Dr. Laitman's summary of
Rabash's article "The Agenda of the Assembly"
Abridged Article No. 17, 1985-86
One should always establish the praise the Creator, and then pray. Only if the Creator has: a) what he asks of him, b) a kind heart that would give. Prior to that is establishing the praise of the Creator - for one to believe in these two.
When the friends gather for a purpose, wishing to acquire something, then when each of the friends goes home, he sees that he has acquired nothing.
When the friends gather, they sit, eat, and drink, talking about this and that, the body is pleased. However, there is nothing in that with which to revive the soul after the assembly. One must see that his exertion will be rewarded, "Lest we touch in vain." And what has he acquired during the gathering of the friends?
The order of the assembly: 1. To speak only in praise of the society. 2. To see what can be acquired from the gathering. 3. Each person will say how to acquire the love of friends - what can be done, to acquire love in his heart for each and everyone in the society. 4. What can be done in favor of society. 5. Carrying out the friends' decisions.
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By bonding with the friends, one can obtain the greatness of the Creator. The whole world is immersed in self-love. He desires bestowal, which is contrary to the common view of the world. Yet, without pleasure, one cannot do anything because it is against nature.
However, one can replace the pleasure: Instead of receiving pleasure from an act of reception, he desires to receive pleasure from an act of bestowal, which is equivalence of form. Just as the Creator enjoys bestowing unto the creatures, he too should enjoy bestowing unto the Creator. And if while bestowing unto the Creator, he has no pleasure, there is no equivalence. It is mandatory to enjoy bestowal.
Hence, he seeks people, to enhance the importance of contact with the Creator. When friends think of enhancing the greatness of the Creator, that is awakening from below, upon which the awakening from above follows, and they begin to have some sensation of the greatness of the Creator. He can then proceed all day in joy, for he is engaged in the work of the Creator, enjoying even a trifle act. Yet, he lacks knowledge of the Creator's laws, knowing what pleases the Creator. That is his concern and other than that, he is in a world which is all good. All of that is what the society should think during the assembly.
In order to demand the intention to pray, one must first establish the praise of the society, "And then pray," meaning to demand of the society to give him what he demands from it.
One should see that the society has what he needs, which he will receive if he bonds with them. Thus, he should ensure that the society is aimed towards the goal, to which he craves and that each of them has some grip of that goal. For by everyone bonding together for one goal, each will have his own share, as well as the shares of the whole of society.
It follows that each one should always examine the goal of the assembly of the friends and the society in general.
They should speak of the importance and necessity of the society, in order to reinforce the society to become "as one man and one heart." Each one should think of a suggestion that can improve the love of friends, it should be discussed, and it must be accepted by all the friends, with no coercion.
From the connection between man and man, we should transfer to the connection between man and God. For the importance of love of friends is that it leads us to the love of the Creator.