Creating The Creator From The Breaking

Dr. Michael Laitman The breaking creates an imaginary reality, space, and distances. Parts of Malchut drew away from each other during the breaking of the common soul. It is in this space between its parts that I differentiate myself and others, those who are close to me and those who are far away. Within this sphere, I imagine a distance between these separated parts, which are not connected as one whole.

Thus, it is as a result of the breaking that I feel this reality. If such a reality did not exist, I would not be able to work on drawing closer and connecting to others. I would not have had an opportunity to attain something. After all, my whole attainment comes from an aspiration to learn, “What is this?”  And then I draw closer to the object that interests me, much like a little child that brings everything to his mouth, his most developed sense, in order to taste it.

Since the breaking exists, I first begin to egoistically strive to adjoin individual parts to myself, and then I wish to unite with them in bestowal. If I wish to unite with them egoistically, then I wish to attain only my inner sensations. However, if I wish to unite with others in bestowal to them, I thereby attain the Light that vanished during the breaking. I wish to fill the gap between us with this Light.

I build an image of the Creator within the desires (Kelim), which are distant from one another. I fill this empty space between them with my Reflected Light. This means that I build an image of the Creator. Therefore, the Creator (Bore) is called “Come and See” (Bo-Re), since I create Him.

Who Observes the Creator’s Reality?

Dr. Michael Laitman A question I received: Who is that observer, who sees the Creator’s reality?

My Answer: It is the desire to receive. This desire in the fourth stage (Dalet) of its four-step development has the quality of being able to see itself in a way different from the desire to receive on the inanimate, vegetative, or animate levels. On these levels, the desire feels only itself, and sees all of its inner parts: the inanimate, vegetative, and animate nature, and the human being in this world, from within itself.

The desire to receive, which has developed to the fourth stage, has another part, which is called “the point in the heart” – a “particle of the Creator above” from which it can also observe. This point of observation is new, and from this point, it sees itself as though from the side of the Creator.

It is only necessary to see this point to give it great importance, stamina, and scope. All this is carried out by extracting this point from within oneself and “gluing” it to others.

Those “others” merely exist in one’s imagination. In reality, nothing exists outside of the person. However, this is how we feel as a consequence of the breaking.

Evening Zohar Lesson – 03.15.10

The Book of Zohar — Selections, Chapter “BeHukotai (In My Statutes),” Item 20
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The Upper Light Will Appear Through The Fog

Dr. Michael Laitman The study of The Zohar consists of several stages. In order for the Light to affect us, we need to continually return to the text. The Light performs its work time after time, and we begin to feel the text with a better understanding.

Our first inner reactions mark the beginning of attainment and this will initiate the enabling of our understanding the text. After all, when we read The Zohar for the first time, it is in order to create the ability to perceive the vessel (Kli) within us.

The Light doesn’t enter when it comes for the first time, but only creates the desire for Light. This desire is not considered to be selfish (evil) because it cannot yet be comprehended since there is no Kli for it. Only the repetition of it is considered evil; and the repetition creates an impression. This is why for now we simply need to keep reading, and later on we will have something to speak about. Suddenly impressions will appear within us, and the Upper Light will appear through the fog.

The Zohar’s Secret Influence

Dr. Michael Laitman A question I received: Naturally, every book influences people even if it’s a health-food book. When we read Rabash’s articles about the group or Baal HaSulam’s articles like “Matan Torah” (The Giving of the Torah)” and “The Arvut” (The Mutual Guarantee), it’s clear to us that these articles speak about unity. When we read The Zohar, we believe that Kabbalists wrote about unification, but this isn’t obvious to us from the text. How does this text influence people?

My Answer: There are books that affect understanding. For example, when we read an organic cookbook, we understand what this book is about and this affects our mind. However, The Zohar is written in a way that doesn’t speak to our physical mind, which is why we’re unable to understand this book. The Zohar speaks to our spiritual mind; yet, at present, we don’t have a spiritual mind. We weren’t created with it; rather, we must attain it. We can’t yet understand what the authors of The Zohar wrote about; to do so, we must rise to the level of their mind and sensations.

Sometimes we can feel these changes inside ourselves such as when we suddenly perceive things that previously we were unable to grasp. All at once, we can see that there’s an absolutely different perspective from which we can view things. This is an inner perspective that doesn’t exist in this world. In this world, so far, our vantage point is with the intention of Lo Lishma (for the sake of receiving). Consequently, once we understand the meaning of Lishma (for the sake of bestowal) and acquire the spiritual mind and senses, we will feel as if we are from another planet, not from this world.

The Zohar is written in two layers in order to bring us to this. The first layer is tales that are seemingly about this world, but are written in a very strange form such as about the Tabernacle, animals, the Sinai desert, and so on. The second layer is a more inner level written with Kabbalistic terminology such as Zeir Anpin, Malchut, the three lines, ascents and descents, Aba ve Ima, and so forth.

We have no connection with either of these planes. Essentially, however, these are not two planes, but two languages that speak about the same phenomena. I can still visualize the plane that is closer to me, the one that seemingly speaks about this world such as a tent, the Tabernacle, and people that do things. I can also visualize the second plane, somehow, of the right and the left lines, up and down, the passing of the Light, and ascents and descents of Partzufim.

A lot of effort is needed to visualize both planes as one whole and see that all of this is within me. This is about my connection with the forces of bestowal; all of this is only about the forces of bestowal. Where are the Tabernacle, the tent of gathering, Zeir Anpin, and Malchut? Everything is within me. I must treat both of these planes like they are my inner spiritual qualities. I want to bring them out from within me and feel them, which is called “Opening The Book of Zohar” or revealing it. This is why Segula (Remedy) operates here.

Cookbooks or weight-loss books brainwash us. We acquire the author’s mind, he influences us, and his opinion begins to interest us. The Zohar doesn’t “brainwash” or coerce; it doesn’t contain anything like that. The remedy in it only operates according to our desire. We need to have a very strong desire so The Zohar will really influence us so that spirituality will become revealed to us.

How A Kabbalah Convention Affects The Correction Of The World

Dr. Michael Laitman A question I received: How can our participating in a Kabbalah convention affect the correction of the world?

My Answer: It will inevitably affect the correction of the world, since it will be an act of unity. Any act of unification among us is an additional step toward contact with the Creator. Every such action attracts the Surrounding Light that draws us closer to Him. And through us, the Light will spread over the entire world.

The more we think about our mission and responsibilities in relation to the world, the more effectively it will work. It is because it will bring contentment to the Creator and contribute to the good future of creation. The stronger the point of unity between us, the closer we draw to the Creator.

The World Behind The Looking Glass

reachingforgood As long as we exist in the perception of this world alone, we cannot understand that it is imaginary. Right now matter is the only reality we know, and we don’t feel anything else. Yet, our objective is to start to clearly perceive the world on two levels: the material and the spiritual. Then we will understand that one of them is imaginary. This doesn’t mean it does not exist; “imaginary” means it is a reflection of the true form, whereas the second, spiritual form is the real thing.

There is something that’s authentic, and then there is a reflection of it, like in a mirror. You can’t say that the reflection doesn’t exist. Moreover, it is precisely the reflection that enables us to come to the perception of the true, spiritual form.

One never perceives the spiritual form separately, by itself. On the path of correction, a person continually develops a greater spiritual perception of the forms of the Creator, but he reveals them within the imaginary form of this world. Therefore, we cannot detach from it until we ascend all 125 degrees of the spiritual ladder.

Along the entire path of correction, on all the phases of attainment, one’s spiritual perception constantly grows stronger while being based on these two forms: the imaginary and the real. The imaginary form is only called imaginary. But do we really imagine our world? After all, we live in it – this is our current reality.

The true reality is the realm from which forces, decisions, and facts come to us, while only their reflection exists in this world in order to help us attain the true reality. When we begin to attain it, we call this world “imaginary.” Yet, it isn’t some non-existent fantasy, but is necessary for us to discern spirituality.

The Book of Zohar Won’t Let Us Delude Ourselves

method When we read The Book of Zohar, we understand that it talks about qualities, forms, and images that we don’t perceive yet. It is precisely this sensation of not understanding that pushes us forward and makes us form the right perception.

If we read other Kabbalistic books, then we might perceive everything in a purely mechanical manner, with our mind, or in the form of material pictures. Then we will be satisfied with the perception that lowers all the concepts to the level of our world, without understanding that they are all imaginary. Alternatively, we might consider them spiritual, yet merely theoretical.

In contrast, The Book of Zohar with Baal HaSulam’s Commentary forces us to search for a new perception and to unite these two images. This results in the emergence of the true perception of reality. A person doesn’t understand how it happens, but the book works on him and he gradually acquires a new perception.

Our Work Is Very Simple

reward Rabash, “The Meaning of Torah and Work on the Creator’s Path”: When one intends to study the Torah, he should keep the goal, the reason for which he intends to study, before his eyes. The goal, that is, the benefit which he wants to extract from the Torah is the Light that Reforms that’s in it.

Essentially, we don’t need anything else. We should imagine and attempt to feel that everything happens because of the Upper Light, that “there is none else besides Him,” that He is the ruler and the lord, and only He performs everything.

Therefore, we only need to desire and wait for His actions and their consequences. Our entire work consists of attracting His actions upon ourselves, feeling that we are the lower degree, while He is the Upper One, and becoming similar to the Upper degree, the Light. He will act upon us and make us similar to Him in as much as we will aspire toward Him, that is, desire to become like Him.

So it follows that our work is very simple. It’s not important what passage of The Zohar we are reading or what it is about; it’s not important how much we understand what we are reading. There exists a system of connection between us and the Upper Light, called “The Book of Zohar.” We have to utilize it and aspire to become similar to the Light during the study.

This desire will awaken the Light, and it will act upon us. Slowly, we will begin to feel the results of its influence.

Daily Kabbalah Lesson – 03.15.10

Preparation To The Study of The Zohar
Until the very End of Correction our picture of reality will contain an element of fiction, an imaginary breaking, which allows us to make steps toward unity.
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The Book of Zohar – Selections, Chapter “BeHukotai (In My Statutes),” Item 11
I should be happy to reveal the “sinners” or egoistic desires within me because it’s a sign of my readiness for correction.
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“Beit Shaar HaKavanot,” Item 30, Lesson 10
When the Kli is ready to become like the Creator, even in the “thin line,” this readiness constitutes the very essence of creation.
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Introduction To The Book of Zohar,” Item 71
All countries and nations should make it their priority to view Kabbalah as a means for solving today’s problems.
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