In many Kabbalistic sources it is said that the spiritual is attained only by the power of prayer. Most people in the world think they understand what prayer is, but in reality, this is far from the case.

In the science of Kabbalah, we study:
 Behold that before the emanations were emanated and the creatures were created, The Upper Simple Light had filled the whole existence. And there was no vacancy (The Ari, The Tree of Life).

The upper light (the Creator in His unrevealed form) filled the desire that He created out of nothing. “Something from nothing” is precisely the act of creation.

Then the Creator began to modify and transform this desire into something from which an independent created being could later be formed. He performed various actions upon it until the desire shattered into many parts, which in Kabbalah is called the shattering of the common soul (Adam).

The fragments of the common soul divided more and more until each of them became a point, the point in the heart which ignites within us and through which we feel a longing for the Creator.

At first this sensation appears unconsciously. We do not know where it came from or why it gives us no rest, but it leads us to a Kabbalistic group. This is how our spiritual path begins.

While working in the group, we begin to understand that in the nature of creation there is no other material besides egoism, as it is said: “I created the evil inclination and gave the Torah for its correction.” Egoism was intentionally created by the Creator so that one could immerse oneself in it, take it along, and then, by correcting it, ascend to the Creator.

Therefore, our task is to reveal egoism within ourselves and bring it to its correct form, which is called “desire” (Hisaron).

The point is that when we are immersed in corporeal desires, we do not influence the spiritual system, we are not within it. But a properly formed desire, directed toward integration into the spiritual system of Adam, toward uniting with its parts, influences it is called “prayer,” i.e., a request to connect and function correctly within the general system of creation.

That is why it is said that everything is attained only through prayer, through the proper formation of one’s desire.
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From the International Kabbalah Convention 5/2/16, Lesson 3

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Question: Is it possible to say that the Creator outside is some kind of logic, laws, and the Creator inside is some kind of feelings? And when these two principles merge, a connection with the Creator occurs?

Answer: Of course, you can say whatever it seems to you right at the moment, but the Creator is the single force that acts in each of us and in all of us together.

There is not much to say about the Creator, because this “substance” includes absolutely everything. And even what I am saying to you now, and what you are hearing and thinking, comes from this force of nature.

Except it, practically nothing exists. We are within it, we are its parts. We are given a certain blindness, a restriction of our thoughts and feelings, so that we do not feel Him, and can reveal Him from this state. Then we, as it were, begin to exist.

There is me and a vast world. I perceive this entire world as a manifestation of the Creator in relation to me. In this way, I try to attune myself to the perception of this world, i.e., the Creator, this universal, the omnipresent force. By attuning myself in this way, I suddenly begin to feel that I am changing to match this force, the Creator. It is exactly to this state we need to arrive.

The purpose of creation is to achieve similarity to the Creator. When I, despite all the obstacles that He puts between Himself and us, reveal Him as the only One who exists, as filling the entire universe, then in this state I merge with Him. But the oneness of the Creator is not violated by this at the same time.

And the fact that He created such a remarkable quality of our separation from Him is given only so that we could, as if from the outside, as if from a distance, understand Him, feel Him, and reveal Him.
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From Kabbalah Lesson in Russian, 12/1/19

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Question: The flapping of each goose’s wings creates an updraft that supports the birds flying behind.

If people move toward a goal, let’s say that they understand that they must move together. What are “wingbeats” for people?

Answer: For people, this can exist if they define a single higher goal and understand how to achieve it.

Question: It says here that this updraft from the movement of wings supports the birds flying behind. How do they support them? With what?

Answer: The same applies in battle: those who go in front set an example for those who follow. That is, the wingbeat is the example you show.

Question: When a bird breaks formation, it begins to experience sharp air resistance, which forces it to quickly return to formation and continue flying with less effort.

Suppose people set high goals and can’t endure it, they drop out, leave. How can it be made so that in their mind and heart there is the thought that a lone individual won’t break through, that to do so one must be in this group?

Answer: They must all be preoccupied with one goal. Then some will go in front, stay together, and others will hold on behind them, and in this way they will all reach the goal together.

Question: And those who hold on behind understand that they are weaker, so they hold on to their friends; will they have the thought that “I won’t break through alone”?

Answer: Of course.

Question: That is if the importance of the goal is constantly maintained?

Answer: Yes.

Question: When the leader gets tired, it flies to the back of the flock, and another bird replaces it. In life, leaders—politicians, those who lead people, states—don’t feel responsibility. They leave only at elections. There isn’t such a thing as “I’m tired, I give my place to another.” What must a leader have for this thought to arise?

Answer: The importance of the goal of the entire flock.

Comment: I see, the importance of the goal is the peak, the foundation.

My Response: Yes. He must understand that he is responsible for ensuring that the flock continues the path and reaches the goal.

Comment: Even if he won’t be there, even if he…

My Response: That doesn’t matter.

Comment: Meaning his thoughts are not about himself at all, but about the flock.

My Response: Yes.

Comment: That is the most important thing! We seem to have had such an example. Begin left that way, on his own. He suddenly stood up in the middle of a meeting and said, “I’m tired.”

My Response: Yes. That was a great decision.

Comment: And then he sat quietly for ten years, gave almost no interviews. And that’s how he departed.
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From KabTV’s “News with Dr. Michael Laitman,” 1/5/26

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Question: Do you remember the time when you understood nothing of what was being discussed in the science of Kabbalah? Perhaps you could roughly understand the structure of the worlds, but when you actually sensed them, how unusual was this impression or feeling?

Answer: It was very unusual, because you begin to perceive reality “from the outside in.” This is the most important epiphany at the beginning of the path. You understand what is written is not about the outside, but that our perception, our brains, our impression of reality are designed to see everything outside of ourselves and feel outside of ourselves.

You begin to realize that all this exists in you: the group is in you, the people are in you, all that is happening, all events are in you, and, naturally, this results in unity in the group, mutual guarantee, and all else.

Such a correct understanding of this process and what Kabbalah generally says about how a person combines all this within himself, is, of course, a huge revolution. This is an indescribable event. It turns everything upside down.

From that time on, a person begins to change, to treat himself, others, his studies, and his teacher differently.

Question: You said that a person begins to perceive reality “from the outside in.” Is this crossing the Machsom?

Answer: Not yet. He just treats himself and his surroundings differently, realizing that all this is inside him.

You can even say it more simply, without clever concepts. I realized that everything depends on me, on my correction, that I will achieve spirituality not somewhere far away but in me. It is in me that the quality of the Creator, the quality of love and bestowal, will appear, that is, such a property when what is outside of me and inside of me merge into one whole, without boundaries.

From that moment on, I began to have a different attitude to the science of Kabbalah and how to realize it, not through logic outside of myself but precisely in me.

Question: Does it usually take time?

Answer: It takes a lot of time.

Question: And then there is a transition, a complete inversion, which you mentioned. What happens to a person if there is already an inversion?

Answer: No, in this case, the inversion is carried out simply in relation to the science of Kabbalah, how it should lead you forward: either it should reveal some area outside of you, some laws, connections, or reveal everything inside you. When you begin to realize that this must happen within you, you radically change your attitude toward everything.

Question: And yet, there is a completely different perception behind that “wall”?

Answer: Yes, but it is impossible to convey it.

Question: Not at all possible?

Answer: Not at all.

Question: So how did Baal HaSulam explain spirituality to his grandson, who immediately “ran off”?

Answer: He explained to him that it is impossible to make the transition to the spiritual world through human strength, only with the force of the upper light. And so, he “ran off.”

Question: Did he not show him that world?

Answer: No. You cannot do that. He just told him, purely logically, how much a person should change, and he decided that it was impossible to change.
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From KabTV’s “I Got a Call. Before and After the Machsom” 10/8/10

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