Question: Does the preparation for the upcoming congress grow according to the same levels of any development in nature: inanimate, vegetative, animate, and human?

Answer: Of course, it takes place in any development, and also in the development of desires. They also go through this process of the four stages of the direct light HaVaYaH (Yod‑Hey‑Vav‑Hey), and it applies to the congress as well.

When a person begins to think about it and to prepare for it, they experience ascents and descents, sometimes wanting to go, sometimes not. If they ultimately make a firm decision to go, they arrive at the congress truly prepared.

They must understand why they are doing this, what they hope to gain from it, and where the rest of the world (work, family, and health) fits into the picture.

They must weigh all these factors and ultimately arrive at the question, “What is the meaning of my life?” This is a question that cannot be answered in any other way.

Experience should show them that all other parts of our lives depend on some unknown factor.

The wisdom of Kabbalah reveals the source of this unknown, the upper force, to us. If a person connects to it, then they gain a tool capable of correcting everything in both this world and the spiritual world.

If they fully scrutinize all of this according to the stages of HaVaYaH, they will undoubtedly come to the congress, and arrive prepared.
[9816]
From the Daily Kabbalah Lesson 2/10/10, Baal HaSulam “Introduction to the Book of Zohar“

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Quality is far more important than quantity. There is an infinite number of plants in the world, yet one flower is equivalent to all the still matter in the universe.

One animal is equivalent to all the plants in the world. One person is equivalent to the rest of nature. This is how the difference between the degrees that are separated by an abyss is manifested.

If all the stones in the universe were gathered together, it would be impossible to grow even a single flower from them. For a flower contains life, that is, development, which does not exist in still matter.

The development of a human being, however, is completely unique and incomprehensible to the ordinary view. It would seem that each person possesses only a very small force, yet it is of an extremely high quality.

Therefore, an event such as a congress, our connection, gives tremendous strength. What are all the stars in the universe compared to a single human thought?

Today, scientists are discovering that our thoughts influence physical processes, the behavior of elementary particles in the collider. In fact, our thoughts govern all the stars, the entire vegetative and animate nature. All of this is the consequence of a person’s attitude, thoughts, and desires.

Therefore, it is said that all the parts of nature are included within the human being, and that there is nothing in nature that we need to correct except our thoughts. By doing this, we correct the entire world.

The light enters this world through the system called “Adam” (Man), for it is above everything else, and the light spreads from above downward. To the extent that this system is connected or, conversely, divided, that is, corrected or corrupted, to that extent the light passes to all the other parts: the still, vegetative, and animate, and it determines how we perceive the world.

Therefore, it is said that all of nature is included within the human being and rises and falls together with him. If I ascend and attain a greater connection with others, thereby correcting the common soul, then through me a stronger light passes to all of nature, and it too becomes connected in greater harmony.

I am the center of all this nature, and around me are the still, vegetative, and animate levels, and I determine their correction. When I complete my correction, they disappear and join me, for they are all my own parts—my reflection.
[9809]
From the Daily Kabbalah Lesson 2/10/10, Baal HaSulam “Introduction to The Book of Zohar”

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“And a certain man found him, and behold, he was wandering in the field. And the man asked him, saying, ‘What are you seeking?’ And he said, ‘I seek my brothers. Tell me, I pray you, where they are feeding the flock?’

A man “wandering in the field” refers to a place from which the crop of the field to sustain the world should spring (Rabash, “Love of Friends – 1“).

The Torah is the teaching, the method, that explains the entire process we must go through, from here until the end of correction. So where do we begin building the spiritual vessel and entering the spiritual world?

Here it speaks about Joseph, who gathers (Osef) all the previous qualities of his brothers, and through this discovers that he is in Egypt, that is, within the evil inclination.

I feel that I am opposite to the spiritual world and unworthy of it. Moreover, I have no desire whatsoever to enter it, this is what my inner qualities “tell” me. This realization must come. But on the other hand, we already know that if we break down the barriers between us and unite, then within our unity we will immediately begin to feel the spiritual world.

Thus, the Torah explains to us the process of developing our common vessel, which at this stage is called Joseph. He is “wandering in the field,” not knowing how to reach spirituality. Before him lies an empty expanse, and he does not know which way to go.

And the works of the field are plowing, sowing, and reaping. It is said about that: “They that sow in tears shall reap in joy,” and this is called “a field which the Lord has blessed.”

A person must be ready for the plowing, the sowing, and the reaping, that is, for working with his desire. For desire (Ratzon) is the land (Eretz), or that very field, which must be plowed and sown with the seeds of bestowal, Bina, so that Bina may enter Malchut. There it begins to grow by means of Malchut’s desire, producing sprouts, the harvest that we will later reap.

Thus, the person called Israel, one who is directed straight to the Creator, enters Egypt and discovers a great egoistic desire within himself. It is precisely then, when he sees that this desire rules over him, that he exerts himself toward unity and, through prayer and a cry for help, escapes from Pharaoh.

Why is this descent into egoism necessary? It is o that we may come out of it. Just as we place seeds into the earth so that, through the earth, they may sprout and blossom. It is thanks to the earth, meaning the egoistic desire, that the tiny seed of bestowal, the altruistic desire, begins to grow. It emerges precisely from the earth.

When the spark of bestowal, the point in the heart, awakens within us, it brings us to the wisdom of Kabbalah. We begin to study, we join a group, and suddenly discover how bad everything is, how many obstacles arise along the way. The evil grows stronger and stronger until we are completely submerged in it. Then, with our last ounce of strength, we struggle to overcome it and escape. And we flee, taking with us the great desire to receive that we acquired in Egypt.

This is how the seed of bestowal sprouts: We rise above the earth, taking the corrupted desires with us, and then begin to correct them.

This process is accompanied by joy and sorrow, by the hardening of the heart, failures, and difficulties. Yet it is precisely through despair that we draw near to the exodus. And that exodus is found in unity. No one comes out alone, only together.
[71452]
From the International Kabbalah Congress 2/24/12, “Arava,” Lesson 3

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Each one should try to bring into the society a spirit of life and hopefulness, and infuse energy into the society.

…before he came to the society, he was disappointed with the progress in the work of the Creator… because of his own weakness and lack of aspiration.

But upon entering the group, he must feel there a “raging fire” burning within him and drawing him into the group, which influences him without asking his permission, because he is unable to withstand the influence of the friends.

…but now the society has filled him with life and hopefulness. Thus, through the society, he obtained the confidence and strength to overcome because now he feels that he can achieve wholeness (Rabash, “What to Look for in the Assembly of Friends“).

If such a spirit does not exist within the group, there is no hope of attaining anything. In Article 225, “Raising Oneself,” from the book Shamati, it is written: One cannot raise oneself above one’s circle, from his environment. Everyone advances only together with the group. If I do not pass a good mood on to the group, I will not have it either. If I do not want the group to advance, neither will I advance, because we will not create a common desire, a Kli.

The more we speak about this, compelling ourselves to understand it ever more deeply, the more clearly we begin to discern the spiritual reality, one that is hateful to us, opposite to our nature, and undesirable; yet, it is the true reality. Then we will begin to see it as truly important and exalted.

But the main thing is, despite how unpleasant it may seem, to give every spiritual action and every spiritual state its true definition—it is bestowal and love of the neighbor within the group, unity for the attainment of the Creator, the force of our common bestowal and love.
[41828]
From the World Kabbalah Congress, “We,” New Jersey 3/7-8/11, Lesson 8

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International Kabbalah Convention, “May We Pray All Day,” Lesson 5

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International Kabbalah Convention, “Covenant in the Ten,” Lesson 6

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International Kabbalah Convention, “Annulment and Devotion in the Ten,” Lesson 3

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International Kabbalah Convention, “Love Will Cover All Crimes,” Lesson 4

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International Kabbalah Convention, “The Greatness of the Creator in the Ten,” Lesson 1

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International Kabbalah Convention, “Preparation to the Lesson 2”

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International Kabbalah Convention, “The Joy of the Gathering,” Lesson 2

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From Preparation to an Attack, Part 1, Lesson 0

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From Preparation to an Attack, Part 2, Lesson 0

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Question: You say that only from unity, from connection, can anything of real value come. People ask you: “What is unity? What is connection?” You seem to explain it, but you do not answer the question directly.

Answer: How is that? I answer directly! I perceive unity clearly; I am in it right now! From this state, the closest one to you, I explain what it means.

But there is a difference between the very first, the lowest state of connection, of mutual guarantee, and the one in which you are.

If I cross this barrier toward you, then I will be like you and will not be able to explain anything. I descend from the degree I am on to the very lowest spiritual degree, and from it, I try to explain to you, who are still lower, what this lowest spiritual degree is. I cannot descend any lower.

Question: What must happen for us to hear you?

Answer: You must generate a profound desire to experience unity.

Question: You speak about mutual guarantee, the power of unity, connection, and all this is, in principle, seems to circle around the same thing, perhaps with slightly different nuances. Recently, you said something concrete: “Think in this specific way and act in that particular way.” That resonates more clearly with people. But will this really work in practice? These things like: smile at each other and treat each other with kindness?

Answer: It depends entirely on your implementation and on nothing else, absolutely nothing else!

You must want it! You must want it a little bit more. And this “wanting it a little bit more” can be achieved through mutual assistance. It is precisely within that small added increment, within the mutual help that you can give each other, that you will attain the shared sensation of mutual guarantee in which the Creator will be revealed.

I explain everything in terms that are absolutely accessible! All that is required is to actually do it. At the very least to start, but I do not see any starting taking place.

Question: So how does one go about starting?

Answer: You need to map out all these actions in writing.

How is any business enterprise built? It begins with general plans and discussions, followed by more concrete details. Then come the development phases, various forms of research, an analysis of the dependencies involved, and so on. But the crucial step to is commence the serious work.

Question: Suppose everyone gathers together and, as it often happens at conventions, feels an intense collective desire for this to happen, will it actually happen?

Answer: Yes, it can happen at a convention, but it is a temporary state, a fleeting desire. Consequently what you will experience is a temporary sensation, a momentary illumination or revelation, rather than a permanent one.

To attain something permanent, you must engage in work, you must cultivate a constant desire within yourself, an aspiration that continuously accumulates. It builds up steadily until it becomes palpable, firm, and deeply ingrained within your very being.
[354349]
From KabTV’s “I Got A Call. Useless and Worthless People in the Group” 9/26/10

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This wisdom is no more and no less than a sequence of roots that cascade by way of cause and consequence, following fixed, determined laws that interweave into a single, exalted goal described as “the revelation of His Godliness to His creatures in this world” (Baal HaSulam, “The Essence of the Wisdom of Kabbalah“).

At first glance, there is some confusion here. First of all, it is said that these roots spread and descend from top to bottom. Immediately following it is written that they are connected and aimed at one lofty goal, seemingly from the bottom up; the goal is the revelation of the Creator (above) to creation, to man (below) in this world.

How did the Kabbalists comprehend this whole system, and describe it to us so that we could use their books to reveal it ourselves?  In exactly the same way we do, but for them it was far more arduous. They had no teacher, and they did not have a group.

For many generations people have been looking for ways to reveal the upper force and what is truly happening in our world, what laws it operates, how we might influence our destiny, and how to gain a sound, accurate understanding of what is actually happening here.

We see that many opinions, religions and beliefs abound in the world. Human beings are constantly changing, and from generation to generation they do not know what is happening to them.

He cannot integrate all of reality into a single coherent picture. After all, there is science and psychology, various faiths and beliefs, a host of phenomena occurring around us, but we do not know where they come from. We cannot find answers to questions about what happened before us and what will happen after. And most importantly, we do not know how to behave in everyday life.

Throughout history, many people have asked similar questions, until a man named Adam HaRishon (the first man) appeared. He is called the first man because he was the first one who received the answer to the question of what is actually taking place.

He revealed the entire system: how the whole reality (within which he exists) is presented to him, how various forces and systems known as “worlds” operate behind this world, how these all descend to him, why he suddenly wants to comprehend all this, what happens next when he begins to comprehend them, and how he proceeds to reveal the whole universe to himself.

The whole picture opened up before him, his entire future path, until he fully revealed the whole of reality as he exists independently of his physical, animal body, above him, above life and death.

He began to reveal all this, and described it in the book Raziel a-Malakh, (The Secret Angel). This is where the science of Kabbalah began.

How did the second person come to this disclosure, and then the third, the fourth, and so on? It is also because a desire awakened in them to know: “Who am I? Why was I born? Why do I exist? What is my fate? Who controls me? Who governs me? I want to control my own destiny! What is the reason for everything that is happening in the world and with me?”

Since we are all in a common system, we are drawn to our root, much like electric charges in a magnetic field or pieces of iron to a magnet. So we came to a place where we can acquire knowledge about the science of Kabbalah, each from their own direction, seemingly by chance.

The second person also came to Adam HaRishon, and began to study with him. And then came more and more. Yet although all of them, studied under their teacher, each attained revelation through the same path he traversed. After all, a teacher can offer assistance only through explanation, showing the student how to step onto the path of revelation, but each person must achieve it on their own.

What does one reveal? It is the order of the roots that descend to them, awaken them, and give them the desire to comprehend them. If a person realizes this desire, they reach the highest root through these roots, and thus reveals the entire universe. What does one reveal? The purpose of creation is to please the created.

At the end of our development, we reach a state in which we are filled with eternal and perfect delight in our mind, feelings, and awareness. We feel the harmony that reigns in all of reality. We reveal what is hidden from us now. And everything that we reveal is called “the thought of creation.”
[163126]
From the International Kabbalah Convention 7/17/15, Guadalajara, Lesson 1

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