Don’t Get Washed Away Into The Stormy Sea
Sometimes
a person feels that he is tired, that he needs rest, and that the path is not
for him. Even though he knew ahead of time that these states would come,
he suddenly forgets what to do. All the articles talk about this. They describe
the inner struggle, the obstacles, and how the righteous ascend where the
wicked fall. Thus, a person reaches a state where he is really given freedom of
choice.
This
requires a great deal of luck, where luck means that he was able to set up a
relationship with the environment, group, teacher, and Kabbalah
books that does not
let him leave. He takes on various obligations and participates in all of the
group's actions in order to make habit become second nature. This prevents him
from leaving these actions, since otherwise those around him will start to look
down on him.
If he
realizes how weak his nature is and sets up these connections, then he is able
to hold on and stay. This is similar to how sailors on a ship's deck tether
themselves to the boat with ropes so the waves won't wash them into the open
waters. They know that they won't have the strength to hold on in rough seas,
and so they tie themselves with tether lines.
You can't
do the tying when you are already being washed away. Everything must be
prepared in advance. Sailors understand that they don't have the strength to
overcome the tremendous force of stormy seas that throw them in every direction.
That is
how a person should prepare, and the group must offer guaranteed support so he
won't leave the path even in the stormiest of conditions. The person must also
use all of his qualities, such as: pride, the common ego, and all sorts of
calculations, to ensure that he won't run away from the path and that he will
reach the goal.
-from the 1st part of the Daily
Kabbalah Lesson 7/08/10
Don’t Take The Creator For Granted!
Question: It says in The
Book of Zohar (Item 370, Chapter "VaYetze") that "No
man should ever slight another person in the world." What does it mean
to
slight someone, or to take someone for granted in my spiritual work?
Dr. Laitman's Answer: Taking someone for granted is
lacking
the sensitivity for a possible connection. It means that right now I am
able to
find the right connection between the right and left lines, the will to
enjoy
and the intention for the sake of bestowal, but I don't make the efforts
to do
this. This is slighting.
It means that you
don't pay attention to the opportunities given to you at every moment.
You take
them for granted. You don't feel or understand them, and instead you
think that
everything depends on you. This is called taking something for granted.
We exist in the World
of Infinity. All the levels, all the worlds, and all the highest,
perfect
states are inside us; Reshimot (Reminiscences) awaken inside us
at
every moment. Every second the Creator gives us the opportunity to
advance, to
ascend to a new level. This is called that He revives us.
Unfortunately, we
only notice 1/1000th part
of all these opportunities, at best. This is called taking things for
granted; it
is when we take His attitude toward us for granted.
His attitude is
unchanging. He is always teaching us and causing us to advance, but we
don't
desire it. Meanwhile, time goes by.... It is written that the Creator
replaces
one angel with another if a person is unable to establish the right
connection
with what he is given from Above.
This is indeed a
problem. We are unable to properly interpret the regular states that we
constantly go through; it depends on one's sensitivity. I might be
feeling my
current state as a huge tragedy, as it is written: "The righteous see
man's evil inclination as great and powerful, as a great mountain, while
the
wicked see it as a thin thread." Everything depends on your sensitivity,
on how much you pay attention and don't take the details for granted.
This is our work: to
be more attentive and to awaken ourselves with the help of the group,
which
helps each of us understand that at every moment we have the opportunity
to
advance.
This does not mean
that they are lecturing me on morals. Rather, if they are all in the
state of
constant pressure overall, then I also receive these vibrations from
them, and
I am overcome by fear: How can I make sure I don't miss the
opportunities to
advance that I am given at every moment?
-from
the 2nd part of the Daily
Kabbalah
Lesson 7/08/10
Kabbalah International
