Whenever we begin reading The Book of Zohar, we have to attune ourselves so as to flow along with the material prepared for us by the great authors of this book. They tell us that the only thing that was created is the desire to enjoy. This desire has two forms of perceiving reality (or perceiving its Creator). One is a direct perception within the desire, which they call “from above downward.” In this form the desire can only perceive what we feel right now, “within ourselves.” Such a perception is called “this world.” The second form of perception take place above the desire, “outside” of it. It is when we don’t fulfill ourselves, but others (or, what seems as others).

We are not accustomed to the second kind of perception since we weren’t born with it. It seems odd and alien to us, and yet the authors of The Zohar tell us that this form of perception is the most natural, because it stems from nature (the Creator). In addition to the tiny world we feel within ourselves, there are other vast worlds “outside” ourselves.

The Zohar aims us so we could acquire this additional perception of reality outside our bodies. For this reason, if we want to see what The Zohar speaks of, we must attune ourselves to perceive the reality that exists “outside” of us, rather than “within.”

This book describes many things that sound like phenomena in this world, as well as magical creatures like angels, spirits or chambers. However, regardless of how realistic or supernatural these things may appear to us, The Zohar always speaks of the form of perception “within” ourselves. Therefore, if we want to understand what The Zohar wants to tell us, or rather, what it wants to reveal inside us, we must attune ourselves in the same direction – instead of aspiring for self-fulfillment, we should aspire to feel reality “outside” ourselves.

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