Question: Baal HaSulam wrote The Study of the Ten Sefirot as a textbook for beginners. In addition to the original text and comments on the book The Tree of Life, he made explanations called “Inner Light” and “Inner Observation,” and also compiled “Questions and Answers” to clarify the meaning of words, terms, and spiritual actions. This is a complete textbook.

Are there any other books similar to The Study of the Ten Sefirot? As far as I know, all the other books are written quite differently.

Answer: The Study of the Ten Sefirot is a special compilation based on the book of the Ari’s The Tree of Life and is its complete commentary. There is nothing to add or take away. This is a complete statement of what the Ari wanted to say in his book The Tree of Life. Baal HaSulam really showed how deeply he understands the Ari and continues him. It is not for nothing that we believe that the soul of the Ari was incarnated in Baal HaSulam.

Question: Was it in the character of Baal HaSulam to write a Kabbalistic work in such a form as a textbook at a university with questions and answers? Or did he just want it to look like a textbook?

Answer: Firstly, he wanted it to be closer to a textbook since he was already writing for our generation.

Secondly, he would not have otherwise been able to explain thoroughly in detail what the Ari wanted to say: how a desire is born that is controlled by light, how it can react correctly to it, and through successive actions come to a complete similarity to light.

Thus, the textbook The Study of the Ten Sefirot contains an absolutely complete collection of the actions of desire regarding light.

Comment: Baal HaSulam wrote this book in two columns per page so that the eye immediately covers all the information. That is how it looked originally.

My Response: He did not like long lines in general, even when he was writing for himself.

That is, the page was divided into two columns, which can be read in narrow text. This is done so that you can cover the entire line from beginning to end with one glance, without moving your eyes or turning your head.
[304266]
From KabTV’s “The Study of the Ten Sefirot (TES)” 10/16/22

Related Material:
Can We Understand The Study Of The Ten Sefirot?
Paint The World We Want!
Knowledge That Accumulates In The Heart

Filed under: Kabbalah Study, Spiritual Work | Add Comment →