Question: “Absence” or “nothing” is a category that captures the absence of something. In physics it is called a vacuum. But although a vacuum is the absence of some objects, fields exist in it. And what does the wisdom of Kabbalah mean by the terms “absence” and “existence out of absence”?

Answer: Absence and existence from absence are different things.

Absence is the negation of anything in any place, volume, or space. Therefore if we say “absence,” “none,” or “nothing,” we are simply saying that no forces exist in the place, format, or category in question.

And existence from absence is something that exists. Therefore it is called “being” or “essence.”

Thus there is absence and there is something that has appeared from absence. But how can it appear? To what extent does it exist? What properties does this something have, and who can feel and affirm it at all? Regarding whom and what does it exist?

These are very deep, serious, one might say philosophical questions, but in Kabbalah they are dealt with simply, clearly, and each has its own place.

First we must immediately discuss one of the most serious attitudes: everything we are talking about happens with respect to a person who attains nature and finds in it absence, existence, being, nothing, and so on. It means that any person who makes certain efforts can attain these categories of nature.

Question: So they don’t exist by themselves, outside of a person?

Answer: We cannot talk about what is outside of man at all, even about the Creator, because the upper force of nature is still felt in us. Therefore the Creator in Hebrew is called “Boreh,” “Bo-reh“—”come” and “see.” That is when you come and see, attain it, and define it. This will be called “Boreh” in relation to you.

Question: Is there any term that means a force that cannot be attained and seen?

Answer: If it is impossible to attain and see, then how can you define it? What we don’t feel, we can’t call by any name, and therefore we don’t talk about it.
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From KabTV’s “Spiritual States” 10/19/21

Related Material:
Kabbalistic Terms: “Yesh Mi Ain”
What Led To The Creation Of Matter?
How Did The First Matter Appear?

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