The entire Torah is divided into so-called: Pshat (simple interpretation), Remez (hint), Drush (allegory), and Sod (secret). They are not just the four parts of the Torah, but rather the four ways of explaining the methodology of correction in this world.

These four languages are used by the Kabbalists to present to us the one and only method at four different levels. It’s up to us to choose the level that satisfies us: secret, allegory, hint, or simple explanation.

In this world, these steps are turned upside down: a “simple interpretation” is believed to be just reading the texts, treating it literally. When one reads the text and doesn’t understand it at all, it is called “a mystery.” However, the thing is that we don’t understand what’s written in the Torah at all. Indeed, under Pshat-Remez-Drush-Sod is meant just the opposite. Pshat (simple interpretation) is the wisdom of Kabbalah, Sod (secret) is when this method of correction is hidden from us behind many layers.

Secret—this is exactly what people are used to as a simple interpretation, that is literal understanding of the text, whereas, the Torah only speaks of the ways of correction, spiritual levels, and stages of the elevation of a human being. It is said: “I created the evil inclination and the Torah as a spice to it, the Light that Reforms.”

The Light of the Torah impacts us in accordance with these four steps. The maximum Light is enclosed in  “the simple explanation” (the wisdom of Kabbalah) where everything is open to man and can be easily explained in a plain form.

It describes a desire that is selfish by nature and thus has to be corrected. For that, we need the Light that Reforms. Bringing a selfish desire to the right (bestowing) intention is called “correction”; to achieve it, we have to participate in a group, unite with friends, and continue our studies in order to attract the Light.

Most effectively, we attract the Light by working in the group, trying to suppress our egoism, connecting with each other above our selfishness and becoming as one man with one heart, and also by thinking about the Light that influences us and learning from the books how it acts and impacts our desires.

The topic that we are studying, our actions that aim at self-correction, the prayers at the lessons—everything connects together and comprises the easiest method of attracting the Light that corrects coarse egoists (us) who are at the end of generations and at the peak of the egoistic development.

If we don’t strive to attract the Light that Reforms to correct ourselves and if all we do is acquire theoretical knowledge instead of the Torah, then we are not aspiring to the wisdom of Kabbalah. It is said: “One should believe that the nations of the world possess the wisdom, but one should never believe that they have the Torah.” The nations of the world are those who strive to acquire knowledge rather than self-correct.

At first, everybody goes through a state called the nations of the world until they recognize that their task is to self-correct, even if it happens in another lifetime, during the next reincarnation.
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From the 1^st part of the Daily Kabbalah Lesson 11/20/12, “Introduction to the Study of the Ten Sefirot”

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Many people in history managed to attain spiritual revelation by studying the external parts of the Torah, the Mishnah, the Talmud, and not Kabbalah; that is, they used another language of presenting this wisdom. The entire Torah speaks about correction of a human being and that is the reason why the Torah was granted to us.

Texts of the Torah describe the states that one goes through during one’s advancement to the Creator, attaining adhesion with Him, and acquiring similarity of properties with Him. The problem is solely in the way of presenting it, meaning, in the language. Ways of presenting this material are not equal relative to the Light that Reforms; each of them possesses a different intensity of the Light. The most powerful Light is in the wisdom of Kabbalah.

They represent four layers, four filters that screen (hold) the Light on its way from top to bottom. The language of Kabbalah is pure Light. Kabbalah doesn’t limit the Light in any way, nor does it place filters on its way; Kabbalah doesn’t weaken the Light. Therefore, when one studies and denotes spiritual conceptions that refer to one’s soul, one elicits powerful Light that corrects him and brings him closer to the goal.

If one studies the Torah presented in any other language, then the same ideas, the same Light, goes through filters and descends to a person in an extremely weakened form. Consequently, the “quantity” of the Light is not enough to correct a person.

The four languages of the Torah: Pshat (simple explanation), Remez (hint), Drush (allegory) and Sod (secret) correspond to the worlds of Atzilut, Beria, Yetzira, and Assiya.

If one studies the wisdom of Kabbalah, it is the teaching (Torah) of the world of Atzilut, the Light that Reforms descends to him directly. If one studies any other way, then depending on the method he chooses, he receives less Light.

This is the way Kabbalah explains the division into the levels of Pshat-Remez-Drush-Sod, while the general opinion, is taken to the contrary, that Pshat (simple explanation), is the literal understanding, and Sod (secret), spiritual attainment.
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From the 1^st part of the Daily Kabbalah Lesson 11/20/12, “The Introduction to the Study of the Ten Sefirot”

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The only thing we have to correct is our relationship with the upper force that controls everything and manages life, as it says: “There is none else besides Him.” There are four languages that speak about the relationship between man and the upper force: Pshat, Remez, Drush, and Sod (Torah, Mishnah, Talmud, and Kabbalah).

They belong to the four levels of the desire: still, vegetative, animate, and speaking, and accordingly the clarification is in four ways. In this case there is already an opposite division in which the wisdom of Kabbalah is the simple interpretation and not Sod (secret) in which everything is revealed to a person. So we need the language of Kabbalah in order to be sure that we advance correctly.

It is an essential precondition, but it isn’t enough since the wisdom of Kabbalah can be perceived incorrectly. But at least a person learns from the right sources, which provide him with the right approach to the writings, although there are people who try to extract some secrets, mysticism, abstract knowledge, blessings, and remedies.

But still it is very important to stick to the language of Kabbalah and to the Kabbalistic approach and study conditions, since it is different from the ordinary study of different sciences. Here we are totally dependent on the source, which passes us this spiritual knowledge. If the source is real and reliable, we advance gradually according to our exertion and the positive external conditions in order to eventually attain the opening of the eyes.

We study about ourselves and about our nature by starting to feel a little what bestowal is, the force that is opposite from us. Then by the balance of these two forces, the force of receiving and the force of bestowal, we begin to feel the creation. Thus we attain the Creator by His actions upon us.
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From the 1^st part the Daily Kabbalah Lesson 11/27/12, “Introduction to the Study of the Ten Sefirot”

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I have a problem: If I reveal something, then I reveal it just like all other creatures—in the same vessels and with the same mind everyone else has.

For example, I’ve discovered a new phenomenon in quantum physics. Obviously, I can’t talk about this with any housewife, but there is a circle of people who can understand me. We have developed a special language to describe these things, and in principle, anyone can learn it. In general, everyone has a basis, and the only thing still lacking is its sensible and rational development.

On the other hand, further development of sense and reason won’t help me either. One can be equipped with thousands of glasses, connect radars to one’s ears, and microscopes and telescopes to one’s eyes: No instruments or sensors will do any good. We are talking about perception, which is not rooted in any creature on earth. Many animals have a wider range of sensations compared to people, but we aren’t talking about that. There are very intelligent and insightful people whose ability to perceive and analyze is much higher than mine, but that’s not the point.

We are talking about something that is not in our world, about creating a new sensation, a new perception and analysis that doesn’t exist here. This sensory organ is called a “part of the Creator above.” A person who acquires it must be similar to the Creator, the one, unique, and only. Then a person senses something similar to the Creator; he decrypts and identifies Him, oneself, and the relationship between them in this sensory organ that is somehow similar to the Creator. And according to feeling this adhesion with the Creator, a person can talk about what comes from Him: about the plan and purpose of our creation, about the process we go through, and all the events and situations in this world.

Today, we are able to study our existence on the still, vegetative, and animate levels, but there is nothing we can learn about the human level until we get to know the Creator at least to some extent. Thus, a Kabbalist cannot tell us about his spiritual attainment, because it is perceived in the other sensory organ incomparable to those we have. It is impossible to talk about that in a way I talk about the borders of our world.

Here, even if a person lacks a sensory organ, we still can explain something to him by analogy. But there is nothing analogous or similar to the spiritual sense. We won’t be able to know until we reach it. Even at the preparation stage without entering the spiritual, we see how details of perception change, how suddenly they turn upside down and back again…

But then why did the Kabbalists give explanations?

To bring people closer in order to give them at least a primary right point of contact. And even though it is not a real contact, it still lets them evoke the Reforming Light. So people can move towards revelation.

Some “just get” this revelation from above. How and why are not our business. It doesn’t come to us all at once, but methodically: A hidden desire gets revealed in a person, and he makes efforts and moves forward in response.

If he wants to pass his revelation to those who have nothing yet, he must establish connection with them. And this connection—the essence of a language, a code which we can use to talk to each other about things that only one or even none of us comprehends and we are based on—is what we read in the book.

Hence, it is necessary to understand how difficult it is for Kabbalists to reach out and explain something to people who haven’t entered the spiritual world yet. In fact, not even to explain, but to progress. That’s why we call our study “a special means”. After all, it is not about understanding and not even a sensation: We need to think only about that very means as it is said: “I labored and found.”

This raises a question: Which language is best suited for this? How do Kabbalists reach out to us so that we don’t just learn by receiving some abstract knowledge, but at the same time, don’t get pushed into mysticism? How do they keep us away from the natural call of the mind and senses? How do they protect us from red strings and blessings as well as falling into scholasticism? How do they guide us through the “golden mean,” the middle line, so that we study, are imbued with the sense, and act in the group properly?

This is possible only with the help of a special means which we sometimes call a “game.” This is, in fact, a very serious concept which illustrates our relationship with the upper one a little better: We really want to be at His level, but haven’t reached it yet.
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From the 4^th part of the Daily Kabbalah Lesson 11/25/12, “The Essence of the Wisdom of Kabbalah”

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A person who comes to the wisdom of Kabbalah really becomes enslaved. If he enters this system, then he really enslaves himself. There is nothing terrible about it since it is impossible to attain this system in any other way. If you go to special experts in yoga or any other system, they will tell you the same thing: If you want to attain our wisdom, our technique, our system, then you must temporarily detach from other things, otherwise you won’t be able to feel it in depth.

By the way, the wisdom of Kabbalah is not as strict as other systems, since it doesn’t separate the person from this world. He must be married, raise children, work, be connected with the world, and not abstain from doing things, not to go on diets, not to do all kinds of special, physical exercises, breathing, and postures. He needs to be a completely, regular person in this world. There is nothing expected from him except for only one thing, that is, the internal longings and intentions for the goal. This is specifically the most difficult condition, but in principle, the only condition.

All the rest isn’t important. It isn’t important what he eats, what he drinks, how he lives, or what he does professionally, of course, as long as it isn’t anti-social behavior. A person can be intelligent or can be simple. It doesn’t matter. In attaining the upper world, there is no importance in age or in level of education. It is opened to absolutely everyone! A person is not limited in anything.
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From the Georgia Convention 11/6/12, Lesson 4

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A Virtual Lesson on Fundamentals of Kabbalah “Introduction to the TES,” Lesson 2

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Baal HaSulam, “The Essence of the Wisdom of Kabbalah”: …this wisdom (Kabbalah) is no more and no less than a sequence of roots, which hang down by way of cause and consequence, by fixed, determined rules, interweaving to a single, exalted goal described as “the revelation of His Godliness to His creatures in this world…

The wisdom of Kabbalah discloses to all of humanity in general and to each of us in particular a mandatory step-by-step pathway of advancement that conforms to absolute laws of nature, and leads us up from our current state to the end of correction. Kabbalah explains which tools help us follow this path and what forces act upon us while we inevitably advance in accordance with the will of nature, as well as when we self-develop due to our conscious, mindful participation and willful contribution to the process. We discover all parts of reality, from the current state to the end of correction, in the system called “the wisdom of Kabbalah.”

Hence, no other science is more important or more important to us, especially now that we have already completed development on the inanimate, vegetative, and animate levels. Previously, we could not learn the wisdom of Kabbalah and use it; that’s why it was hidden from us. However, as soon as we become able to implement it and contribute its natural, timely development in order to accelerate it, in other words, as soon as we voluntarily hasten our growth, understand, and are aware of it, at this point, the wisdom of Kabbalah is revealed to us and obliges us to implement it.

Here of course, we have to admit that we can’t continue developing the way we used to because we have reached the period of conscientious and mindful development in every step of the way. Without our awareness and active participation, we won’t advance from one state to another, nor will we climb to a higher level. At the speaking developmental stage, it’s absolutely impossible to advance “automatically” as on the inanimate, vegetative, and animate levels, when we were growing up under the impact of mandatory forces.

It’s similar to transitioning from the first grade to the second: If I’m not ready for it, I’ll be left for the second or third year of studies in the same grade. I’ll be punished for that, I won’t be allowed to play games, eat cakes, etc., until I complete all the lessons. I have to finish the first grade on my own.

It doesn’t work as at the previous developmental stages, which didn’t require any personal contribution. One must not advance as an animal, but as a human being, acquiring wisdom and the sense of consciously participating in the process.

If humanity continues to act in the old way, it will trigger new disasters so as to finally understand the necessity of conscious progress. We have to feel and understand the rules of our development and see the goal before us, and pursue it.

This is why the world won’t advance without the wisdom of Kabbalah, nor will it develop without picking it up from us and using it accordingly. Otherwise, it just will not happen. Woes will continue and people will suffer until they eventually hear and understand our message. This is the requirement of our era.

We, on the other hand, must show the most friendly, sympathetic, and gentle attitude while presenting a Kabbalistic methodology in various forms of offering our methodology to make it easier for everybody to absorb it. We must focus on the the user, as it is said: “Educate a child according to his own way.”

Nevertheless, until the people of Israel and the whole world closely connect with the wisdom of Kabbalah, disasters will continue in order to motivate everybody to search for it.
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From the 4^th part of the Daily Kabbalah Lesson 11/14/12, “The Essence of the Wisdom of Kabbalah”

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The book The Study of The Ten Sefirot (TES) tells us about the structure of our soul and about the actions it performs. But this soul is frozen and motionless now, as if in a state of expectation, of readiness, in the minimal state of its still level. To the extent that we study about it, it awakens and comes to life.

We can do this even unconsciously, without any calculations of how all this happens, but simply by reading this book. This is also good since by that we already evoke the Light that Reforms, but we make the blood flow in the system only at the intensity of the still nature.

If we want to participate in this work consciously and to feel how the Light operates in us, which means not only to read TES, but also to go on spurring the action of the Light consciously, we inject different currents of the Light of life into our soul, and it comes to life.

Then we feel its actions and thanks to that we reach the understanding, the attainment, and the participation. It all depends on the extent to which we identify with the writings, when we understand that it is about our soul. The word “soul” is called “a Godly part from Above,” which means the corrected desire to enjoy with the intention to bestow. There cannot be another upper particle in us.

And so gradually, we slowly advance by drawing upon ourselves the force that injects the spiritual life into us. Eventually a person begins to feel and to be incorporated practically in the whole process the book tells us about, just as the author of the book who attained everything describes it.
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From the 3^rd part of the Daily Kabbalah Lesson 11/19/12, The Study of The Ten Sefirot

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The latest written source of the wisdom of Kabbalah is dated approximately 500 years ago. These are the books by the Holy ARI. About 20 volumes of his writings disclose in detail the entire system of governance of this world and its interaction with the upper world.

The ARI’s books explain not only the way this world is controlled by the upper forces, but also our impact on them, the reverse influence, and how this influence once again triggers the actions of the upper forces upon us. The books by the ARI describe all these interactions between the upper governance and us, our freedom of will, our destinies, previous reincarnations, and so forth. They provide a very serious and detailed description of everything there is.

However, it turned out to be insufficient. In the 20th century (400 to 500 years after the ARI), another Kabbalist, Baal HaSulam (“master of the ladder” in Hebrew), appears. Why? It’s because he described in detail the “ladder” that one must ascend when climbing from this world, the current state in which an ordinary person finds himself, to the peak of his development.

It’s not about physical growth, nor does it talk about intellectual development. We see that there is nothing much to boast about in this world. Rather, it is about the advancement that each of us must accomplish: to attain the upper world, the system of governance. It is about our attainment of the eternal, perfect world that still is beyond our perception. Baal HaSulam presented a modern-day methodology that we are using at this time.

His son Rabash has developed his father’s method further and made it more practical. He created a concrete, step-by-step instruction described in numerous articles. These articles clearly show how by changing ourselves, expanding our organs of perception, we can begin perceiving the hidden Universe concealed from us by our own limitations.

It’s common knowledge that we are limited. We can hear only within a certain range of sounds, we see a limited spectrum of light, and so on. In other words, all our senses—vision, hearing, smell, touch, and taste—are limited. While here we are talking about other organs of perception, not the ones that we currently have.

In order to widen our organs of perception, we invented multiple devices, such as telescopes and microscopes for the eyes, numerous types of radars, locators, and so forth. However, most important for us is to figure what additional organs of perception we need in order to sense the world around us.
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From the Georgia Convention 11/5/12, Lesson 1

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While reading The Zohar during this special time for Israel, we think about corrections so that they will occur in a special way, meaning in accordance with the needs of the current times in which we live. This is so that they will affect us in a way that will bring us to perfection, which will lead to peace.

Let this cloud, this “Cloud pillar” become the clouds of glory. The difference between the two is that it isn’t the cloud that comes over us and conceals the upper force from us, but we ourselves conceal it with our screen, with our constriction, with the reflected light, and thereby elevate above the clouds.
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From the 2^nd part of the Daily Kabbalah Lesson 11/18/12, The Zohar

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