Question from Facebook: How can you attract the upper light if you don’t understand what you’ve read? Who needs The Book of Zohar, which, in your words, is not given for understanding?

Answer: Kabbalistic books have been given so that reading and not even understanding anything in them, we would strive for good—eternity, love, bestowal, the upper light—and ask Him to make us like that.

It’s actually good that you don’t understand anything. Your brain is then unoccupied with what is written in the book, but with asking to make yourself good, eternal, upper, bestowing to and loving of everyone. When you will become like that, you will begin to understand everything else.
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From KabTV’s “Answers to Questions from Facebook”, 3/10/19

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Question: I heard that one page of a text written by a Kabbalist is enough to enter spirituality. Why were so many books written, thousands of pages?

Answer: First, every person has one’s own destiny, one’s own type of soul, one’s own advancement. Somebody likes something specific; another person likes something else.

We are moving to the Creator in different ways and at different speeds. Someone walks left, someone right, someone lingers half a step, etc.

I do not see any letters or articles by Baal HaSulam and Rabash in which there are repetitions and that there would be no need to take some grain from each of them.

But it doesn’t matter. After all, when we study them, we come to the state that all this is processed in us, minced, and brings a result.

Question: If the book Shamati evokes a storm of feelings in me, is this evidence that it suits my type of my soul and my destination?

Answer: Of course.

Question: Is this the way you can check a book?

Answer: No. All the same, the books of Baal HaSulam and Rabash are what you have. I recommend you not spread out on others.
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From the Kabbalah Lesson in Russian 3/10/19

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“The Preface to the Wisdom of Kabbalah” (Pticha) begins with these words: “The Creator wished to cleanse Israel; hence, He has given them plentiful Torah and Mitzvot (commandments)…” The Creator has a goal and He works toward it. The goal must be achieved through the process that the created beings undergo. The Creator placed this goal before us and He wishes for us to achieve it not by some miracle, but through our own effort and gradual internal changes.

This goal is primary, it precedes our creation; in order to achieve it, we must go by means of Torah and Mitzvot, meaning, to change our desire with the help of the light that reforms. This goal existed prior to the creation of a person in this world, as was the ladder of spiritual degrees that the person must ascend in order to achieve it. The Creator thought about everything in advance and organized it for us; everything is ready.

We must cleanse ourselves of our egoism and by doing so achieve the goal. But we do not negate it because nothing was created in this world needlessly. Thus, if we have the correct attitude toward our nature, made by the Creator, and strive toward the state He has in store for us, we find ourselves on a given path that we must go through.

It is impossible to skip over this path because we acquire the qualities we need while on it, we purify ourselves. We must cleanse our egoistic desire and, through this work, arrive at the intended goal. Such is the desire of the Creator.

This is how Baal HaSulam starts his article “Preface to the Wisdom of Kabbalah,” trying to explain to us, in the briefest way possible, the beginning, the middle, and the end of the path of the person’s spiritual work and the study of the system of the upper worlds. In this article, one must understand that the higher spiritual laws, expanding from the thought of creation, consist of only two parts: the nature of the Creator and the nature of the creation, which must be opposite to the Creator. The final goal is to bring the creation to the full adhesion with the Creator without changing its nature but giving it a different form, which resembles the qualities of the Creator.

Through studying the article “Preface to the Wisdom of Kabbalah,” the system of the upper worlds and its unfolding from top to bottom as a result of which our whole reality was built, we realize that all of it sprung from the thought of creation, for the purpose of bringing us to the final goal. This top-down development of the worlds, the spiritual degrees, states, obligates us to conduct certain actions here below in order to use all the means at our disposal and achieve the purpose of our lives. Our inner work must reflect the spiritual qualities described in this article.

We learn about the light working on the desire, building and disseminating from top to bottom, Partzufim, Sefirot, upper worlds. But in fact, we are learning about the actions we must perform in order to have a clear understanding of what our spiritual work has to be like. Thus, we eliminate all prior misconceptions and clearly see what must be done to achieve the goal.¹
From the 1^st part of the Daily Kabbalah Lesson 8/14/19, Writings of Baal HaSulam, “Preface to the Wisdom of Kabbalah,” item 11.
¹ Minute 5:05

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Kabbalistic Theory of Nature’s Governance

Question: What theory of nature’s governance does Kabbalah adhere to?

Answer: Kabbalah says that there is neither biotheism, nor polytheism, nor the theory of ending guardianship—nothing. There is only one single force that is engaged in human development in order to bring the person to the Creator’s likeness.

For this, the human being was created in the opposite property—the egoistic desire to receive for one’s own sake, which is when one thinks, contemplates, and imagines everything only for one’s own benefit. A person has no single sensation, no single thought in mind and heart that would not pursue one’s own personal well-being.

The person’s correction consists of rising above his nature and overcoming this tendency to do, think and act, subconsciously or consciously, only for his own benefit. He must make out of himself an absolutely inverse model that would only think about others, acting for their sake, feeling pain and pleasure for them.

A person must completely rise above one’s present animalistic essence and instead begin to feel everything outside of oneself, to live only for the good of these external, “outside of one’s” thoughts, desires, and intentions. Thus, there is only one force, even though an infinite number of forces, causes, and sources are perceived within us.

Nowadays, we are already reaching the understanding that the world is integral, and that perhaps only one theory, technique, power, and control program, really functions in it. It just affects us differently. Therefore, we can realize this theory and again return to monotheism. In other words, there is one single force that controls us differently, but with the sole purpose of leading us to its likeness. That is, from our initial state of absolute selfish love for ourselves, we come to the opposite state—absolute altruistic love, outside of ourselves.
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From KabTV’s “Basics of Kabbalah,” 12/10/18

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From My Facebook Page Michael Laitman 8/25/19

Pushkar is a picturesque market town, a magical oasis located in the state of Rajasthan, India. While I was staying on the south side of the subcontinent, some of my students invited people in the area to an introductory lecture on the fundamentals of Kabbalah.

As a result, two introductory lectures were took place—one in Hebrew to Israeli backpackers, and another one in English for tourists from around the world. Both lectures were conducted in the calming atmosphere that is characteristic of India. And so, tourists sat in a circle alongside curious locals, as they were all listening to the simple message of the wisdom of Kabbalah—uniting the hearts as one.

Naturally, everyone understood it differently. However, everyone agreed that we were all one soul. Thank you to everyone who participated, and you can always continue studying online with the click of a button.

Our online KabU course >>>>>>>>>>>>>>

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What does Kabbalah lead us to?

Bluntly speaking, everyone’s nature is to use the life of all creatures in the world for his own benefit. Everything that the person gives to his neighbor is only done forcedly, under compulsion. (Baal HaSulam, “Peace in the World”)

Question: Baal HaSulam writes that each uses the other in different ways. Only about 10% of people have an altruistic orientation. But still, as the Baal HaSulam emphasizes, they are altruistic selfishly, for their own sake.

What does Kabbalah want to lead us to?

Answer: First of all, Kabbalah teaches us what our nature is: we are absolute egoists at all levels. But we do not need to correct ourselves at the inanimate, animate, and vegetative levels because we are unable to do this.

We need to correct ourselves only at the human level, that is, in society. We must create a society in which we will be harmoniously connected with each other, replace each other, support each other.

Only in a network of connection between each other, in the right communication between us, can we rise above egoism. And then all other levels of egoism—inanimate, vegetative, animal—will also join the human level.
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From KabTV’s “Basics of Kabbalah,” 12/3/18

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Guardianship Stopped

Remark: The fourth theory of nature’s governance: the Creator of the world has ceased His governance.

In the process of humanity’s development, many people abandoned the idea of polytheism. Baal HaSulam writes that then a new theory was put forward, according to which the Creator of the world is wise and sensible, but he stopped his guardianship, i.e., He created us and left.

My Comment: The fact is that many people are disappointed with their development, with the development of civilization, with the human approach to life, with society. They saw that no matter what we do as a result of our long developmental process, we still remain negative and worthless, we suffer, and harm ourselves.

Therefore, they involuntarily came to the conclusion that, probably, all this was once controlled by a wise force that wanted to create a person for some lofty goal, but because nothing came out of the person, as a result, the higher power left us, and we exist purely automatically.

That is, they agree that some kind of wise force created us, but it seems to them that this wise force cannot engage in such insignificant people who themselves cannot do anything to correct themselves. All the theories of nature’s governance, in principle, have arisen from practice.
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From KabTV’s “Basics of Kabbalah,” 12/10/18

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Two Authorities and Multiple Gods

Question: Throughout history, people saw that there are two forces. Therefore, as Baal HaSulam writes, the second theory of the governance of the world appeared: the theory of two authorities. That is, people saw that there is a good, kind force and there is a bad one. What does Kabbalah say about this?

Answer: Kabbalah says that there are two forces controlling us: the force of reception and the force of bestowal. They manifest in a person in accordance with one’s development.

Kabbalah always speaks in relation to a person. We do not know what exists outside of us. The manifestation of a good force or of the other one, opposite to it, comes from one force, as two reins (two systems) that control a person in order to lead him to a certain goal, to develop him.

We cannot develop with the help of one force. A person is created as a sensitive element and in order to raise him, it is necessary to influence him with positive and negative forces.

Remark: From here comes the third theory of the governance of the world, about which Baal HaSulam writes, “multiple gods.” Since there are a great number of all kinds of influences on a person, in order to explain many phenomena two forces were not enough.

Therefore, humanity naturally came to the conclusion that certainly, there is a separate force behind each of these influences, and it is necessary to address it and serve it in some way.

My Comment: That’s absolutely correct.
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From Kab TV’s “Basics of Kabbalah,” 12/10/18

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Question: When reading Talmud Eser Sefirot, I fall asleep, but when I hear The Zohar, it fascinates me. Is it worthwhile to continue reading The Study of the Ten Sefirot, or is it intended only for men?

Answer: If you are a woman, then generally you do not have to read The Study of the Ten Sefirot; instead, read the articles and letters of Baal HaSulam and Rabash.

Question: In the Introduction to the Study of the Ten Sefirot, it is said that if a person learns Torah and doesn’t attain what is necessary after 3 to 5 years have gone by, he will no longer see success on the way. Why is the study of the wisdom of Kabbalah a last resort?

Answer: These things were said so that those people who truly yearn to learn the Torah will know that it was given to a person for the correction of oneself and the revelation of the Creator to him in this world. Therefore, if a person studies Torah for 3 years and doesn’t see any result, this means that he must move to the wisdom of Kabbalah.

Question: Baal HaSulam said that the soul of the great Ari was clothed in him. Was this the same soul or did he just achieve the same degree as the Ari?

Answer: No, it is the same soul. This is called the “Conception of the Souls.”

Question: The wisdom of Kabbalah is also an inheritance, a heritage. From whom did Baal HaSulam inherit it? Who was his teacher?

Answer: His teacher was a Rabbi from Porosov, a small city near Warsaw, which is where he lived. But when Baal HaSulam understood that he had gone beyond his teacher, he decided he should leave Poland and travel to Israel, and that is what he did.

Question: Thanks to the scientific approach, I read Psalms, Ecclesiastes and Kabbalistic texts with a feeling that I don’t even understand a single word in them. Isn’t this terrible?

Answer: This is terrible. You should read with feeling and understanding. It is said that “the heart understands,” meaning that there should be a particular combination between feeling and understanding, from understanding to feeling and from feeling to understanding. One supervises and defines the other.

Question: When one reads a book of Kabbalah, does it mean that one experiences the states of the author while reading?

Answer: I suppose so. As is understood, you cannot experience what the author experienced, but you can to a small degree.

Question: Can a student immediately approach the study of the writings of Baal HaSulam? Or must he first grasp and understand, meaning approach them?

Answer: I would begin with the articles of the Kabbalists above all, which were written for the wider circles of society. These are “Matan Torah (The Giving of the Torah),” “The Arvut (Mutual Guarantee),” “Peace in the World,” and so forth.

Question: For a Kabbalist, what is the significance of the disappearance of the beastly part (death)?

Answer: It has no significance. If something happens to me, I will accept this with absolute calmness. The only thing that concerns me is to give a good lesson with full intensity and shaking up the lazy students that are with me all over the world. Nothing else worries me. I hope this will be for a while longer. At least, that is what I am living for.

Question: Can I show someone summaries of the books that I have written in my own words or should I burn them?

Answer: You can leave them with you. Even if someone would see them or hear them, it is okay.
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From the Kabbalah Lesson in Russian, 3/10/19

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Afterword

Question: Can you summarize the material covered for those who are hearing it for the first time.

Answer: Firstly, I have often explained the stages of the development of the direct light. Other descriptions are worth seeing too. I strongly advise doing so because each time the material is expressed somewhat differently.

Secondly, people still need to get acquainted with the terms in Hebrew since Kabbalah is described in Hebrew and Aramaic. But for now, at least Hebrew is enough.

It is necessary to process this topic well because it is the main one. All worlds and everything that happens next are based on the four stages of direct light. Why four? Because Keter (the zero stage) bestows, and all other four stages (Hochma, Bina, Zeir Anpin, Malchut or 1, 2, 3, 4) are received from Keter. You need to know that.

Next we go through how these five stages are reflected in the development of matter, in our human development, in evolution. They determine absolutely everything that is in a small microscopic particle of nature or in all of nature in general, including society, family, and each person. Whatever we take, we can always say: There are five stages in the development of desire, and therefore, we know how something happens or even how something will happen.

Question: Is the interaction of the desire to receive and to give creation and the Creator is imprinted as a stencil on the relationship between people?

Answer: It is imprinted on all forms of matter and its development. Any interaction includes all five stages.
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From the TV program “Basics of Kabbalah,” 11/27/18

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