The Elevating Force of Desire

Question: Why is it impossible to attain spirituality naturally, just by doing my work? Why is it that we definitely have to reach despair first, crying and asking the Creator?

Dr. Laitman's Answer: You don't have to cry artificially. You just reach this state naturally. You reveal it and then your inner affliction is called prayer. You don't have to say any words out-loud or make any artificial actions. With your work you will simply achieve a state that you will no longer be able to tolerate. And that means that you will burst with prayer.

You shouldn't try to reach it artificially or simply scream. You should concentrate on your work, and then the request will come naturally, the way thirst does. You don't think about the fact that at sometime in the future you will want to drink. But the time will come when you definitely will want it. Thus, if you study and advance together with the group, then at some point you will reach the state of spiritual thirst. You will definitely want it!

This is talking about strictly determined qualities and set laws that develop by a clear chain of cause and effect. You advance according to the root of your soul from your initial state to the final correction along a clear line that has already extended to you from the world of Infinity. Now you are going back along the same line. The only thing up for discussion is the acceleration of time and development.

In order to speed up this movement we have to participate in it ourselves, get organized into a group, and start attracting the Light with our study. If you have been given this desire, then realize it! You want to shift to the next level faster, so imagine it and start building it artificially as if you already are on that level. Attract it to you in order to ascend to it faster.

In essence we are building a certain image of the upper level, our next state, which is defined by the fact that 1) I am more connected with others, and 2) that our connection is filled by Light which unites us. To do this I have to connect with others the way I am able to today, and by studying to attract the Light that will connect us. What I study are the kinds of connections between us on a higher level, in a more corrected form.

I read about the world to come, about the corrected, wonderful state, and from there I attract Light to myself, and I also aspire to it. This is the simplest physics. There is nothing artificial or imaginary about it.

However, in it, what operates is desires, and desires are force. If I aspire to some state with my own forces, then I thereby evoke its illumination upon myself, receiving an influence to the degree that I aspire.

From the 1^st part of the Daily Kabbalah Lesson 02/15/11, Writings of Rabash

Learning to Love

Question: If it is impossible to attract the Light that Reforms without studying the science of Kabbalah, does that mean everyone is obligated to study?

Dr. Laitman's Answer: Of course! That is why Baal HaSulam says that everyone has to "sit at the desks." But what does it mean "to study"? Studying does not happen through the mind. You don't have to know anything. You have to study only for the sake of the intention to attract the Light so it would influence you and transform your ego to love, unity.

What's important isn't the study, but the result. This is called "the Torah," as it is written, "I created the ego and I gave the Torah for its correction because the Light contained in it returns one to the Source." The Light transforms your ego, your hatred for the friends, into bestowal, love, and unity.

This is the entire essence of the Torah. You don't have to understand anything, but only to change hatred to love.

Question: And the whole world has to do this?

Answer: That's right. But what does "studying" mean for them? It can even mean watching our broadcasts absentmindedly for half an hour a day. That's enough. They don't have to understand anything. Of course, it is necessary to give them a general explanation about freedom of choice and unification since they can understand that. But they do not need real study.

Besides, since the souls are connected with one another, our study will influence them. But they will have to make efforts too.

 From the 1^st part of the Daily Kabbalah Lesson 02/15/11, Writings of Rabash