Question: What is so special about the period in which such a great soul as the ARI is revealed? What was happening in the world at that time?

Answer: The people of Israel, throughout their history, go through four exiles and four redemptions, which correspond to the four stages of the complete development of desire (HaVaYaH).

These stages were embedded already in the very first HaVaYaH, in the four phases of the expansion of the upper light for the creation of the general vessel of creation. And accordingly, all of creation, every part of it, exists and develops according to the four phases of HaVaYaH. Every world, any spiritual object or action, from the smallest particle to the scale of the entire creation, always contains HaVaYaH.

Therefore, humanity in this material world, which is a consequence of the spiritual root, also developed along the steps of HaVaYaH. For this reason, there were four exiles and three redemptions, and now we are on the threshold of the final redemption.

The ARI represents the end of the last, fourth exile and the beginning of the redemption. And therefore, when his soul was revealed, it was able to grasp the entire system and, through his explanations in this world, give many people the possibility to attain comprehension, to draw the light through their souls. This was begun by the Baal Shem Tov and continued by all the Kabbalists after him, up to Baal HaSulam and Rabash.

The ARI gave everyone the method of the wisdom of Kabbalah on the fourth, final level. After the ARI, Baal HaSulam adapted this method for our generation, but in essence, it is the ARI’s method.

The ARI lived on the border between the end of the fourth exile and the beginning of the final redemption. This is a very special period, which occurred in the 16^th century. But spiritual processes do not manifest instantly in the material world; they unfold gradually in the order of the development of lights and desires, which takes time. And therefore, this may stretch out over many years before it is revealed.

After all, the desires must gradually develop toward knowledge, sensation, and realization, through their freewill, and draw the Light. This process includes many stages that cannot be skipped.

A person must acquire developed feelings and intellect, the ability to work against their nature, to connect with others, which always opposes one’s egoism, to clarify all of their inner shattering. And this is not simple, which is why it required time, as we see, from the ARI to Baal HaSulam.

Even Rav Chaim Vital (the first and, one could say, the only student who understood the ARI’s method) writes in the introduction to Sefer HaHakdamot how he sits in despair and sorrow that the messiah has not yet come. And this was already in the 16^th century. Though he was a great Kabbalist, he still waited and hoped.

Clearly, this is a very prolonged process, but each generation adds to the same enterprise that the ARI began.

We have merited to spread the method of the ARI and Baal HaSulam even further and to disseminate their books. Who knows, perhaps another generation will be needed to complete this work. But let us hope that we will succeed in bringing the correction of the entire world to its completion.
[191429]
From Daily Kabbalah Lesson 8/5/16, “Memorial Day for the ARI”

Related Material:
The Great Soul of the ARI, Part 1
Before the Ari, the Gates of Wisdom were Closed to Us
On The Anniversary Of The Ari’s Departure

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