“The history of the past” sounds a little ironic, like someone’s story based on one’s own subjective experiences, or even a novel. People think that history is the events that happened a few days, months, or many years ago in our world, for unknown reasons, in a random order of cause and effect.

However, the fact is that our reality has a spiritual root that descends and reaches the corporeal world, creating the concept of time in it. At certain times, due to certain forces emanating from their spiritual root, the spiritual form spreads downward and materializes in a corporeal form. We perceive it all as history.

The wisdom of Kabbalah reveals the events that must happen. Therefore, it does not separate between past history and future events. The same spiritual roots must be revealed in this lowest world, only some roots have already been revealed and others are yet to be revealed. It turns out that there is a story about the past and the future.

The entirety of history is predetermined and will undoubtedly happen. Many things written by Kabbalists have already come true. Therefore, history is not divided into the known past and unknown future. For Kabbalists history is one clear process, which is impossible to doubt. They study it as a process of descent of the upper roots that descend to our world losing their spiritual degree, that is, “materializing’ and manifesting in matter such as inanimate matter, plants, animals, and humans of this world.

For example, is it important for us to know that the point in the heart, called “Moses,” which takes a person’s desires out of egoistic slavery, was once embodied in this world as an old man with a snow-white beard whose name was also “Moses,” who led his people out of Egypt? It is written that a person should see himself as exiting Egypt every day. In other words, it is not an event that happened a long time ago and now does not exist. A person should exit his ego every day, from the slavery of egoistic desire to freedom.

Everyone is obliged to perform such exodus, and this is not ancient history, but everyone’s personal story, which one must write: to understand that he is enslaved by his egoism, to fight with his own personal Pharaoh, to escape from him, and reach freedom. He must then undergo all the other changes up to the end of correction, which is not yet visible to us in our world.

The history of this world unfolds as if according to a clock ticking on the wall. We, however, should work according to the upper clock where there is no past, present, and future, but everything is determined relative to the observing person. Therefore, it does not matter whether or not the event has already happened in our world. Kabbalists do not look at this at all because they do not feel time and do not measure it by the criteria accepted by the people of this world.

History in the view of the wisdom of Kabbalah is not something that happened once upon a time or will happen in the future, but rather, it is something that already exists now. Each person himself discovers this history according to his spiritual advancement. I can go through all of history from beginning to end and in the opposite direction from end to beginning, walk through it, feel what the First and Second Temples are and their destruction, the Egyptian exile, the Maccabean war, and so on. If a person is controlling his will to receive, he can experience all historical periods as he wishes.

It is said that there is no past, present, and future in the Torah because it is above time. It is precisely about rising above the time of our world and not being tied to my egoism that at the moment determines for me in what time I should live, that is, what I should feel now. I must rise above my egoistic desire and then I myself will determine not only in what time and era, but in what state I want to live. That is, I will become completely free as if floating above time.

When a person receives a spiritual nature, he is already not tied to time, movement, and space, that is, corporeal parameters, but exists above them, in spiritual space. By studying Kabbalah, a person gradually departs from childish ideas about history. Yet, in order to really break away from corporeal perception, it is necessary to acquire an anti-egoistic screen (Masach), a tool that lets us rise above egoism and become free. A person can then already imagine everything that exists in our root.
From KabTV’s “First steps in Kabbalah. The history of Kabbalah,” 10/7/19

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How Do Kabbalists Relate to the World?

Question: There is an attitude to the world and to others. What is the difference between the way a Kabbalist relates to the world and the way ordinary people do?

Answer: The Kabbalist treats the world as the work of the Creator. The world is an example of how I relate to the Creator. A good attitude toward people, toward the world, means a good attitude toward the Creator. In principle, nothing exists for a Kabbalist except himself and the Creator.

Question: Baal HaSulam writes in his article The Solution: “The religious form of all the nations should first obligate its members to bestowal upon each other to the extent that the life of one’s friend will come before one’s own life, of “Love thy friend as thyself.” One will not take pleasure in society more than a backward friend.

This will be the collective religion of all the nations that will come within the framework of communism. However, besides that, each nation may follow its own religion and tradition; one must not interfere in the other.”

So do all Kabbalists relate to this that way or only Baal HaSulam?

Answer: Kabbalists act according to the law “there is no coercion in spirituality.” Each from his point in the heart, from his character, from his egoism, will gradually reach equivalence of form with the Creator and will enter that place in the general system of private souls where he will complement them and will interact with them in complete harmony.

Question: That is, a person can engage in Kabbalah, explore his selfish nature, work with the upper force as a law of nature, and at the same time, be in some specific traditions, religious frameworks, and one will not interfere with the other?

Answer: Of course. A person can have any religious framework. Religion in this case is simply considered as culture.

Question: Does this refer to the root of the human soul?

Answer: Yes, to any manifestations of a person. One can worship anyone and do anything, it does not matter. The main thing is that a person accepts the basic tenets of Kabbalah. If one fulfills them, then one will gradually reveal the true world.
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From KabTV’s “Fundamentals of Kabbalah,” 12/17/18

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The Purpose of Creation Is to Become Like the Creator

Question: Kabbalah says that a person should become like the Creator, not in some external actions, as in other beliefs, but in intention. What is the difference?

Answer: If in action I want to be like the Creator, then it is very simple. Take a look at our world. Only the actions of the Creator are manifested in it. “There is None Else but Him.” Do you like this world?! Everyone can be similar to the Creator according to the actions we see in our world.

This is not what is meant in Kabbalah. To be like the Creator means to achieve what we comprehend within this system: complete love, complete bestowal, complete interconnection. In order for us to attain this, the Creator provides us with a picture of a ruined, torn world, so from it we attain the opposite perfect world.

Remark: Kabbalists say that if it were not for the purpose of creation to become like the Creator, there would be no need to do good deeds in our world and generally relate to others.

My Comment: Of course. We are all absolute egoists, and with each generation egoism is growing in us more and more. In the end, this should lead us to a state of mutual bestowal and love. Merging with the Creator is truly the goal of creation.

Question: Does the Creator reveal our egoistic nature? He created it, and without Him we cannot correct egoism at all?

Answer: In no way. We are completely dependent on Him.

Question: Why did He do this?

Answer: So that we depend on Him. Indeed, it is this dependence that leads us to perfection, likeness to Him.
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From the KabTV’s “Fundamentals of Kabbalah,” 12/17/18

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In A Dance With The Creator

Baal HaSulam, “Freedom of Will“: The way of Kabbalah consists in relying on the minds of those who already attained the ultimate goal, as if it was our own life experience. … Hence, the law of communal living is considered one of nature’s laws and we must observe it with great caution. This law must develop realization of: self-love as evil and love for others as good, because this is the only way to loving the Creator.

The essence of all spiritual techniques is to understand the Creator, comprehend Him. But only the science of Kabbalah leads us to this because it reveals how the Creator acts on us, how we must respond to Him, and through this two-way interaction “He is for me, I am for Him” to establish a right constant connection, like in a tango in which two are dancing in unison.

Such a dance, when we enter into full integration with the Creator is called the “bride’s dance,” in which what comes from Him to me and what comes from me to Him are completely incorporated.
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From the KabTV’s “Fundamentals of Kabbalah,” 12/17/18

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Why Does the Creator Love Sinners?

Question: Baal HaSulam wrote that he rejoices at the revelation of sinners within himself, meaning egoistic intentions toward the Creator. What does this mean?

Answer: The Creator loves sinners more than the righteous because the sinner reveals that the Creator sends him evil. The Creator created the soul, a huge universal web where we are all connected, and then broke it. And now He is showing us its fragments so that we constantly keep asking Him to properly reconnect us.

Therefore, when I feel separated from others, unwilling to connect with them, in opposition to the Creator and the whole world, I am called a sinner. But that leads me to ask Him for correction.

The righteous is a state in which I have nothing to ask for. It is possible that I mistakenly remain in this state.

Question: In any case, all these states keep changing; they are not static?

Answer: Of course. The most important thing is to change. This happens only if a person is in a group and the group is directed toward the Creator.
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From KabTV’s “Fundamentals of Kabbalah,” 12/17/18

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Turn to the Creator

Baal HaSulam, Shamati, Article 209: There are three conditions in prayer:

1. Believing that He can save him. Although he has the worst conditions of all his contemporaries, still, “Will the Lord’s hand be too short to save him?” If it is not so, then “the Landlord cannot save His vessels.
2. He no longer has any choice for he has already done all that he could but saw no cure to his plight.
3. If He does not help him, he will be better off dead than alive. 

These are three correct attitudes to life. Everything is determined by the Creator. There is not a single thought or feeling that comes from me, only from the Creator.

Therefore, I have to always be in a heightened state of readiness, analyzing everything happening in my mind and feelings, realizing that the Creator presents it to me, and ask Him immediately for correction, to direct me properly to have good thoughts of love and bestowal toward others, that is, accompanied with good feelings that are above oneself of bestowing to others.

The Creator reveals only evil in me, as it is said: “I created evil.” However, I catch this evil mid-way and immediately ask Him to change it to good.

I then begin to enter into an interesting relationship with the Creator called “a dance,” like a tango: He leads me, and I lead Him. He influences me, and I give back to Him. Thus, we complete each other.

Acknowledging the evil is primary here. Once you understand that it came from the Creator and that “There is none else besides Him,” there is only one thing left to do: ask Him to change the evil to good. This is what our whole life is about, our entire spiritual work.

Question: Can I turn to the Creator without acknowledging my egoistic qualities and their destructiveness?

Answer: No. It is like you are the goalkeeper and the Creator constantly shoots at the goal, and you have to constantly deflect His shots.

Question: Do Kabbalists engage in self-reproach?

Answer: If you constantly cry, dissatisfied with your life, reproach anyone and everything, then you are dissatisfied with what the Creator has given you.

Question: Does Kabbalah view the cause of human depravity positively?

Answer: The Creator specifically did this so a person would need His help, and thus could ascend to His level.
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From KabTV’s “Fundamentals of Kabbalah,” 12/17/18

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What is man’s sin?

Man’s sin is that he did not ask the Creator for help. Had he asked for help, he would certainly get help from the Creator. But if a person says that he asked for help and the Creator did not help him, to this comes the answer that a person should believe that the Creator hears the prayers, as it is written, “For You hear the prayer of every mouth.” … when a person wants to walk on the path of bestowal and not by way of reception, the sin is mainly that a person did not ask the Creator to help him overcome the evil. For this, he asks forgiveness, and from here on he will ask for help.(Rabash, Shlavey HaSulam, Article. 4 (1988), “What Is the Prayer for Help and for Forgiveness in the Work?”)

Remark: A sin is usually understood as a bad action toward another…

My Comment: Good or bad actions are not performed by you, but by the Creator.

The transgression is not in doing something bad, but in not asking the Creator to correct you, and thus, the egoistic qualities that have awoken in you have pushed you toward making this poor action.

You sin is in not asking for correction of your egoistic qualities. The rest of it is all the Creator, and in no way is any of it on you.

In fact, there are no actions that you have to do except a single one: to ask the Creator for help to conquer the evil inclination.
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From KabTV’s “Fundamentals  of Kabbalah,” 12/17/18

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Five Rules for Studying The Book of Zohar

Question: To correctly approach the study of The Book of Zohar, several postulates can be distinguished. The first rule is called “the heart understands” (“a-lev mevin“). That is, The Book of Zohar is studied by the heart. What does this mean?

Answer: By desire. You have to change your desires. Instead of the desire to receive, strive for the desire to bestow, instead of the desire to distance yourself, push away, to the desire to attract and love.

Remark: The second rule: “man is a small world.” That is, The Book of Zohar includes many concepts that are familiar to us from the material world, although in fact, the same as in the Torah, it speaks of the internal states experienced by man.

My Comment: Yes, it describes the upper world, but with the words and actions of our world.

Question: Therefore, Kabbalists say that while reading The Book of Zohar, it is necessary to interpret the words written in it as an expression of all kinds of internal actions?

Answer: As actions of upper forces, not something happening in our world. In principle, you just need to do the opposite: perceive everything that The Book of Zohar describes in the quality of bestowal and love, in exiting oneself, not in the quality of reception, selfish love.

Remark: The third rule: “the light that returns to the source.” A person coming to a lesson must understand that there is a special influence in The Book of Zohar, a special force that we can draw from there.

My Comment: The Book of Zohar is studied with the intention of attracting the force that can change a person, to make an altruist out of a selfish person.

Question: So, when I come to the lesson, do I need to know what I want to change in myself?

Answer: This is why you come to the lesson. This is the very idea, power, property, purpose of The Book of Zohar.

Question: Rule Four: Before concluding the study, there must be the recognition of evil and prayer. What’s this about?

Answer: Recognition of the evil of one’s selfish nature is acquired gradually.

Prayer is a request for a force that can change me, somehow raise me above myself, and make me a useful, good, creature pleasing to the Creator. This, in general, is preparation for the correct reading of The Book of Zohar.

Question: The fifth rule: “as one man with one heart.” Kabbalists say that it is impossible to study The Book of Zohar alone, only in a group of people. Why?

Answer: Since The Book of Zohar was written in a ten, you need to study it in a ten. Because under its influence, a person draws closer to the rest, and, only in the right connection with them, begins to understand what it is talking about.

Question: Does that mean that I can’t read it at home alone, I must call someone?

Answer: You can read alone, but you won’t get any benefit from it.

Question: What does it give me that I do this surrounded by ten other people? I don’t communicate with them, we just sit and read together?

Answer: You must mean that you communicate with them, that you all connect with your hearts. Let’s say, just as you peel potatoes, you have to peel your heart from the outer shell, and everyone else too, and connect your hearts into one big heart.
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From KabTV’s “Basics of Kabbalah,” 12/18/18

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Three Limitations in the Study of Kabbalah

Comment: Baal HaSulam writes that in order to begin to study his commentary on The Book of Zohar or The Book of Zohar itself, you must first familiarize yourself with the four prefaces written by him: “Preface to the Wisdom of Kabbalah,” “Preface to the Sulam Commentary,” “Introduction to The Book of Zohar,” and “Preface to The Book of Zohar. ”

Answer: Yes. It is impossible to approach reading The Book of the Zohar without a serious study of these four prefaces.

Question: In addition, Baal HaSulam writes that before proceeding with the study of The Book of Zohar, three limitations must be clarified, which cannot be violated. In spiritual attainment, there are four categories that are called: matter, form dressed in matter, abstract form and essence. The Book of Zohar does not deal with such concepts as essence and abstract form. What is this limitation?

Answer: It is impossible to deal with the essence at all since it is above our nature.

We cannot deal with the abstract form because it is not a science.

We only deal with matter, which takes some form.

For example, we study egoism, which can acquire certain egoistic or anti-egoistic, altruistic forms. We can put on these forms and examine them because we ourselves are the matter that takes on these forms.

It is impossible to explore something outside yourself, in particular, such a substance as the Creator. Only if He appears as a person and manifests itself in the form of some property: love, bestowal.

Question: The second limitation—Baal HaSulam says that The Book of Zohar considers only the worlds of Beria, Yetzira, and Assiya, that is, the concealment of the upper force from creation. Why?

Answer: We can only investigate what manifests in matter, and what is above it, abstract forms, abstract forces unclothed in matter, we cannot discuss them because they are absolutely unprovable and unrealistic.

Question: So there are five worlds and Baal HaSulam speaks only about three worlds?

Answer: Yes. He speaks only of those worlds where we exist: Beria, Yetzira, and Assiya.

Question: The third limitation—in each of the worlds BYA, there are three categories: ten Sefirot, the souls of people, and the rest of reality. The Book of Zohar explains phenomena associated only with people. What does this mean?

Answer: We should be interested only in what concerns us and what is clothed in us, and we can explore this from our practical comprehension.

We must see the limitations very clearly. A step to the left, a step to the right beyond the limits of our desire, which takes on various forms, turns us into philosophers and psychologists, but not scientists. Kabbalah is a purely a practical science.
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From KabTV’s “Fundamentals of Kabbalah,” 12/18/18

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Reasons for the Appearance of The Book of Zohar

Question: The Book of Zohar is a commentary on the Torah. Why did it have to be written?

Answer: Circumstances changed.

There were stages when groups of Kabbalists who were in a state of attainment, that is, a gradual rise from the beginning of the creation of egoism to its relatively complete development, as during the Second Temple, fell. The Book of Zohar was written in the second century AD in a state when a fall had already occurred. There were no groups, no nations; there was nothing called holiness, meaning a sense of at least relative unity. Everything was destroyed, crushed, split. Therefore, a technique was needed to crown this dark period of suffering, called the exile, which should end in correction.

The Book of Zohar is intended for the period separated from its writing to our time by a two-thousand-year exile so that, starting from our time onward, we begin to implement what is written in it, meaning to correct ourselves.

In our generation, we have been awarded The Sulam Commentary on The Book of Zohar. Therefore, we can reveal Kabbalah and begin to understand what the great Kabbalists Rabbi Shimon and his students said two thousand years ago.

Question: Are you saying that without the commentary written by the last Kabbalist of the 20th century, Baal HaSulam (Yehuda Ashlag) it is impossible to understand the Zohar?

Answer: Impossible. Therefore, it appeared.
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From KabTV’s “Fundamentals of Kabbalah,” 12/18/18

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