When reading The Zohar we must always think about the connection between us, and based on this constant, powerful thought we should just slightly hear the text, as much as it is possible as an addition, a spice. The thought about unity has to be powerful and unceasing. Only to the extent we are able to do so should we add the text to it, meaning the thought about it and the sensation of it. It has to be done only on the condition that this foundation, the constant thought about unity, does not disappear or grow weaker.

We can easily be in the right intention if only we know that The Zohar, just as all of the Torah, speaks only about the types of connection between us. Therefore, everything we study and everything we now want to see as a result of our work – unification among us, types of our connection, its special characteristics, everything happening between us – this is what The Book of Zohar tells us about.

Therefore, we are talking about the same point – the point of unity between myself and others. This point contains all the possible kinds of connections between me and everyone. This is what the Torah talks about.

Therefore, if I direct myself correctly, then I understand that it is talking only about this: What kinds of connections exist among us? How can I connect? How can I attain this?

In that case we want to attain what we study, even though we do not know it. Out of the aspiration to attain it, to unite into an integral desire or Kli , and to discern all the kinds of connection that the Torah tells us about, the Light that Reforms comes and creates that connection, bringing it to light. Then we reveal it in actuality.
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From the 2nd part of the Daily Kabbalah Lesson 2/21/11, The Zohar

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The initial picture that appears before a beginner who reads The Book of Zohar is very disorderly. He gets confused, not understanding what kind of language it is using exactly—the language of Kabbalah, or talking through the Lights, Kelim, and Partzufim, or in the language of stories.

Often the same paragraph in The Zohar uses a mixture of languages. For example, on one hand it is talking about Adam, Eve, the snake and so on. On the other hand it is talking about Malchut and Zeir Anpin and how they unite, attaining ZAT or GAR of Bina. That’s because the same sin and its correction which is described in the Torah can be described in four languages—those of Tanach, Halachot, Hagadot (stories), and Kabbalah. However, a person does not connect all of this together yet.

Nevertheless, to the degree he advances, inside his more corrected Kli or desire, he will understand how to translate things from one language to another. He can then use the language of Tanach or Halachot to explain the things written in the language of Sefirot. The language of stories is deeper, and therefore it is more difficult to explain things in it.

He can go from one language to another, from one expression to another. That’s because in essence he expresses his inner sensations or how thoughts and desires which used to be opposite now unite inside of him.

This is the only thing we express. I don’t need a language, letters, or anything! I have feelings (sensations in the desire) and the mind. Previously they were driven by hatred, whereas now I transfer them to unity and love. We do not have anything more than that. All that we do is reveal the disunity and the breaking, and by correcting them we attain the implementation of love.

However, it is possible to talk about this using words of four languages, and besides, instead of explaining it with words, it’s also possible to just feel it inside. That is why a person who attains spirituality doesn’t care what language it is written in. He shifts between languages since for him this is all the same thing.

It’s the same as how an experienced musician looking at notes hears the melody that these notes play inside of him, or how a professional chef looks at a recipe and already experiences the taste of the dish.
[35511]
From the 2nd part of the Daily Kabbalah Lesson 2/16/11, The Zohar

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Question: How does The Book of Zohar fit into Kabbalah?

Answer: The Book of Zohar is the main book in Kabbalah. We study it every day. I have just finished going over The Zohar in order to simplify its language and replace all of the Aramaic words. We are now translating this book into other languages and soon it will be published.

This book explains the laws by which the spiritual, global world operates. The difference between the spiritual world and the material world is not that spirituality is somewhere up in the sky, beyond all the galaxies. The spiritual world is right here, in the same place, but we do not feel it because it works at a different frequency, so to say.

We are looking at the world through our egoistic senses where each person perceives only what is beneficial to himself. But if we change our senses and attitude to the world and desire to see it as being single, great, and one whole, then we will see the world as an integral system of forces right here and now.

This is the world that The Book of Zohar tells us about. However, this book is written in a way that takes the reader and without him even noticing, leads him into the sensation of the new world. That is why it is such a powerful and unusual book. The Zohar works through our mind and feelings, influencing us from all sides.
From my lecture in Paris on 2/1/11

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The Secrets of the Torah in The Book of Zohar Occupy the Level of all 125 Degrees in Completeness

Rashbi and his generation, the authors of The Zohar, were granted all 125 degrees in completeness, even though it was prior to the days of the Messiah. It was said about him and his disciples: “A sage is preferable to a prophet.” Hence, we often find in The Zohar that there will be none like the generation of Rashbi until the generation of the Messiah King. This is why his composition made such a great impact in the world, since the secrets of the Torah in it occupy the level of all 125 degrees.
– Baal HaSulam, “A Speech for the Completion of The Zohar”

The Sulam (Ladder) Commentary is a Complete Interpretation of all the Words of The Zohar

But in our generation we have been rewarded with the Sulam (Ladder) commentary, which is a complete interpretation of all the words of The Zohar. Moreover, not only does it not leave an unclear matter in the whole of The Zohar without interpreting it, but the clarifications are based on a straightforward analysis, which any intermediate student can understand.
– Baal HaSulam, “A Speech for the Completion of The Zohar”

The Sulam Commentary on The Book of Zohar is but a Ladder to Help the Examiner Rise to the Height of the Matters

The depth of wisdom in the holy Book of Zohar is enclosed and caged behind a thousand locks, and our human tongue too poor to provide us with sufficient, reliable expressions to interpret one thing in this book to its end. Also, the interpretation I have made is but a ladder to help the examiner rise to the height of the matters and examine the words of the Book itself.
– Baal HaSulam, “Preface to The Book of Zohar”
[34716]

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Dear Friends, please ask questions about these passages from the great Kabbalists. The commentaries in brackets are mine.

What Is a Prayer?

One who was not rewarded with His love, it is as though all that he did in his work in the purity of the soul in the previous day has been completely burnt the following day. And each day and each moment he must begin anew [despite despair from having wasted time and effort], as though he had never done anything in his life.

And then, “And the children of Israel sighed because of the work,” since they evidently saw that they would never be able to produce anything from their own labor. For this reason, their sigh and prayer was whole, as it should be, and hence, “Their cry rose,” etc., since the Creator hears a prayer, and only awaits a whole prayer. [Hence, our primary task is to gather speed in reaching the state of “And the children of Israel sighed because of the work.”]
– Baal HaSulam, Letter No. 57

The labor and toil in one’s heart during the prayer [clarification of the prayer] is the most reliable and most successful, and reaches its goal more than all other matters in reality [which are secondary, external, and exist solely to bring him to a prayer].
– Baal HaSulam, Letter No. 56
[33760]

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Dear Friends, please ask questions about these passages from the great Kabbalists. The commentaries in brackets are mine.

What Is a Prayer?

The essence of the [spiritual] work [on correction of the intention, the attitude toward the Creator] is the choice, meaning “Therefore choose life,” which is Dvekut (adhesion), which is Lishma (for Her name). By that, one is rewarded with adhering to the Life of Lives.

When there is open Providence, there is no room for choice. Hence, the Upper One [upper Partzuf] elevated Malchut, which is Midat ha Din (quality of judgment), to [its] Eynaim (eyes), which caused a concealment [in it with regard to the lower one], meaning that the lower one sees that the Upper One is deficient, that there is no Gadlut (greatness) in the Upper One. At that time, the qualities of the Upper One are laid down in the lower one, meaning they are lacking. It follows that those Kelim [of the Upper One] have equality with [the desires, properties of] the lower one: As there is no vitality in the lower one, [it seems to the lower one that] there is no vitality in the Upper qualities, meaning that the Torah and Mitzvot are tasteless, lifeless.

And [it is done purposefully by the Upper One because] then there is room for choice [the lower one has an opportunity to choose since he becomes independent from the Upper One], meaning that the lower one [should examine his sensations and thoughts and come to a conclusion that this state is given to him purposefully so that he wouldn’t follow his sensations, but rather increase the greatness of the Upper One through the group and rise above his sensations] should say that all of this concealment that he feels is because the Upper One [purposefully] restricted Himself for the sake of the lower one [for his sake]. This is called, “Israel that have been exiled, Divinity is with them,” meaning he declares the flavor that he tastes, and it is not his fault that he feels no flavor of liveliness, but in his view, there truly is no vitality in the Upper One.

And if one overcomes [goes by faith above reason and strengthens his connection with the Creator above any negative sensations] and says that he finds a bitter taste in these nourishments [fulfillment or emptiness in the desire] only because he does not have the proper Kelim (vessels) [intentions] to receive the abundance [to correctly comprehend and sense the Creator’s actions toward him], as his Kelim are to receive and not to bestow [he evaluates the Creator by the fulfillment he receives and not the goal], and regrets that [because of this] the Upper One had to hide Himself, thus enabling the lower one [him] to [involuntary] slander, this is considered that the lower one is raising MAN [pleading with the Upper One to help him not to relate to the Upper One badly regardless of any sensations in the desire].

By that [thanks to the lower one’s MAN], the Upper One raises His AHP—and ascent means that the Upper One can show the lower one the praise and delight in the Kelim of AHP, which the Upper One can disclose. Thus, with respect to the lower one, it is found that he raises the GE of the lower one [gives the lower one strength to feel pleasure and attainment along with the screen, to appreciate these fulfillments in the heart and the mind only for the sake of an even greater adhesion with the Upper One] by the lower one himself seeing the merit of the Upper One. It follows that the lower one rises along with the AHP of the Upper One. [The Upper One gives the lower one both fulfillments and sensations of emptiness and the opportunity to be or not to be above them.]
– Rabash, Steps of the Ladder, “Association of Mercy with Judgment”
[33672]

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RASHBI composed The Book of Zohar due to the illumination that came to him during the correction in the cave.… This is a great and awesome composition that reveals the depth of the secrets by scrutinizing the Torah itself. And this is called revelation of the Torah in its internality.
– The Ramchal, Adir BaMarom (Mighty on High), 24

Rabbi Shimon Bar Yochai was revealing the secrets of the Torah, and friends were listening to his voice, connecting with him, and each contributed his part to this unity. Just as the Mishnah was created by the Tannaim: Rabbi Yehuda haNasi was expressing the common opinion and compiling the book.

This is what Rabbi Shimon Bar Yochai wanted, that The Book of Zohar would include the articles of his disciples and would be composed on the Torah. For other books speak of private matters, but The Zohar that is written on the Torah is the greatest revelation of the entirety of the Torah. Rabbi Shimon Bar Yochai commanded Rabbi Abba to write down and arrange everything that the members of his group spoke about according to the order of the narrative of the Torah.
– The Ramchal, Adir BaMarom (Mighty on High), 24
[34134]

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Dear Friends, please ask questions about these passages from the great Kabbalists. The commentaries in brackets are mine.

What Is a Prayer?

Everything, great or small, is obtained only by the power of faith. And the reason why we must toil and labor is only to discover our lack of power and our lowliness—that we are unfit for anything by our own strength. And then we are ready to pour out a whole prayer before Him. [That is, our entire work comes down to the realization of our hopelessness and our desire to reach the goal by the Creator’s mercy.]

We could argue about that, “If this is so, then I will decide in advance that I am good for nothing, and why all the trouble and effort?” However, there is a law in nature that none is as wise as the experienced. Before a person actively tries to do all that is within his power, he is completely unfit to arrive at true lowliness, in the true measure mentioned above.

Hence, we must toil [in any way we can] in Kedusha (holiness) and purity, as it is written, “Whatsoever you find that you can do by your own strength, do,” and understand that for it is deep and true.

Even though you do not see a thing, since even when the required measure of labor has been made, this is the time for prayer, until then, believe in our sages, “I did not labor and found, do not believe.” When the required measure is reached, your prayer will be whole and the Creator will respond generously, as our sages instructed us, “I labored and found, believe,” for prior to that, you are unfit for prayer, and the Creator hears a prayer.

[In other words, one has to reach a sufficient desire for the goal: bestowal and love of the created beings and the Creator. He has to realize that he will not reach that goal by himself, by his own strength, and the desire for the entire result must be for the Creator’s sake. All of this together constitutes the intention “for the sake of the Creator.”]
– Baal HaSulam, Letter No. 57
[33572]

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Dear Friends, please ask questions about these passages from the great Kabbalists. The commentaries in brackets are mine.

What Is a Prayer?

When concealment [of spirituality, the thought about bestowal and love of others] overpowers one and he comes to a state where the work [attainment of the property of bestowal and love of others] becomes tasteless, and he cannot picture and feel any love [of the Creator, the single property of love] and fear [that he won’t be able to respond to Him with the same love that he receives from Him], and he cannot do anything in holiness [reach it by his own strength], then his only counsel [this is how it becomes revealed to him] is to cry to the Creator to take pity on him [since he can no longer further it in any way himself] and remove the screen [the shield of his egoism] from his eyes and heart.

The issue of crying is a very important one. It is as our sages write: “All the gates were locked except for the gate of tears.” The world asks about that: If the gate of tears is not locked, what is the need for all other gates at all? [Why can’t one enter the upper world right through the gate of tears?] He said that it is like a person who asks his friend for some necessary object. This object touches his heart, and he asks and begs of him in every manner of prayer and plea. Yet, his friend pays no heed to all that. And when one sees that there is no longer reason for prayers and pleas [and sees no other solution], he then raises his voice in weeping [out of hopelessness and despair, despair because he desperately wants to reach the desired and hopelessness because he became convinced that it is beyond his power].

It is said about that: “All the gates were locked except for the gate of tears.” Thus, when was the gate of tears not locked? Precisely when all the gates [that one has tried in the attempts to enter the upper world] were locked [he became personally convinced of their uselessness]. It is then [he personally sees] that there is room for the gate of tears and then one sees that it was not locked [for him and only then is he able to use them, meaning to truly plea for redemption from egoism and acquiring the property of bestowal].

However, when the gate of prayer is open, the gate of tears and weeping is irrelevant. This is the meaning of the gate of tears being locked. Thus, when is the gate of tears not locked? Precisely when all the gates are locked, the gate of tears is open. This is because one still has the counsel of prayer and plea.

This is the meaning of “My soul shall weep in secret,” meaning when one comes to a state of concealment, then “My soul shall weep” because one has no other option.
– Baal HaSulam, Shamati (I Heard), Article No. 18, “What Is My Soul Shall Weep In Secret”
[33492]

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Dear Friends, please ask questions about these passages from the great Kabbalists. The commentaries in brackets are mine.

What Is a Prayer?

We should understand what our sages said, “One does not find himself in debt” (Shabbat, 119). Accordingly, one cannot correct his actions, for he will never see that his actions are corrupt and require correction. Thus, one must always remain corrupt.

The thing is that it is known that man was created with a nature of wanting only to delight himself. Therefore, in everything he learns, he wishes to learn how he can enjoy. Thus, if a person wishes to enjoy, he will naturally avoid learning things other than what his heart desires, for this is his nature.

For this reason, one who wishes to draw near to the Creator and to learn things that show ways by which to bestow upon the Creator, must pray to the Creator to give him a different heart, as it is written, “Create for me a pure heart, O God.” This means that when he has another heart, when the desire in the heart is a desire to bestow, then in everything he learns, he will naturally see ways that show only how to bestow upon the Creator.

However, he will never see against the heart. It is said about that, “And I will remove the stony heart from within you, and I will give you a heart of flesh.”
– Rabash, Steps of the Ladder, “One Learns Only where One’s Heart Desires”

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