Everything that the Kabbalists of the past did, each acting according to his own conditions and time, was the preparation to our present state. Thanks to it, we have all the primary sources necessary today, which enable us to advance: the writings of the ARI, The Zohar with the Sulam Commentary, the writings of Baal HaSulam and RABASH.

There has never been a time like ours before. The Kabbalists of the past were not given the opportunity to work in similar circumstances to what we have today: a global crisis that resembles the crisis of ancient Babylon and reflects the breaking of the common soul in the Upper world.

About 80-90 years ago, Baal HaSulam wrote that we would live in the generation of the Messiah, at the era of spiritual redemption. As the nation of Israel has already acquired their land and established a state, it means that we now have an opportunity to build everything according to the spiritual law of love thy neighbor as thyself and unite together as one spiritual nation.

However, it is impossible to reach this state without the realization of evil, and for this we need either great suffering, or for the Light to reveal our evil. Today we have an opportunity to draw this Light, to see that we are opposite to bestowal and love, and to begin the correction by uniting with society and the nation. Let’s hope that it happens soon!

From the 4th part of the Daily Kabbalah Lesson 7/15/10, Pri Hacham, Igrot (Letters), Letter 38

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How did the breaking of the worlds occur? The lower one, Malchut (which cannot fill itself, but without which the final correction is impossible) asks the Upper One (the mother, Ima) for the Light in order to receive it for the sake of bestowal. The whole system of the Upper worlds is ready to give the lower one this Light.

Now, everything depends on the lower one who understands that everything is ready for the feast. He can receive it without any shame, but only for the sake of bestowal. He truly desires bestowal! He is told from Above, “Take it; you can do it.” There is no way to predict the imminent downfall….

Somewhere in the First Restriction (Tzimtzum Aleph) hides the serpent’s tongue, but it is impossible to see it from here as it has never revealed itself before. This is a concealed point of the creature’s independence which has never manifested before. The creature completely obeyed the Creator, the Light that created it, and it was impossible to tell that something would interfere with it being in complete bestowal.

However, on the other hand, this point had to exist. Otherwise, the creature would not be independent. If I do everything that the Creator tells me, then it is as though I, myself, do not exist. My individuality does not exist. My “I” comes out particularly in in the fact that I want to become like the Creator, but something in me doesn’t allow me to do this. This quality that doesn’t let me become similar to the Creator in spite of my great desire is what makes me independent.

The root of the breaking is that it reveals the independence of the creature which stands opposite to the Creator. If the creature received all the desires now – the Light from Above, the awakening from below, and performed the action for bestowal – he would be a machine. Meanwhile, the breaking retrieves and develops the point from him which allows him to tear away from the Upper One, the Creator.

Before the breaking, the creature is just a machine. During the breaking, his independence is revealed. After the breaking, the system of correction of this point is created, and it provides the opportunity to act independently. The correction of the creature is that after the breaking, it makes all the decisions based on this point of one’s independence. Thus, one gradually ascends from below upward, toward the Creator, while building himself at the same time.

From the 3rd part of the Daily Kabbalah Lesson 7/14/10, Talmud Eser Sefirot

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A question I received: Following is a quote from an article by Rabash. “Then the Creator said to him (Abraham): you should not regret that you do not work with uncircumcised people. Now, after circumcision, you have a similarity in qualities, and hence I can reveal myself to you.”

Is the circumcision the First or the Second Restriction? Also, what does “reveal” mean? Is it a connection between friends or a true desire for bestowal with an altruistic foundation as opposed to an egoistic one?

My Answer: Circumcision is the Second Restriction. As it is written, “Cut off the edge of your heart.” This means do not work with the egoistic desires (extremities) that will only become corrected at the end of correction, Gmar Tikkun.

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Dear Friends, please ask questions about these passages from the great Kabbalists. I promise to answer them. The commentaries in brackets are mine.

The Creator’s Guidance Is Purposeful

To understand these questions and inquiries [to comprehend the Thought of Creation and what happens with us] the only tactic is to examine the end of the act, that is, the purpose of Creation. For nothing can be understood in the middle of the process, but only at its end.
– Baal HaSulam, “Introduction to The Book of Zohar,” Item 4

“God is the [the property of] Absolute Good, and … He [this property, force] watches us in complete benevolence without a hint of evil, and in purposeful [and absolute] guidance. That means that His guidance compels us to undergo [consciously, that is, with the same love and appreciation] a series of phases, by way of cause and effect, preceding and resulting, until we are qualified to receive [on our own] the desired goodness. And then we shall arrive at our [shared] purpose as a ripe and fine-looking fruit.
– Baal HaSulam, Article “The Essence of Religion and Its Purpose”

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It is written, “I dwell among My people.” It is impossible for the Creator, the Upper Force or the Light that fills Malchut of Infinity, to relate to one of its parts individually. The system is created as whole and common, and the Light resides only in its totality.

Even in all the degrees of the descent of the worlds, Partzufim, and Sefirot from Above downward, the system remains whole and perfect. Only the extent of the connection among its parts decreases. Therefore, in the descent of the worlds, we are talking about a decrease in the measure of connection among parts in a common system, while the number of parts always remains the same.

As long as a minimal connection, mutual bestowal, remains between them, they still exist in spirituality. However, as soon as mutual bestowal ends and they are no longer connected like one man with one heart (even with the smallest possible heart), this system immediately ends up in this world and the Creator no longer dwells in it. He merely shines from afar with Surrounding Light in order to rouse us to return to unification from this broken state.

From the 1st part of the Daily Kabbalah Lesson 7/14/10, Article, “A Prayer of Many”

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The Book of Zohar, Weekly Torah Portion “Dvarim,” Selected Excerpts
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Baal HaSulam, Letter #39: Itzhak Cohen, one of the Ari’s students, said that he entered the Ari’s room when he was dying and wept because the students were losing the hope they had during their teacher’s life to see a world full of goodness, wisdom, and the Light of the Creator. The Ari replied, "If there was at least one complete righteous man among you then I would not be taken away from this world before my time."

The student asked him, "What should we do next?" To which the Ari replied, "Tell the friends on my behalf that from this day on they are not to touch the science I taught you because you did not understand it properly. Therefore, only Chaim Vital will continue to study it quietly and in secret."

The student exclaimed, "So we don’t have any hope?!" And the Ari replied, "If you merit it, I will come to you and teach you."

The student objected, "How will you come to teach us if you are already leaving this world?" The Ari replied, "What do you understand of the concealed secrets and paths of my return to you!" With these words, he immediately passed away to enter life in the world to come…

Indeed, this is a sad picture. Everything was arranged from Above so that during the Ari’s death his group of students was not next to him. Just one student was present, Itzhak Cohen. Even Chaim Vital, the leading student of the Ari to whom the Ari transferred the paths of this wisdom, was not present next to his teacher at this time.

Apparently Itzhak Cohen did not possess great attainment at the time since he did not even understand what was happening and asked, "How will you come to teach us!?" This means that he did not yet understand that there is no difference between the worlds, and that the Upper Level is always able to descend and manifest on the lower levels whenever they are ready to accept it!

The Ari tells us, "As soon as you make an effort and are ready, I will make contact with you! As soon as you rise to the spiritual level, we will immediately meet and there you will receive all the fulfillment and help from me!"

From the 4^th part of the Daily Kabbalah Lesson 7/15/10, Writings of Baal HaSulam

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Shamati #3 “The Matter of Spiritual Attainment”
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The Book of Zohar – Selections, Chapter “Lech-Lecha (Go Forth),” Item 28
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“Preface to the Wisdom of Kabbalah” Item 68
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Rav Yehuda Ashlag, Article “The Teaching of the Kabbalah and Its Essence”
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