Weekly Torah Portion – 12.23.10
Posted on December 23rd, 2010
“Introduction of The Book of Zohar,” Article “The Letters of Rabbi Amnon Saba,” Item 37: The letter Bet entered. She said to Him, “O Lord of the world, it is good for You to create the world with me, for in me are You blessed above and below, since Bet is Beracha [blessing].” The Creator told her, “I will indeed create the world with you, and you will be the beginning with which to create the world.”
Question: Why was the world created specifically by the letter Bet?
Answer: This is because the letter Bet symbolizes blessing (Brachá), the Light of Hassadim (Mercy). It is flawless. Besides it, there is no other law, no other quality, with which creation can be started.
How else can one draw the difference between the desires which serve the Creator and those which do not? How are corrections carried out if not by means of the Light of Hassadim since it immediately separates those who strive to bestow from those who strive to receive?
Then, it is clear for you how next to proceed. No other analysis is clearer and simpler, an analysis that lays down the basis of further building. Without Hassadim, without aspiration for the Creator, we will not be able to build anything from the Light of Hochma (Wisdom).
Besides, this quality is boundless. The Light of Hassadim, without differentiation, penetrates all of the worlds from Infinity to the end of the world of Assiya. There is no restriction on it. There are no restrictions on bestowal.
Question: Then, why don’t we feel the blessing in the world?
Answer: We are not talking about our world at all, but about spiritual reality. Desiring to reach it, I must stock up on the quality of mercy (Hesed). It is that very blessing, thanks to which I build my world.
The material world is just an imaginary picture in our perception evoked by spiritual unconsciousness. In the unconscious state, the brain creates an illusory perception of life. This is what our existence is.
In order to wake up, we have to arm ourselves with the force of Hassadim, the quality of the letter Bet, the blessing. This force can only come from Above. We do not have control over it; it is not incorporated in us. However, if we exert a lot of effort in order to obtain it, we receive what we desire.
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From the 1st part of the Daily Kabbalah Lesson 12/19/10, “Introduction of The Book of Zohar,” Article “The Letters of Rabbi Amnon Saba”
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We want to make our lives better, more comfortable. And that is the correct tendency. The only question is: Do we attach the right intention to it? Do we correct the “human” in us with the help of the Light that Reforms?
On the still, vegetative, and animate levels we can do whatever we want on the condition that our aim is to correct the world, meaning to correct ourselves. But if that is not the case, then no matter what we do, it will bring about troubles, wars, and disasters.
Humanity always developed due to lack of any other choice, fleeing from suffering. Every generation aspires forward because “the press of development” is always about to catch up to it and “squish it.” Thus, man is compelled to run ahead. He does not manage to get things done and doesn’t know why, but he is always rushing ahead.
This happens on the first three levels of development: still, vegetative, and animate. That is how we have rushed ahead over the course of millennia. But today we have reached the limit of development and we see that there is no longer anything or any reason to keep rushing ahead. Technologically, we still have a multitude of opportunities, but what do I need them for? The nanotechnologies are at my service, but what for?
What do I need all of this Internet for? What does it actually give me? It only shows me that I am empty and am wasting my time on garbage. 99% of the “clean” traffic are the troubles that the world would like to get rid of, gossip and sleaze. And does science add anything good to all of that?
If we look at all of this with a focus on development, we will see an excellent means that swiftly reveals our inner emptiness. We must only understand that our problem is not technological.
Technological development has not been exhausted yet, but we have nearly come up against a barrier, the question: What for? Man does not need it and that’s all.
We did not see all of these things during the hippie period even though back then people were already asking the question: What do I need all of this progress for? What’s the use of it? It waters me down and crosses me out, turning me into a machine. This mechanical life does not give me anything. To be born, to grow up, to work, and then to die – that is the entire formula.
Looking at life from this perspective, a person loses all desire for anything and lives unwillingly. And unless the human level in him develops, technological development is also nearing its end.
Even if everything is fine with culture and upbringing, we need deeper results. We need essence, the human grain. Reshimot awaken in us, stimulating the unsatisfied desire, the emptiness that is not filled by all the gadgets of the Internet and all the technology of the world.
So why is it so difficult for us to solve this problem? It’s because technological achievements create an illusion that we will be able to modernize the “human” in us just as easily so he will become better, kinder, and happier. But that is incorrect. In this area we will not achieve anything without the upper, spiritual force. All the “earthly” means of correcting a person will obviously fail.
Thus, humanity will not change the situation until it realizes this.
[30525]
From the 4th part of the Daily Kabbalah Lesson 12/22/10, “Peace in the World”
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Question: If we are at the lowest state and there is nowhere to keep falling, then what kind of development of events do all of Baal HaSulam’s prophecies talk about, where he writes about the possibility of a third and fourth world war and so on?
Answer: This is only a revelation of our state, a revelation of evil, rather than a descent. If our state can get even worse, it is simply be a revelation of “sinners,” meaning broken Kelim or desires, or Reshimot (informational data) that are even more broken.
After the breaking in the World of Nekudim, we are in a completely broken Kli or desire, but Reshimot become revealed from it gradually, step by step. First the finest Reshimot are revealed, then increasingly coarser ones, until the final, worst Reshimot are revealed.
We are now at the lowest layer of this desire where the worst Reshimot are being revealed. These Reshimot belong to the human level and they are very heavy, which is why the most difficult states are now being revealed.
However, precisely these Reshimot can awaken us to correction. Yet, if we do not realize them correctly, it will lead us to great catastrophes. Still, this is not deemed correction, even though in relation to spirituality, revelation of evil is revelation growing closer.
We are already in the dark. If the darkness starts to become clearer, it is already the Light shining and clarifying it. But if we do not clarify anything, it is the worse thing possible.
When the Light begins to shine on our present state, we start to see darkness. Feeling darkness is already the opposite side of the Light. In Aramaic “night” is called “Orta,” which comes from the Hebrew word “Light.” Darkness is opposite to Light, but the Light itself illuminates our flaws and that is why we feel darkness. This is already revelation.
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From the 2nd part of the Daily Kabbalah Lesson 12/22/10, Talmud Eser Sefirot
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Question: Are the shapes of the Hebrew letters connected to the qualities they symbolize?
Answer: Of course they are. These letters were discovered by Adam HaRishon (the First Man) after he entered the spiritual world. That is why, since that time forward, Kabbalistic works are written using these letters, either in Hebrew or Aramaic (the letters are the same). The language is chosen according to the forms of expression of the Creator’s actions: If an action of the Light is expressed, it is recorded in Hebrew, while if an action of the Kli (vessel) is expressed, it is recorded in Aramaic.
The shapes of the letters, their order, and grammar are left unchanged since they are defined by the two Lights of Hassadim (Mercy) and Hochma (Wisdom), or the two forces, two desires: receiving and bestowal. The screen between them builds all the shapes of the letters.
Here iron rules are absolute laws of the ten Sefirot at work. Malchut and Bina connect with each other in order to reach Keter, and their interaction gives birth to 22 forms of connection.
They are stipulated by Aviut (coarseness), the three lines, the qualities of the first nine Sefirot to which Malchut wants to be similar. Then, with the help of various combinations of these forms, Malchut finds self-expression and resembles Keter completely.
The Torah, from the first letter to the last, describes to us the Light, but in the perspective of the vessels. If you undergo all of these forms with your desire, with your screen, with your efforts, then you will correct yourself completely.
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From the 1st part of the Daily Kabbalah Lesson 12/19/10, “Introduction of The Book of Zohar,” Article “The Letters of Rabbi Amnon Saba”
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From January 28 to January 30, 2011 a big Kabbalah Convention will take place in Berlin, Germany. I look forward to this event and very much hope that all of our European friends will be there, including many newcomers.
It is extremely important to participate in this convention, which will be attended by guests from Eastern Europe and other continents as well. I recommend and even insist that if you still think you can skip this convention, think again. You will regret it later. It is worthwhile to attend, as they say, “no matter what.”
We will spend a few days there studying, spending time together, and discerning many things. Europe is the center of the world, the place where all innovations used to originate. Now the people of Europe must unveil the spiritual power of the wisdom of Kabbalah.
In order to consolidate our forces and better assess the path and the goal in order to reach it easily and quickly, we must all get together over those three days. I will be very happy to see you all. See you soon!
[30537]
From the 4th part of the Daily Kabbalah Lesson 12/22/10, “Peace in the World”
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“Introduction of The Book of Zohar,” Article “The Letters of Rabbi Amnon Saba,” Item 34: Explanation: Zayin [ז] is Yod [י] over Vav [ו] … as it is written, “A virtuous woman is the crown of her husband.” This is so because she is mingled with the male world, which is Vav, and then becomes a crown over his head.
Each letter is a collection of numerous qualities and states which a person gradually undergoes until he manifests the letter in himself and begins to work with it. Zayin (ז), the seventh letter of the alphabet, is “a crown on the head of a righteous man,” “a virtuous woman,” Yod (י), over Vav (ו).
Imagine yourself in the place of a king’s daughter who is observing two heroes fighting for the right to become her husband. What does she feel watching them? Now, in essence, her fate is being decided. Does anyone show any interest in which one she loves and whether she loves anyone at all? No. The winner will become her husband for the rest of her life; that’s it.
How does a person with uncorrected qualities feel in such a situation? What is his attitude toward what is going on? While at it, he must correct himself to such an extent that, in the end, he would fall in love with the winner one hundred percent. So, how can this be reached? How does one “fall in love” with the chosen one only because he has won?
For this, one must ascend to faith above reason, above the egoistic feelings, personal relationship, and wholeheartedly fall in love with the one who is closer to the Creator. This is what Malchut has to reach. In other words, this is how a person must correct himself in order to agree with the result of the fight.
Possibly, this example will help us imagine, feel how we correct ourselves in the quality of the letter Zayin. A person has to raise above his personal feelings to such an extent that his love toward the winner becomes absolute.
On one hand, the king’s daughter does not choose her husband, but, on the other, he will become her beloved husband for the rest of her life.
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From the 1st part of the Daily Kabbalah Lesson 12/19/10, “Introduction of The Book of Zohar,” Article “The Letters of Rabbi Amnon Saba”
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The Book of Zohar — Introduction: “Vision of Rabbi Hiya,” Item 51, Lesson 2
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Rav Yehuda Ashlag “Peace in the World,” Lesson 4
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