Question: Did Baal HaSulam leave us information about all the stages on the way so that it will be possible to create the method on the basis of this information?

Answer: No, Baal HaSulam didn’t leave us with information like this. We need to find the way ourselves. The path seems clear, but how to advance on it from stage to stage is what nobody knows.

The problem is that we have to go out on this path without any guarantee, any knowledge, but only by realizing the need and having no choice. The world pressures us, meaning that the Creator pressures us through the world, and we must bring people to connection so that through it they will attain the equivalence of form with the Creator.

The moment we begin the right search through our connection with friends, we begin to discover the method. This is because it is imperative for us and is expressed in our words, our manner and style, with all of our conditions. No Kabbalist until our day could write anything about this.

The wisdom of Kabbalah is a practical science that was conceived through experience, through experiment. And someone who is not living in our time didn’t know and wouldn’t know even if he were a great Kabbalist. He could talk about general tendencies, about two ways, but he could not write more about our time. That’s why the Kabbalists were deployed in each and every generation, and now we find ourselves in our times.

In the writings of Baal HaSulam, it is possible to find some hints about our time. There is something mentioned in the writings of The Last Generation, but it is impossible to copy blindly from there. One may discover that he is trying to draw into the present reality something that will be realized after many years and which in the meantime, is of little importance.
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From the 3^rd part of the Daily Kabbalah Lesson 5/21/14, The Book of Zohar

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Baal HaSulam, “This is for Judah:” The Creator made creation existence from absence. Hence, there is not a single creation that was not previously in absence. However, this absence has a distinct form in each element in creation, because when we divide reality into four types: still, vegetative, animate, and speaking, we find that the beginning of the still is necessarily complete absence.

However, the beginning of the vegetative is not complete absence, but merely its former degree, which, compared to itself, is considered absence. And in the matter of sowing and decay, which are necessary for any seed, it is received from the shape of the still. Also, it is the same with the absence of the animate and the speaking: the vegetative form is considered absence with respect to the animate, and the animate form is considered absence with respect to the speaking.

The main thing a person has to clarify on his current level in order to ascend to the next level is that he doesn’t have the upper level! As it says: “absence precedes presence.” I don’t exactly know what my next level has to be, but I feel that I lack it! If my deficiency regarding the next level is ripe enough, I move on to it. This means that “absence precedes presence.”

This is what happens in the transition from the level of the still to the level of the vegetative, and from the level of the vegetative to the level of the animate, and from the level of the animate to the level of the speaking. How can one ascend from the level of the speaking to the level of the Creator? Where can we begin to clarify what we lack?

Hence, the text teaches us that the absence that precedes man’s existence is the form of the beast. This is why it is written, “a wild ass’s colt is born a man,” as it is necessary for every person to begin in the state of a beast. And the writing says, “Man and beast Thou preserves, O Lord.” And as a beast is given all that it needs for its sustenance and the fulfillment of its purpose, He also provides man with all that is necessary for his sustenance and the fulfillment of his purpose.

Therefore, we should understand where is the advantage of man’s form over the beast, from the perspective of their own preparation. Indeed, it is discerned in their wishes, since man’s wishes are certainly different from those of a beast. And to that extent, God’s salvation of man differs from God’s salvation of a beast.

It turns out that we need to feel that we don’t want the Creator and the spiritual world, but that we want to remain beasts who carry on with our comfortable life in our pen and nothing but that. This means that I have to discover my real desire in the current state and my refusal to leave it by even one millimeter. This is a feeling of absence.

I don’t feel that I lack the next level and actually see that I don’t miss it in any way. According to my nature I am ready to remain on the corporeal level forever. Without this feeling I cannot reach the recognition of the negative form.

This teaches us that the form of the absence is but the negation of the presence. And we know the form of the presence, redemption,  from the verse, “and they shall teach no more every man his neighbor… for they shall all know Me, from the least of them unto the greatest of them.” Hence, the form of the previous absence, meaning the form of exile, is only the absence of the knowledge of the Lord. This is the absence of the Aleph, which is missing in the Gula (exile), and present in the Geula (redemption) —the Dvekut (Adhesion) with the “Champion of the world.” This is precisely the redemption of our souls, no more and no less, as we have said that all the letters of Geula are present in Gula but the Aleph, which is the Champion of the world.

If all we lack is the revelation of the Creator, the force of bestowal, not for our own pleasure but because it’s a more sublime attribute, we are ready to advance to the state of redemption.
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From the 3^rd part of the Daily Kabbalah Lesson 3/31/14, Writings of Baal HaSulam

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Come and see the words of the sage Rabbi Even Ezra in his book, Yesod Mora, (The Foundation for Fear) p. 8b: “And now note and know that all the Mitzvot that are written in the Torah or the conventions that the fathers have established, although they are mostly in action or in speech, they are all in order to correct the heart…”
Baal HaSulam, “Introduction to the Book, Panim Meirot uMasbirot”

Those who engage solely in the dresses of the Torah are gravely mistaken. And when the Creator’s demand is abandoned and the majority of the multitude of the sages of the Torah do not know its purpose, and they consider the wisdom of the Torah with its purpose as mere addition of some quip to Talmudic debates—which, though truly sacred and precious—they will not illuminate our souls.
Rav Kook, Igrot (Letters), Part 2, No. 153
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No one except for Baal HaSulam explained the terms “reality,” “Godliness,” and “Torah” so clearly and in a manner that is suitable for our generation and which enables us to explain everything in the form of laws of mutual cooperation between the Light and the vessel, since there is nothing but that and everything stems from it. All the other perceptions are nothing but logical philosophies. It is becoming increasingly clearer to humanity because people are developing. So we should wait until they understand how deeply they have drowned into all the arguments and the philosophies.

This is the way. We were also in the same position. It is even a good thing that some of them disagree with us and wish to humiliate us because the force of clarification is revealed more clearly by that and the real meaning of the term “Godliness” will be understood.

So by all means, they should have the forces to object. I am actually glad to hear about objections and I don’t want to get rid of them or to erase them. This will actually lead to more clarifications. Thus our world, which lives in a lie, will reach the clarification of the truth by such objections.

Baal HaSulam was given permission to disclose the wisdom of Kabbalah to our generation. No other Kabbalist received such permission. Even the Ari didn’t write anything by himself; all his work was written by his pupil, Rabbi Chaim Vital. No one throughout history has written or explained so clearly what we need in order to carry out and to fulfill the end of correction. Without Baal HaSulam we wouldn’t be able to approach the correction that we are starting to actually fulfill now.

We also produce a lot of materials, but these are not commentaries on Baal HaSulam but supplements without which what Baal HaSulam said would not be understood. We only want to make it easier for people to understand and perceive his words.

His books are the sources that will be used by the next generation as the ladder upward. We only help everyone find this ladder, come close to it, and start climbing. It is also very important work and I am very proud of it, but it’s still only a preparation for the ascent.

As for other sciences, they won’t help. They do study different phenomena and mutual connections, but they cannot discover their own engine. It’s the Light that operates everything and all the rest are the desire, the vessel, that is also concealed from scientists. It’s because the desire and the Light are two divine forces that cannot be found in corporeality. We only see the effects of their actions but don’t know their essence.

What is a desire? You may say that it’s energy; you may say that it’s the force of attraction or rejection. But the desire itself is already a spiritual matter.

So only the Light that Reforms, not ordinary science, can develop us and let us feel what a desire is; it’s as if I look into myself with a special microscope that penetrates matter. It’s as if it disappears and I don’t look at proteins or cells anymore, but rather, I discover the force of the desire by the Light that Reforms and begin to work with it. I didn’t know that before. In fact, I only knew about my ego and always wanted something for myself. But this isn’t the spiritual force.
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From the 4^th part of the Daily Kabbalah Lesson 12/9/13, Writings of Baal HaSulam

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The Generation We Are Dealing With

Baal HaSulam: “The Merit of Recollection”: And this is the matter of the diminishing value of the generations, until they have reached the last restriction in our generation in which “the wisdom of authors shall reek, and those who fear sin will be loathed,” since this is the state the masses are all in, and they don’t feel any obligation to engage in the Godly work and do not feel any deficiency when it is lacking. This is the form of our generation with whom we deal.

Baal HaSulam, “Introduction to the Study of the Ten Sefirot“, Item 36: We learn from the words of the Tikkunim of The Zohar that there is an oath that the Light of mercy and love will not awaken in the world before Israel’s deeds in Torah and Mitzvot will have the intention to not receive reward, but only to bestow contentment upon the Maker…

Thus, the length of the exile and affliction that we suffer depends on us and waits for us to merit the practice of Torah and Mitzvot Lishma. And if we only attain that, this Light of love and bestowal (Lishma), which has the power to extend, will immediately awaken, as it is written, “And the spirit shall rest upon him, the spirit of wisdom and understanding.” Then we will be granted complete redemption.
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Baal HaSulam “One Commandment”: Earlier sages chose a private way for themselves and I chose a general way, since in my view, it better suits the Godly matter to be clothed in eternal letter-combinations that will never change. I wish to say that with physical success, they will not change in any place and in any time. For this reason my words are limited.

Because of the above reason, I was compelled to express spirituality in a general manner. Yet, instead, I chose to explain all the details and spiritual combinations down to very small details, which have no other source and origin other than this collective, that is, the purity of Kabbalah. And since I clarify the spiritual details without clothing in corporeal combinations, it will do much good to the development of attainment. And this wisdom is called “the wisdom of truth.”

Only after many twists and turns and revelations along the way, a person walking the path of truth begins to realize what changes Baal HaSulam has made to it. It seems that he just wrote new texts but in fact, we are talking about changes in the system itself.

In general, every Kabbalist makes changes in the system through his corrections, his additions. That means to “clarify” the system as a whole or in details, in one form or another. The essence is not to describe the spiritual world in some words or in a certain style. No, Baal HaSulam streamlined the system and added such components so that a person advancing along the path could use them, constantly receiving support, assistance, acceleration, and so moving on.

In this, the analysis and clarification is done both in details and as a whole and takes more distinct forms necessary to move toward the goal of creation at a higher rate in comparison with those which provided the system earlier, before Baal HaSulam contributed his efforts, his changes into it.

Each Kabbalist adds something, each of them produces systemic changes, and it is not related to just writing a book. In the “Introduction to the Study of the Ten Sefirot,” Baal HaSulam talks about the sages of Talmud who have carried out such corrections in the system, so that instead of asceticism, we could advance through efforts and studies. He himself has made such a correction, by which we can, instead of studying, be more engaged in actions between us: dissemination and unity.

The Light that Reforms depends more on the actions, called the “study of the Torah.” And to “study the Torah” means to learn actions of bestowal, to learn to make them in such a way so that the Light of Hochma would clothe in the Light of Hassadim and they become the “letters” of life. Thus a man is writing the book of Torah on the tablets of his heart and advances on the path.

We learn from the “Book of Life,” we live it, experience it in practice, and reveal its letters in the form of states that pass through our desires, vessels. And Baal HaSulam arranged everything so that going through our individual actions we gain knowledge of the system as a whole. We seem to look at the big screen with the general picture, in the corner of which there is a small fragment with a part of it. Similarly, a surgeon sees general data according to the patient’s conditions and, at the same time, on the small screen, a specific location of the ongoing operation.

Thus, moving individually, we are imbued with the same impressions of the total process.
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From the 4^th part of the Daily Kabbalah Lesson 9/29/13, Writings of Baal HaSulam

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Rabash, Letter 29: Here my master, father, teacher, and Rabbi of blessed memory assured us that by following His way and maintaining His conduct, we would merit His eternity, blessed be He, and adhere to Him, blessed be He, and enter into the palace of the King.

We need to clarify in a fundamental manner all of the conditions and laws that were established for us by Baal HaSulam and maintain them in all their details. For if we deviate even somewhat, then we will immediately by pass by the goal, will not realize that we passed near it, and did not notice. Therefore, in our work we must strictly carry out all the conditions. In this, we must be steadfast as a rock so that nobody can cause us to fall.

There can be no compromises, suppositions, or excuses to make this work easy, pleasant, soft, and seemingly more successful. There is no other success than holding on to the conditions that Baal HaSulam taught. Only in this, do we need to see our success and not in anything else. Therefore when I sometimes hear complaints, I take this as corruption and an attempt to divert us. And here we need to stand on our own without any compromises.

Writings of Baal HaSulam, “The Teaching of Kabbalah and Its Essence”: I am glad that I have been born in this generation when it is permitted to disclose the wisdom of truth. And should you ask, “How do I know that it is permitted?” I will reply that I have been given permission to disclose. Until now, the ways by which it is possible to publicly engage and to fully explain each word have not been revealed to any sage.

This is to say, we can reveal the entire wisdom of Kabbalah only in accordance with the audience, so as not to confuse them. But there are no secrets any longer.

And the matter doesn’t depend upon the genius of the Kabbalist himself, rather upon the state in which the generation is found; for all of my merit in revealing this wisdom is established by my generation.

We belong to a unique generation that not only agrees with the instructions of Baal HaSulam, but also by all outward appearances signs, is selected to expand and implement the wisdom of Kabbalah. Therefore, for every person who goes resolutely, directly towards the goal, doesn’t agree to any compromises, and considers it the only important thing in his life, is assured of success. And someone who wants to make a business of the wisdom of Kabbalah or to exploit it for his own ego is doomed to failure.

In our generation this is no longer possible. The time has arrived in which we must realize this method not in the form of some kind of mysticism, religion, or tradition. All of the religions are collapsing and only this method is flourishing and will make it possible for a person to grow from the ruins of all the faiths, religions, and all kinds of methods.
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From the Talk during the Meal Dedicated to the Memory Baal HaSulam 9/15/13

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Recently, we marked the remembrance day of Baal HaSulam, our great teacher, who in our days brought Light from Above to the entire humanity. He revealed the wisdom of Kabbalah to our generation so we could use it and with its help rise from the animate to the human degree, to know how to perform all the actions and achieve the opening of our eyes. This is the only way, without knowing it, we can see where we actually are.

Baal HaSulam was such a great man that we are not even able to properly appreciate and thank him for what he did. We are indebted to him for our spiritual life to the same extent as we are indebted to the mother and father for the life of the animal body. Only it’s not the material life but spiritual life in which we reach eternity and perfection, the upper worlds, the state which we now cannot even imagine right.

Baal HaSulam worked very hard for this. He wrote for so long, working dozens of hours without breaks that his hands went numb, and it was necessary to unclench his fingers to release a pen from them. He gave himself a break for 2.5 to 3 hours of sleep a night and half an hour in the afternoon in order to stay focused, and the rest of time he worked. It was like this throughout his life.

During the war, he was willing to sacrifice all his attainment and asked the Creator to lower him from his spiritual degree only to be able to somehow help unfortunate people suffering in this world and not even realizing for what. And the Creator heard his request and helped him do it. Even Moses could not get that from the Creator when he asked Him to make him responsible for his people and divert punishment from them.

Baal HaSulam was at such a high degree that the Creator told him, “I have no one closer than you out of all humanity.” He was a true giant. Let’s hope that we will be able to appreciate his height, his value. On one hand, he was connected with the Creator, and on the other hand, he could go down to each person to feel in what form he needed to convey explanations to him. He was able to write so delicately, so as not to offend any religious or secular and bring them closer together as much as possible.

His legacy was passed into our hands. We got all these tools through Rabash who adapted this method for realization in the group. Throughout the years of study and work, we began to understand what is written in these works, to implement it, to bring closer all other groups, and by this increasingly appreciate the tremendous contribution made by Baal HaSulam. He was the first of the Kabbalists who revealed the stage of liberation.
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From the Talk during the Meal Dedicated to the Memory Baal HaSulam 9/15/13

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Two questions I received on whether spiritual correction requires observance of physical rituals:

Question: You say that it’s possible to attain spiritual correction without physically observing the commandments of Judaism. Maybe you’re just saying this out of your concern for Kabbalah’s dissemination around the world? Or maybe what you really mean is that people can’t understand these commandments by simply reading them? If you can’t publish the answer on the blog, I would like to receive a private answer.

My Answer: The Creator created the will to receive pleasure with an intention “for one’s own sake,” and this is how we find ourselves in this world. We were created this way in order to correct our intention to “for the sake of the neighbor or the Creator,” on all of our 613 desires. This correction happens under the influence of the Upper Light, Ohr Makif, which descends during the study of Kabbalah.

This bears no relation to the observance of religious rituals. A person can attain correction and spiritual attainment without physically observing the commandments, or rather – the traditions. This is true for both Jews and the nations of the world. Moreover, every person can keep his religion, because religion is no more than a nation’s cultural framework. Kabbalah only teaches us about the intention “for the sake of the neighbor,” how to love and bestow to others – and nothing else.

Question: You’re all about spirituality and the love revolution. But what about connecting the root with the branch? After all, the still, vegetative, and animate levels are also levels of the will to receive. You always speak about the internality without any externality, and this confuses me. Baal HaSulam writes at the end of the “Introduction to the Book of Zohar” that the internality should be preferred over the externality. But it looks like Bnei Baruch gives 100% of their attention to the internality, and 0% to the externality! This is difficult and confusing. Why not make a small change and pay a little more attention to the externality? Why not combine both parts? Dedicate 90% of your attention to the internality, and 10% to the externality. This will really help everyone! What do you think?

My Answer: We at Bnei Baruch actually do this – we follow the traditions. But do you really think that all the people in the world – who are now approaching correction – have to observe the physical commandments of Judaism, even if it isn’t their tradition? In the article “The Future Generation” Baal HaSulam writes that every person can keep his religion!

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