We Have Assembled Here To Become Human

Rabash's article, "The Purpose of the Association":  We have met today to establish an association of those interested in following the path and method of the author (Kabbalist Rabbi Yehuda Ashlag) of the "Sulam" (Ladder), the path of ascension from the level of an animal to the level of man.

We have to deduce the fundamental principles from this article:

1. What does it mean "to assemble"?

2. What is "the method of Baal HaSulam"?

3. What is "the human level"?

4. Was man created to experience pleasure or fear before the Creator?

5. The condition for attaining all of this is equivalence of form with the Creator.

6. The will to enjoy by itself is not bad. It is the matter of all creation. The evil inclination (Yetzer Ra) is our unwillingness to unite and to correct the breaking of the common soul into parts, our individual souls.

7. We must not destroy the egoistic desire, but only correct its intention from "for myself" to the intention of bestowal, "for others." Inside our desire to receive, we are always opposite to the Creator, but inside the intention to bestow, we join Him.

8. Adhesion with the Creator takes place through equivalence of form with Him. The way to attain the intention to bestow is by working with the group. This task is achievable and verifiable, and the common desire to bestow that we create together is our common soul, which the Creator fulfills.

9. Any state we are in consists of two opposite states, and as we advance, the gap between them increases. I continually reveal how insignificant I am, and at the same time, I continually reveal the greatness of the goal.

I have to unite all of this inside one point. Thus, I will feel the breaking between the souls which will force the Upper Light to correct me. Then bestowal will reign between myself and other people.

This is called "the giving of the Torah, the Light of Correction." After that, the "One Who Gives the Torah" becomes revealed inside our corrected attitude to our neighbor, inside the common spiritual vessel (Kli).

 -from the 3^rd part of the Daily Kabbalah Lesson, 5/16/10

Shame Gives Birth To Creation

Shame Gives Birth To Creation

Question: What forces the creature to make the decision to perform the restriction (Tzimtzum)?

Dr. Laitman's Answer: Shame! The creature feels shame in all of its desires. The decision to perform the restriction comes from this feeling rather than from a conscious decision of the mind. The restriction occurs when I feel that I am unable to remain as a receiver. When the Light fulfills me and turns the pleasure from receiving into death for me, it makes me feel that I lose all Light, all fulfillment.

The Light is pleasure. The instant I receive it, I feel like I receive something great. I feel fulfilled and experience enormous, infinite pleasure. However, then I immediately discover that I received this pleasure from someone, which makes me feel ashamed. I am engulfed by the fire of shame. I feel tremendous discomfort because it nullifies my individuality. I burn with my shame and I hate myself and Him.

This is called the disappearance of the Light, and it doesn't require any intelligent conclusions and decisions. All sensations are experienced through feelings, because when the pleasure disappears, I no longer receive fulfillment. The shame of receiving is a very exalted sensation. I wish for everyone to achieve it.

-from the 2^nd part of the Daily Morning Lesson, Preface to the Wisdom of Kabbalah