Writings of Rabash, Dargot HaSulam “When the Creator Loves Man”
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The Book of Zohar, Weekly Torah Portion “Terumah,” Selected Excerpts
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Explanation of the Article, “Preface to the Wisdom of Kabbalah,” Lesson 12
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“The Study of the Wisdom of Kabbalah”
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Kabbalah becomes revealed to every person individually and to the entire mankind in order to answer their questions. People do not care for theory, the quantity of angels in the sky, or the upper Partzufim. They are concerned about one thing only: They need to fulfill their desires. And eventually, they will feel that Kabbalah seems to have the answer.
So far people do not know what they want, but as we disseminate Kabbalah we need to explain to them where they can find what they are searching for. It is like a mother who can feel by looking at a child what he needs, what is good and bad for him. She knows why he cries, what he wants, and where he hurts.
We need to feel humanity in the same way, prevent the blows, and as this desire grows, begin to develop it a little bit ahead of time in order to direct it towards goodness and to avoid suffering. There is no need to wait for horrible hunger to manifest and make people suffer. We need to provide people with fulfillment ahead of time. Let them try and see! We need to explain to them where their desire is directed. This is what the dissemination of Kabbalah is about.
Those who are for now satisfied with their lives need to be left alone. And the rest need the explanation about where they can find fulfillment to the emptiness they feel. People need to understand that a special desire is being revealed in them right now.
So far it completely lacks shape. It needs to be “formatted” and “wired” with a new program or system, like a computer disc which so far is merely a dead piece of metal or plastic, and we need to “bring it to life” in order to learn to work with the programs and data. Then we will be able to use this desire of ours.
In order to do all of this, we need a special force which we receive through our efforts in the group, study, and listening to the teacher. And this way we gradually “reformat” ourselves, and to this extent we begin to adopt new, spiritual information which gives us fulfillment and helps us find our bearings in life.
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From the 4th part of the Daily Kabbalah Lesson 1/24/2011, “The Wisdom of Kabbalah and Its Essence”
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Question: You have said that we shouldn’t suppress the ego, but rather increase the positive. What do you mean by that?
Answer: This refers to a person walking the path of spirituality and engaged in a Kabbalistic group. How then can one increase the positive when he falls?
When I feel sick I take a pill, and when I’m in a bad mood I go dancing. But by doing these things, I don’t suppress or negate my ego in the slightest degree. If you feel ill, acknowledge it as a fact, but don’t beat yourself up. It isn’t you! It is just a little more of your egoism being shown to you. Don’t take it personally.
The negative constantly evolves in a person in order to develop the positive. What is this positive then? It isn’t the annihilation of egoism or balancing it on the corporeal level. In no way should I compensate a minus with some earthly plus. No matter how dreadful my sensation may be, I wish to compensate the minus solely with a spiritual plus. Otherwise, I will be similar to the “reformers” of the world.
Whatever the case may be, I don’t compensate for the negative by reducing it. After all, it is deliberately given to me since nothing is accidental in life. So what should I do? I need to increase my positive relations with the group, the right environment. Why? It is because my entire future depends on our mutual inclusion in one integral system.
If egoism is evolving in me, then this is the only correct decision. My plus lies on my path to the group. If in my entire emerging egoism, I increase my positive connection with the environment, then it is really an altruistic force with which I balance the egoistic force. And it turns out that I rise to the next level through compensating the minus.
Then, needless to say, a new minus emerges in me, and I must become rooted in the group again. But at that point the group seems to even worse to me: “Idiots, hard-hearted dummies. I don’t want any of this anyway, let me go chill out.”
And thus, gradually a person lowers his head, over and over again, and turns to the environment until he reaches a complete connection. Nature encourages us to do the same so that we are together as one integral whole. Hence, the global crisis and complete dependence on one another shows us in what direction we need to correct ourselves.
So, we have agreed not to work against egoism, but to work in order to use it properly. As a result of the minus, we transform it into a plus. Otherwise, we would never have it.
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Question: It is known that Rabbi Shimon’s group attained unity among themselves through the mutual writing of The Zohar. Is this also a correct method for us in our time? Should we try to unite by forming small groups, and together taking an article and trying to develop it? Or will this just confuse us since each of us is on our own stage of advancement, different from everyone’s else?
Answer: The authors of The Zohar were also on different stages of advancement; they were not all equal. Each one of the ten authors of The Zohar corresponded to one of the ten Sefirot, according to their nature and the root of their souls. Yet, each of them completely canceled their egos and were able to unite with the others to the full extent of their nature.
This is why each one was able to attain 125 degrees of the spiritual ladder, meaning his own individual final correction (Gmar Tikkun). And together they were able to connect on the highest level possible of the unification of souls, which is why they revealed all of the Light, the upper illumination that descends to us from Arich Anpin referred to as “Zohar” (a special kind of Light).
Clearly, we are not even close to being near these degrees; we are all “dead,” that is, submerged within our egoistic desires. We are not ready nor do we have the desire to connect with one another. We face many struggles and corrections until we attain some form of unity.
But if we try to imitate adults like children do through the games they play, then we attract Light from that perfect state which already exists. These souls, the authors of The Zohar, have revealed and formed it through their ascent from below upward.
A ladder of the worlds (five worlds, each containing five Sefirot, with each containing another five Sefirot, totaling 125 degrees) descends from Above downward, from the world of Infinity. In this way the Light descends towards us from Above downward: Yechida, Haya, Neshama, Ruach, Nefesh (NaRaNHY in reverse order). This is called a concealment, the reduction of Light or worlds (the word “world,” “Olam” in Hebrew, comes from the word “Alama,” “concealment”). In other words, above there is 100% of the Light, and below 0% of it. This is the system of worlds (concealments).
There are souls in our world in which the desire referred to as “man” or “Adam” (similar to the Creator) awakens; it is the rudiment of man in spirituality. Then, this desire begins to grow. How does it grow? It must connect with another nine like it, even to the slightest degree of unification. In this way, they continue to connect even more strongly, until they attain the greatest degree of unity between souls.
Throughout history there were souls who attained unification with one another and they are all connected with others on different levels of this ladder of degrees. All of the authors of The Zohar attained the highest degree together, and for this reason, the Light they brought to this Book is so great that it influences and shines to everyone. This is because they take the Light from Infinity and are able to bring it to us under the condition that on our part, we at least want to rise a little bit towards them.
The Zohar, the entire Light or a part of it, is always revealed to the extent of the degree of unification, the degree of bestowal, and the similarity between the desire (Kli) and the Light. This is why we need to connect as much as possible, both quantitatively and qualitatively. We will receive this Light according to our ability to attain at least the first rung of the 125 degrees.
After all, what do all the 125 degrees represent? The degree of Nefesh also contains all five Lights: Nefesh, Ruach, Neshama, Haya, Yechida (NaRaNHY), and each one of them also has its own NaRaNHY. Hence (NaRaNHY) х (NaRaNHY) х (NaRaNHY) = 5х5х5 = 125 degrees.
Since the Light is divided according to the degree of Aviut (thickness) of desire, we can realize our connection, that is, rise above this thickness and connect despite of our ego. The Light will influence us, correct us, and then fulfill us to the extent of our ability to cancel this Aviut, along with our desire to use it to connect.
There is nothing here besides these two components, the Light and the Kli, and the degree of connection between them called the “screen” or an “intention.”
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From the 2nd part of the Daily Kabbalah Lesson 1/24/2011, “Introduction of The Book of Zohar,” Article “The Donkey Driver”
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We are currently at a transitional stage, but in the end, it will be possible to offer man everything he can only dream of, but he will not want this fairy tale life. He will perceive it as being cut off from reality, akin to drugs. This would repel him; his internal desire will be such that he would no longer be able to live like this.
Then, life will seem worse to him than death. He will not know what to do with himself. And this will not depend on the person. This new type of yearning arising in man cannot be put out with drugs, alcohol, or any of the pleasures of this world: food, sex, family, or travel, which have become so popular during the past few years. All of this will gradually fade away. People will be over-satiated with all this materialism and will be unable to continue living like that.
Even today, people do not know what else to think of. There is an excursion to the North Pole. You arrive there, you look around, and you leave immediately since there is nothing else to do there. People will no longer want any of this. Then, the wisdom of Kabbalah will come along and say: “Great, we have finally exhausted the opportunities offered by this world; we have reached the limits of corporeality!”
The world is defined by the questions of man. If he is asking about what exists beyond the limits of this world, it means that we have already reached its limits we have bumped our heads against the ceiling. Now, we need to go up to the next floor and go further. Here is where the science of Kabbalah is revealed since only it can raise us above this ceiling.
The law of nature is at work here, and it does not depend either on me or you, or anyone else. There are two paths: the path of Light and the path of suffering. Both of them are now in front of you. You are standing at a crossroads and need to choose one of these two paths. Decide for yourself.
Kabbalah is the only solution here since we will no longer be able to tame our egoistic desire with any other methods. Our egoistic desire has been constantly growing and now has reached the ceiling of this world, like rising dough which has reached the lid and is now creeping out from the pot.
You will not be able to push this dough back in, and everyone understands this well by now. Nobody knows what to do. That is why all of the governments are now gathering at meetings and uniting in their attempts to hide this problem simply because they do not know what to do with it. Here is the perfect time for the circulation of Kabbalah.
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From the 4th part of the Daily Kabbalah Lesson 1/24/2011, “The Essence of the Wisdom of Kabbalah”
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Rabash, Shlavey HaSulam (Steps of the Ladder), Article “What Is the Prohibition to Greet Before One Greets the Creator in the Work”: One must serve the Creator and always look for the ways to bring Him contentment so that the Creator would be pleased by his deeds.
It is written: “The Creator will rejoice at His deeds.” This is because the Creator’s deeds are the created beings who will bring Him joy.
We must work above the desire for pleasure. Everything that happens in it pertains to the still, vegetative, and animate levels of this world, to the materialistic psychology. Here, we determine what we perceive as sweet and bitter, and even if we want to rise higher, we don’t have the strength for it. We are not even aware that something higher exists.
A person becomes aware of his inner struggle with his egoism only after prolonged work. He develops a dilemma: the Creator or an egoistic calculation, and he is torn between them. Then, from the “seesaw” that has manifested in his will to receive pleasure a person rises to a higher “seesaw,” the state of choice referred to as “Klipat Noga (the Noga shell).”
The Creator takes man out of calculations of personal benefit, and He enjoys His deeds. We are the Creator’s deeds, His work. The Creator rejoices at changing us.
This is why man must be ready to “sacrifice” himself, in other words, bring himself closer, “enter the operating room,” and entrust himself to the work that the Creator does on him. In this way, man comes to truth.
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From the 1st part of the Daily Kabbalah Lesson 1/23/2011, Writings of Rabash
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Rabash, Shlavey HaSulam (Steps of the Ladder), Article “A Prayer of Many”: It is written in the holy Zohar (Beshalach (When Pharaoh Let) and in the Sulam Commentary, Item 11), “And she said, ‘I dwell among my own people.’ He asks, ‘What does that mean?’ He replies, ‘When Din is present in the world, one should not part from the collective and be alone because when the Din is present in the world, those who are noticed and are noted alone are caught first, even if they are righteous.
We tune into the upper force through The Zohar. We are told how to tune ourselves to comprehending this force, which leads to its perception, its revelation. “Din” is one of its manifestations in the form of justice. A transgression of one or all evokes a corresponding reciprocal action. Under no circumstances should man separate from the society around him.
How does this happen? Different actions and sensations are evoked in us. This gives me the opportunity to keep myself in the society above and in spite these difficulties and sensations, even if by separating from this society I would immediately feel comfortable and avoid problems. Everyone is getting punished, but I can step aside. They even tell me: “You can step aside, this does not concern you.”
And still, even though the righteous did not sin together with the rest, they are judged first when they separate from them. In other words, man is being tested this way on whether he wants to enter the egoism of this world and remain in his comfortable “bourgeois” state, or if he is willing to remain together with everyone in one bundle, even if this makes him uncomfortable, for the sake of attaining the upper world.
Hence, one should never retire from the people because the mercy of the Creator is always on the whole people together. This is why she said, ‘I dwell among my own people, and I do not wish to part from them.’
The attitude of the upper force always manifests towards everyone together and never towards private individuals. “Among my people” means among those who want to come together.
We need to take this into consideration. When we are in the group, and we begin to feel different frictions, egoistic actions, we need to understand that we are being “played” on purpose. If we still were to join together regardless of these "games" (every time, every moment), we would be raised upward.
But if we were to yield and step away from the problems, refusing to solve them instead of rising above them in unity, naturally we would once again become submerged in our daily life and stop understanding what Kabbalah tells us.
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From Lesson 2 in Moscow 1/16/2011, “A Prayer of Many”
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Question: Can Kabbalah help a person find mutual understanding between a man and woman or fix relationships in the family or at work?
Answer: No, you will not be able to create a good life for yourself in this world with the help of the science of Kabbalah. A good life will come as a result of your using all of the evil that becomes revealed in order to attain love for the neighbor and love for the Creator. Then the desires in which you feel bad will no longer emerge in you. The science of Kabbalah does not lie to a person! This is not psychology or charlatanism; it is not mysticism or a magical means to improve our lives!
Kabbalah says that the evil which becomes revealed to you is goal-oriented. It is intended to push you toward correction. You do not have to nullify the desire in which you feel bad, but rather, you have to admit that the desire is bad because of your hatred to the neighbor, and when you correct your hatred to love, you will be able to enjoy love for the neighbor and then the bad desires will no longer become revealed in you.
If you want to create a family or you are already married and a disagreement, animosity, or a misunderstanding comes up between you, that misunderstanding is impossible to correct without correcting your attitude to creation and the Creator. The Creator is between you: “Husband and wife—and the Shechina between them.”
For now the Shechina is still in exile. It becomes revealed as an evil, harmful force, the force of mutual hatred which sets you one against the other. The Creator does this deliberately so you wouldn’t connect on the previous, animate level, the way a female animal unites with a male animal in order to produce offspring, but in order for you to merge with one another as two souls into one soul and reveal the common force of bestowal that will connect you together.
If you are able to correct the relationship between you in this way, you will really become a family. Otherwise you won’t be able to do it. Kabbalah does not give you hints, solutions, or medicine for your current state, but elevates you to a new state where you will be able to be happy, successful, and perfect.
All of the suffering, problems, and blows become revealed in our world not in order to bring peace and perfection into the world, but in order to elevate us above our world. Otherwise it is similar to building communism in Russia. If you do something not for the sake of the Creator, meaning not in order to reach absolute bestowal, then you won’t achieve anything.
I feel bad, I have problems with my family, at work, with my children, and with my health, and I want to succeed in all of these areas. Kabbalah says I will feel good? Then fine, I agree to study Kabbalah! To do that I have to bestow to others? Then I’m even willing to bestow to others—anything to feel good myself.
This is called Lo Lishma (not for the Creator’s sake). This means that you know the method and you want to bring it to life for the sake of everyone so that you would also feel good. Now everything depends on what proportion you are willing to bestow to others in order to improve your state.
At first it is 1% for others and 99% for yourself. Then it’s the opposite: 99% for others and 1% for yourself until you acquire the force enabling you not to want anything for yourself. “I don’t care about what happens to me, I want to bestow to others.” This is called “bestowal for the sake of bestowal.”
However, we will never be able to return to a successful and corrected material life. All the methods that say that they can achieve this are lying, and Kabbalah tells you from the onset that this is impossible because all the evil in this life exists in order to elevate you to a new level.
Therefore, if you apply the science of Kabbalah to improve this life and you begin selling holy water or red strings, then it becomes a deadly poison. We have to understand that the reason for the general state of the world is the need to elevate us, but not to improve our situation. This is the difference between Kabbalah and other methods.
Therefore, if someone promises you a good life in this world, or health and happiness in your personal life, don’t believe it—it’s a lie and goes against nature! Nature wishes to elevate us to the “human” level. And when you aspire to this state, everything falls into place in the most wondrous way!
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From the 4th part of the Daily Kabbalah Lesson 1/24/11, “The Essence of the Wisdom of Kabbalah”
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Question: In spirituality why do we have to form a desire for every new pleasure?
Answer: It’s because in spirituality there is no pleasure without desire. Without desiring, you won’t attain anything. And the desire has to be new every time. These are not the desires you were born with in our world.
When we are born here, our senses do not work yet. A baby practically does not perceive anything. He does not hear or see. He only has some reactions on the animate level. And then we immediately begin pumping and filling him with our programs of perception.
If we endowed this creature that just came out of its mother’s womb with other programs, then we would form him into something completely different. We would be able to build him spiritually. This depends on education, upbringing, and the method of development.
With our attitude from the very first day, we raise a child to be an egoist. Notwithstanding, a baby is open to everything: He can hear and see differently, he can perceive the world in the opposite way. In the end everything depends on the environment.
Now, with the help of the environment, by the same principle we must transform our vision of the world, our attitude to life.
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From the 1st part of the Daily Kabbalah Lesson 12/24/10, Writings of Rabash
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We are trying to make Kabbalah closer to people and to clarify that it is a wisdom which explains our life to us and helps solve the problems concerning education, health, and everything else. But all of this is only externality.
Actually, Kabbalah speaks solely about the spiritual world and stops at the level of Bina de-Malchut de Malchut of the world of Assiya. Between this Bina and our state of existence in this world, Malchut de-Malchut de-Malchut of the world of Assiya, there is a gap.
We cannot step across this abyss, make it narrower, or fill it in with something. Until you leap above this gap, Kabbalah will always seem an abstract science to you, a philosophy or mysticism, meaning something unreal. After all, you perceive as real only that which you can see and hold in your hands right now. And what can we give you if we don’t sell red strings and “holy water”?
This gap between our state today and the closest Bina is overcome only by intense work within one’s own matter: an egoistic will to receive. I try to accomplish this with the help of environment, albeit also egoistic so far, and the studies that are for my own sake. Like a little child, I make efforts to grow and rise above myself as much as I can.
Kabbalah will never be able to garb itself directly in the matter of our corporeal world; you will always have to keep leaping up with it! You won’t be able to fix this very last AHP (the lowest part of the upper spiritual object, Partzuf) since you don’t have Galgalta ve Eynaim (GE, the upper part of the spiritual object) that you could use to clothe the AHP with.
This is the structure of all the worlds, the entire spiritual ladder; GE of the lower Partzuf is clothed into AHP of the upper Partzuf and as a result can receive from it. Although it is completely dark in the upper’s AHP, I am willing to accept this darkness with my GE and comply with it, in order to hold on to the upper one. I am prepared to choose this dark over the light that I have in my GE at present.
But I don’t have the GE for this very last AHP between Bina and Malchut de-Malchut de-Malchut de-Assiya! In fact, I reside below this AHP with my egoism; I don’t have anything I could clothe into the upper one with. There is nothing I can do. Hence, Kabbalah remains an abstract knowledge for me so far.
Spirituality ends in the last Bina, (at this red mark in the diagram). The upper one’s AHP is total darkness for me. But if I bring into this interval “the group, the book, and the teacher” and start working with them, then I have an opportunity to connect to this Bina.
In fact, this doesn’t mean that the group itself has to be in spirituality. But these instruments (the group, Kabbalistic texts, and the teacher) are endowed with such miraculous property (Segula) that if I imagine them to be above me and wish to partake in them by lowering my ego before them, then I extract from them a spiritual component. Through them, the Light descends on me from GE of the upper one.
I, on my part, contribute desire (an egoistic one!). In response, the Light comes to me, and we meet in this area regarded as “the teacher, the books, and the group.” It is a qualitative definition rather than corporeal people and books: the very place where I reveal the AHP of the upper one, the spiritual world.
Therefore, I must keep visualizing that they are exalted and great, and that the Creator lives within them. Only in such form can I envision the upper’s AHP, a higher spiritual degree, and cling to it. Since I don’t have the GE, there is no other chance to do so.
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From the 4th part of the Daily Kabbalah Lesson 1/26/2011, “The Essence of the Wisdom of Kabbalah”
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