We have met today to establish an association of those interested in following the path and method of the author of the "Sulam" (Kabbalist Rabbi Yehuda Ashlag), the path of ascension from the level of an animal to the level of man.

The whole world was created for the fear of the Creator. The purpose for the creation of the world was to benefit the creatures, so that they would feel themselves happy.

The creatures do not receive the pleasure and goodness even though it is the purpose of creation, because of the dissimilarity in form between the Creator, who bestows, and man, who receives.

Since our root, the Creator, does not receive and lacks nothing, man feels shame in receiving. In order to correct that shame, the world was created, concealing the goodness and the pleasure, for the sake of fear, for a man to fear making use of his vessel for receiving, called "love of self." A person should withhold himself from whims and subdue the desire for some object of desire, exercising the strength to overcome whatever he craved.

Rather, he should receive pleasure from bringing contentment to the Creator, desiring to bestow unto the Creator. He should have fear to receive for himself alone, as any pleasure man takes for his own benefit distances him from the Creator.

If one observes any of the commandments, it should be directed towards bringing him the thought and desire to bestow unto the Creator. As it is written, "The Creator wanted to give merit to Israel, therefore He abundantly increased the Torah and the Commandments."

Thus, we are meeting to establish an association wherein all its members will "bestow unto the Creator." In order to attain bestowal unto the Creator, we must first learn to bestow unto man. That is called "love of others."

Love of others requires self-nullification. For each one to feel humility on the one hand, and on the other hand, he must feel pride that the Creator has given him the opportunity to enter the society, wherein each one has only one goal for the "Shechina (Divinity) to reside among us."

Although we have not yet reached that goal, we nevertheless have the will and it is important to us. Even though we are only at the beginning of the path, we still aspire to achieving the lofty goal.