When reading The Book of Zohar, we have to see the connection between the forces mentioned in the stories and try to sort them out inside us, because everything exists inside us. The Zohar gives us a picture of another, non-corporeal, spiritual reality. We have to try to find it and identify it within us.

Through our efforts, we must achieve a state where the things described in The Book of Zohar will begin to settle into our feelings and our heart. We will then begin to recognize the characters and the objects in the form of qualities, and all the actions that are described – in the form of actions of bestowal or reception. For example, when we hear the words, “Yesod,” “Jerusalem,” “Jacob,” and “well,” we will not envision their corporeal images, but will immediately feel their inner qualities.

Suddenly we’ll realize, “Wow! The whole world is inside me!” It will be a great surprise for us to discover this. For example, we will feel, “Right now I am going down a ladder and then going to Jerusalem.” And it will be clear that we are performing all this inside.

This will come gradually, as a result of reading The Book of Zohar. We have no other means to do it, as Baal HaSulam explains in Item 155 of “Introduction to Talmud Eser Sefirot.” Therefore, we should always be trying to recognize and “arrange” everything inside.

We were born and have existed for decades in this world, having gone through many reincarnations before. We have Reshimot from all the previous reincarnations, and we are always situated in this confusing and false perception of this world. However, we can realize that it is a lie.

This realization will come gradually by allowing the Light to work on us. This cannot happen all at once, since the changes that the Light must carry out in us are extreme. The Light doesn’t just want to change you, but it has to bring you to this perception consciously. It has to help us understand and consent to the change, become smarter, and truly come to own it.

This is why we have to exert effort. In so doing, we participate in the process and are ready for greater pressure and influence from the Light.

Our effort lies in connecting with the group in order to receive from it the importance of the goal and the right perception. This happens most while reading The Book of Zohar, provided that we approach the study the right way, as Baal HaSulam writes in “Preface to the Book of Zohar.”

Filed under: Daily Kabbalah Lesson, Zohar | Add Comment →