Kabbalah Today, Issue 16

The 16th issue of Kabbalah Today has just been published!

Kabbalah Today Issue 16

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Being “Chosen” Means Having the Responsibility to Spiritually Serve the World

Being "Chosen" Is to Serve the World SpirituallyA question I received: I thought that all the terms in Kabbalah, such as Goy (gentile), the nations of the world, Israel, and Jew, are states that every person must experience. It’s sad that all of your answers are always two-sided. From this explanation it follows that Adam HaRishon is not a common state, but only for genetic Jews, because they have already been there, while the “gentiles” haven’t even had a slight taste of it. But then why are they in a state of descent?

My Answer: You should look at everything objectively, like a researcher. Then you’ll be closer to the truth. All the terms exist both on the corporeal and the spiritual levels. Every person must experience every state.

Those who have gone through the spiritual ascent and descent in the past are the genetic Jews, starting with Abraham, the first Kabbalist. (We don’t consider anyone before him since there was no system, even though everything started with Adam.) These people (souls) must be the first to go through the correction, because they broke during the First and the Second Temples. They must then pass the method on to everyone else.

On the corporeal level, they are hated and abused for neglecting this mission. Incidentally, the Hebrew word Goy (gentile) means a nation. Israel is also referred to as “Goy,” but “Goy Kadosh” – a holy nation, provided that it is in the quality of love and bestowal.

Adam is the common soul of all people. A part of Adam – the souls of Abraham’s students, underwent spiritual ascent and breaking. Another part of the souls, the Goyim (gentiles) never ascended or broke. The broken souls are worse than those that didn’t break, but they also have a greater predisposition toward correction because they contain the broken spiritual desires. This is why they are obligated to become “Ohr Le Goim” – the Light for the nations of the world, who don’t contain the broken desires.

Being “chosen” means being responsible for mastering the method of correction and passing it on to the entire world, or in other words – spiritually serving the world.

Related Material:
Laitman.com Post: Israel Are Those Who Aspire Straight to the Creator
Laitman.com Post: Building the Third Temple
Kabbalah Today Article: Who Are You, People of Israel?
Kabbalah Today Article: Mission Possible (and Mandatory)
Baal HaSulam Article: “Matan Torah (The Giving of the Torah)”
Baal HaSulam Article: “Messiah’s Horn”

What Do Villains and Prophets Have In Common With Bnei Baruch’s Virtual Group?

What Do Villains and Prophets Have to Do With Bnei Baruch's Virtual Group?A question I received: It’s written that the villain Bilam was a great prophet, like Moses. I understand that this is describing the desires that become revealed in a person, and Light cannot be revealed in uncorrected desires. But why is the most uncorrected desire, Bilam, not only able to reveal the Light, but even the level of a prophet? How could Bilam reach the level of prophecy while being in such an uncorrected state?

My Answer: It is written that Pharaoh knows the Creator, and that the villain Lavan embodies the complete Upper Light. Similar things are written about many other “evil” characters. The Torah talks about the spiritual roots of characters in our world, rather than their earthly manifestations. When you look at the root of their souls from the spiritual level, then you define who they are, even though in our world these characters play their roles unknowingly.

Pharaoh is equal and opposite to the Creator. This is similar to how there are four pure worlds of ABYA (worlds of the good forces of bestowal), and opposite them there are four impure worlds of ABYA (worlds of evil forces of reception). These two systems are opposite, parallel, and equal to each other in order to sustain the conditions of freedom of will for the souls.

The souls are equally influenced by both, and their choice lies in choosing the right environment in order to receive additional forces so as to prefer the right side – the good, bestowing side. It is written that at every moment one should see oneself as half-sinner and half-righteous, and the only way to tip the balance is by being impressed by the group. This is why it is so important for us to create the most complete virtual influence of the Bnei Baruch group on everyone who desires it.

Related Material:
Laitman.com Post: Don’t Fight Egoism Alone – It Will Always Win!
Laitman.com Post: Only the Upper Light’s Influence Can Give You the Importance of the Group
Baal HaSulam Article: “The Love for the Creator & Love for the Created Beings”
Chapter from Attaining the Worlds Beyond: “The Return to the Creator”
Chapter from The Zohar: “The Vision of Rabbi Hiya”

The Book of Zohar. Chapter “The Tenth Commandment”

The Book of ZoharThe Book of Zohar. Chapter “The Tenth Commandment” (abridged)

237. The tenth Commandment (law of nature) is to put on Tefillin (correct one’s egoism) and thereby to attain equivalence with the Creator, as it is written, THE CREATOR CREATED MAN IN HIS OWN IMAGE. He opened (the way for the Light of Rashbi) and said (passed it on to his students), “Your head upon you is like the Carmel.” This text refers to the Supernal head – the Tefillin worn on the head of the Holy, Supernal King HaVaYaH (the governing force), written in separate letters (specific actions). Each letter (action) in the holy name (program) HaVaYaH corresponds to a certain paragraph in the Tefillin (a certain correction). Thus, the Holy, Supernal Name (the Creator’s quality) is written in the scrolls of Tefillin, in the secrets of the letters (is revealed through the correction). For THE NAME OF THE CREATOR IS UPON YOU, AND THEY SHALL BE AFRAID OF YOU (your enemies are your uncorrected desires) refers to the head Tefillin, which contains the Holy Name HaVaYaH.

238. The first passage in the Tefillin corresponds to the letter Yod of the name HaVaYaH (Hochma) and refers to the Commandment, “Sanctify to Me all the firstborns.” This is because Hochma is the firstborn (the first correction) of all the Supernal Ones (qualities). It opens the place of conception for the future firstborn with the help of a thin line of Light that emanates from Yod, which opens the womb (Bina) and impregnates it.

239. The second passage (correction) in the Tefillin (equivalence to the Creator), WHEN YOU COME, corresponds to the first letter Hey of the name HaVaYaH, the hall (Bina) that opens up under the influence of the letter Yod (Aba) in fifty entrances, passages, and chambers concealed within it. The revelation that Yod made in that hall was done so as to hear the voice of the Shofar (a ram’s horn), Bina. The Shofar is closed on all sides, but the letter Yod came and opened it so that its sound could be heard. And since it opened the Shofar and derived sound from it, Yod led all to freedom.

240. At the sounds of the Shofar, the sons of Israel were delivered from Egypt. And so shall the Shofar be blown in the future, the next time at the end of days. And all deliverance originates from this Shofar, which is Bina. This is why the deliverance from Egypt is mentioned in this chapter of the Torah, for this Shofar stems from the force of the letter Yod, which opens the womb and delivers the captives to freedom. And this is the letter Hey, the second letter of the name HaVaYaH.

241. The third passage in the Tefillin is the secret of the Unity in “Hear O Israel,” the letter Vav in HaVaYaH, which includes all and designates ZA, who contains the unity of all. Everything merges in unity within him, and he receives all. The fourth passage that reads, “You shall hear,” includes two sides, Hesed and Gevura, which unite with the Assembly of Israel, called the lower Gevura or Malchut. And this is the last letter Hey of the name HaVaYaH, which takes and includes them all.

242. Tefillin are the letters of the holy name. Therefore, “Your head upon you is like the Carmel” refers to the head Tefillin. The letter Dalet refers to the hand Tefillin, Malchut, who is depleted of Light, compared to the head Tefillin, ZA, but she contains the perfection of the Upper One.

The hand Tefillin designates Malchut. And she is poor in comparison with Bina, the Upper World. Yet, she has her own perfection, for she now receives it from Bina thanks to the unity between Nukva and ZA in “Blessed be His great name for ever and ever.”

243. “The King is held captive in the tubs” means that he is tied down and held in those four compartments of the Tefillin for the purpose of being properly united with that holy name. And he who makes this correction, exists in image and likeness, TZELEM, with the Creator. Just as the holy name is united in the Creator, the holy name is united in him. “Male and female he created them” refers to the head and the hand Tefillin. And it is one.

“The King is held captive in the tubs” signifies ZA, who is bound and unified in those compartments of the Tefillin. The compartments of the Tefillin, which contain the passages from the Torah, are called “tubs” or “troughs,” just like the tubs from which sheep drink water, for the waters of Ohr Hochma and Ohr Hassadim are bound and restricted by these Kelim, the compartments of the Tefillin. And it is the Creator who is bound tight and held in these Kelim, so as to be unified in the holy name.

Related Material:

The World We Perceive Is Like a Motion Picture

Everything We Perceive Is Like Frames of a Motion PictureA question I received: If I watch recorded Congress lessons, then do I lose the Zivug de Haka’a that Kabbalists experience at a Congress or when watching a live broadcast?

My Answer: You don’t lose anything because everything we perceive exists like the frames of a motion picture, and we retrieve these frames and play them back. Either these frames already took place, and we only reveal them, each in his own time; or we reveal them for the first time, for example, when we gather at a Congress.

However, all of this already exists in Malchut, and we only bring about the frames’ projection in us through our positive efforts.

When we evoke the frames ourselves, then we perceive them positively, because our egoism works together with the Creator, for our benefit and in a pleasant form. However, if we don’t retrieve the motion picture frames, then they become projected forcefully – forcing us to make actions, even unpleasant ones.

So, retrieve the frames by yourselves, and participate in that which is already revealed as well as that which we are yet to reveal!

Related Material:
Laitman.com Post: Reality is Imaginary
Laitman.com Post: The Internet Is Just A Step Toward Revealing Our True Connection With Each Other
Laitman.com Post: Virtual Kabbalah
Kabbalah for Beginners: Chapter 10 – “Sensing Reality Through Kabbalah”

Virtual Lesson on Google’s Project 10^100

Virtual Lesson On Google's ProjectEvery Sunday, between 4-5:15 PM Israel time I give a virtual lesson.

This Sunday, the lesson was on Google’s Project 10^100.

Man’s Relationship With the Creator Is Like a Dramatic Love Story

Man's Relationship With the Creator Is Like a Dramatic Love StoryTwo questions I received on love:

Question: You often say that one’s relationship with the Creator should be similar to how a groom courts a bride, how she conceals herself, and so on. In addition, you have said that in the past women were bought for money, and it was enough to meet someone just once before getting married to them. But where is passion and tension in this?

My Answer: There is no need for love on the corporeal level, because it is created later through mutual compromise and habit. However, passion and tension are necessary in one’s relationship with the Creator because these feelings are higher – contrary to egoism. For example, it can be compared to a dramatic love story where the lovers (man and the Creator) aspire toward each other (through bestowal), against the desires of the whole world (against all their egoistic desires) – and this creates passion and tension.

Question: In a TV show you were asked, “What is love?” and you said, “It is the fundamental quality of the universe, mutual bestowal that permeates all levels of nature, except man. We are left to our own devices, and we do everything in the world except this.” However, you also say that man doesn’t have freedom of action and everything is determined by the Creator.

My Answer: This is how things were initially determined by the Creator: All nature in our world is egoistic due to man’s egoistic downfall, and the correction of all of nature depends only on man. To the degree man corrects his inanimate, vegetative, and animate desires, he also corrects the external inanimate, vegetative, and animate levels of nature.

Related Material:
Laitman.com Post: What Does a Man Look for In a Woman?
Laitman.com Post: Man, Woman and Divinity Between Them
Laitman.com Post: Why Did the Creator Create Love Between a Man and a Woman?
The Path of Kabbalah: Chapter 2.6 – “Discovering Spiritual Properties”

The Remedy for the Global Crisis

The Remedy for the Global CrisisNews Report (from Project Syndicate): The Secretary-General of the United Nations, Ban Ki-moon stated, “We all recognize today’s perils: a global financial crisis, a global energy crisis, a global food crisis. … Climate change ever more clearly threatens our planet. …today, we also face a crisis of a different sort – the challenge of global leadership. Nations can no longer protect their interests, or advance the well-being of their people, without the partnership of the rest. Yet I see a danger of nations looking inward rather than toward a shared future. I see a danger of retreating from the progress we have made, particularly in the realm of economic development and fairness in sharing the fruits of global growth.

My Comment: Even if everyone will understand that the source of all the world’s crises, including the climate crisis, is human egoism and its negative influence on Nature, they still won’t find the remedy for the progressing General Crisis. They will not understand how to change man’s nature, and that’s because this is impossible to do in our world, whose entire nature is egoism.

There is a law that states “The general and the particular are equal” (Klal U Prat Shavim). Just like a regular person is brought to Kabbalah by suffering and the question, “What is the meaning of my life?”, so humanity as a whole will be compelled by suffering and crises to come to the question about the meaning of its own existence, which is not wealth, power, fame or knowledge. Then it will find the answer to this question – that the meaning of life is to reveal the Creator.

That is when humanity will reveal the science of Kabbalah, the means to attain this. By definition the science of Kabbalah is “The method of revealing the Creator to the people in this world,” as Baal HaSulam writes in the article “The Essence of the Wisdom of Kabbalah.”

Related Material:
Laitman.com Post: How Does a Kabbalist Feel About the Current Events?
Laitman.com Post: Disasters and Diseases Come to an End When Humanity Unites Above Selfishness
Laitman.com Post: Ervin Laszlo and Michael Laitman – From Chaos to Harmony
Kabbalah Today Article: What Is Happening to Our Economy?
Kabbalah Today Article: The Hurricane Within
Article – “Lecture in Arosa”

Our “I” Is Outside of Us!

Our "I" Is Outisde of Us!News Report (from The Epoch Times): Most people assume that our memories must exist somewhere inside our heads. But try as they might, medical investigators have been unable to determine which cerebral region actually stores what we remember. Could it be that our memories actually dwell in a space outside our physical structure?

According to biologist Dr. Rupert Sheldrake, author of numerous scientific books and articles, memory does not reside in any geographic region of the cerebrum, but instead in a kind of field surrounding and permeating the brain. Meanwhile, the brain itself acts as a “decoder” for the flux of information produced by the interaction of each person with their environment.  Sheldrake likens the brain to a TV set—drawing an analogy to explain how the mind and brain interact.

…all organisms belong to their own brand of form-resonance—a field existing both within and around an organism, which gives it instruction and shape. …the morphogenetic approach sees organisms intimately connected to their corresponding fields, aligning themselves with the cumulative memory that the species as a whole has experienced in the past.

… “The key concept of morphic resonance is that similar things influence similar things across both space and time,” writes Sheldrake.

While the search for memory challenges traditional biological understanding, investigators like Sheldrake believe that the true residence of memory is to be found in a non-observable spatial dimension. … the brain does not act as a storage facility, or even the mind itself, but the physical nexus necessary to relate the individual with its morphic field.

My Comment: Kabbalah explains that we contain a chain of informational records (Reshimot). These records “come to life” one after another under the influence of the field surrounding us (Light), turning into the dynamic picture of the world that we perceive. This is similar to the way a computer plays a video recording that is evoked from its memory.

We cannot influence the chain of the recordings. However, we have the ability to learn the program that plays them and facilitate their successful realization through our efforts. In this case, we launch the program and attain its cause, flow, and purpose, thereby rising to the level of the Creator.

Related Material:
Laitman.com Post: A Reshimo Is One’s Complete Future State
Laitman.com Post: The Reshimot Surfacing Today Demand Spiritual Ascent of All Humanity
Interview with the Future – Part 6  “The Creation of the Reshimot”