This Life Is A Dream

Question: How can we reach revelation so we will see the spiritual world as realistically as we now see our reality?

Dr. Laitman's Answer: I don't know whether the things I'm seeing now are reality or not. What if I am dreaming and cannot wake up?

It seems to me that I am now inside of a certain reality, but how do I really know whether or not this reality is just a dream compared to the next reality? Maybe there, such a level of wakefulness is awaiting me that everything I felt in the past will seem like a dream?

Inside my current reality there are also periods when I tune out from it and go to sleep. So how do I know: Maybe I am sleeping now as well?

In other words, I have to discern how to go from one state to the next and acquire a new consciousness. And that is why Kabbalists have given us a means.

Until you acquire that new consciousness, you will remain inside a dream and you won't even find out that it is possible to wake up and start living! We all understand what it means to dream. I was sleeping, I woke up, and now I am considered awake. And that is exactly how we exist in relation to the spiritual world, the world to come.

There are many states like this, one above the other. Kabbalah gives us the means to keep ascending from one state to the next. If you correctly use the means given to you in your current state, then you will be able to ascend to a state that is called "life" in relation to your current state, and what you feel today will be called a "dream." It is written, "We were as dreamers."

From the 4^th part of the Daily Kabbalah Lesson 11/25/10, "Body and Soul"

Jump Above Your Head

Question: How do we acquire the ability to advance "above reason"?

Dr. Laitman's Answer: "Above reason" is above our "matter," the will to enjoy; in other words, "above reason" is inside the quality of bestowal. We are unable to rise above our egoism ourselves. This is possible only with the help of the Upper Light, Ohr Makif.

"Reason" means my desire. Inside of my desire I am able to feel, see, and make calculations depending on the probable benefit or harm, or on whether it's worthwhile for me to use a certain desire or not. As a result of these calculations I reach certain conclusions and then realize my desires. I do not have any problem in this regard. That is how I live in this world.

I am certain about part of these calculations and I have doubts about another part of them. In our earthly sciences we also use the theory of probability whenever we do not have reliable information. However, in any case we have something we can rely on.

On the other hand, "faith above reason" or "above knowledge" is when I don't have any instruments or means of perceiving. In addition, I don't even know what "higher" is. If it were simply opposite to reason, then I might be able to calculate how I should act according to my reason and then I would act exactly in the opposite manner. Yet, this would also be a rational calculation.

However, I don't have the slightest idea of what "faith above reason" is; I don't know what reason it follows, what sensation and calculation it entails, and in relation to what. It is a certain approach, tendency, or paradigm that does not exist inside me.

Therefore, only the Light can come and give us this approach because "above reason" means "for the sake of bestowal," meaning not according to the calculation inside the Kli, the desire to enjoy. But if it's not inside the desire, then I don't know what it is. How can I find out? I don't know. And inside what desire?

Kabbalists say: If you start to perceive the desire of your neighbor as your own, if you can make a calculation in relation to his desire, one that is for his good, then that will be above your current knowledge. However, to do that I have to receive super powers that I don't have. If I receive them, I will be able to go "above reason." However, for now you cannot jump higher than yourself.

Only the Light that created us can change us. Therefore we have to use the "miraculous means" (Segulot) and perform various actions that awaken the Light so it will influence us. That is how our success will be measured. The mind and the sensations that you accumulate inside your desire to enjoy for now are unable to help you. They can only help you in the opposite form. If you make a daily assessment of what you have attained in spirituality, you will see that in reality you haven't attained anything even though you put in many efforts.

And the same thing will happen tomorrow. On the day after that, you will get confused in addition. Another day later you will suddenly feel confident that you have become smart. And so on. Every day you add more negative phenomena due to the fact that you reside inside the desire to enjoy for your own sake and you think that only the Light can help you, but it does not come and does not help you.

So what should you do? Start waging war against reason, as it is written about the Egyptian exile.

From the 1^st part of the Daily Kabbalah Lesson 11/25/10, The Zohar