already found the wisdom of Kabbalah.
There’s such a thing as dissemination, but that’s either to those who have the Point in the Heart – in which case you give them a book on Kabbalah; or it’s to those who don’t have a Point in the Heart, but there it has to be by proof of how the Upper Force can resolve differences when we connect. You need to sit with both parties in a circle and do a workshop, for example. There, no one gets to fight for his position or for his side or negate the other. And if they work in this way, the Upper Force makes peace between them by elevating them to a higher degree than the problems.
These are the permitted forms of dissemination. So you have to see if there are such opportunities or not.
Here, you know especially when you can do the work as if you’re in an ascent, though you don’t feel you’re in an ascent. That’s how you know you’re in an ascent.
It’s because Kabbalah is a method of attaining the Upper World and only talks about that. Except if a Kabbalah student is asking, you can mention that if one is already studying the wisdom of Kabbalah and is engaged in feuds in their personal lives, that’s certainly opposite to connection, and thus, opposite to correction, and thus lengthens the path of suffering. I should know that that’s not how a Kabbalist would behave, so that I can decide if I prefer to follow the masses, or follow the Kabbalists.
Yes, but you have to give full support to your family. The Creator gave you that, and now you need to work from the state He gave. It’s like if you and I get under a barbell and I can lift 200 and you can lift 100. From your state, you might gain more than I, depending on your efforts. In spirituality, only the effort out of the particular state one is given, is relevant to spiritual advancement. Conversely, if I could have lifted 220 but only lifted 200, my advancement is zero. But from all of your possibilities, you have to give 100% – because your effort has to be an expression of how much you want spirituality, with as correct an intention as possible. This is all that is needed: an expression to the Upper Light that I, from my state, am doing what I can. It knows how to take care of everything from there.
