Entries in the 'Kabbalah Study' Category

Only Preparation Counts

Dr. Michael LaitmanIt is very important in which way we fall asleep in the evening, and even more so, how we wake up in the morning, how we trained ourselves to get up. Even a short wakeful time left before the morning lesson should be used in the most effective way in order to awaken the heart. It happens thanks to a single, common desire shared by everyone, one topic, or one song that helps all of us to aspire to one center together.

Such preparation for the lesson is necessary so that everyone will approach it in full readiness, as one.

The readiness is tested by your desire, aspiration to attain something new both in your heart and mind. To obtain a sensation of being the one who bestows, a person has to agree  to pursue the property of bestowal with all of his devotion and to refuse any profits of reception. He has to “warm himself up” a little and feel the difference between his desirable state and the real one, to sharpen his perception and readiness to grasp the deepest details.

It is very important to prepare yourself before the lesson this way. Otherwise you will be listening and will hear nothing, as if you are just beginning to wake up. And this is a great loss. A person who happened to be unprepared as if wasn’t at the lesson.

From Above, only the preparation is taken into account for us since this is where we put forth our efforts. If I am sitting and waking up at the expense of the lesson itself, then it happens not because of my personal efforts, but thanks to the environment. Such preparation is no longer attributed to my account, and hence it’s better for me to do it myself.
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From the Preparation for the Lesson 4/23/2012 

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The Letter And Spirit

Dr. Michael LaitmanQuestion: Baal HaSulam says in the “Introduction to the Study of the Ten Sefirot,” Item 155, that even if we don’t understand Kabbalistic texts, we draw the power of correction, the Surrounding Light, by reading it. So why don’t people who know these texts by heart ever reach attainment?

Answer: They don’t draw the power of correction because the Surrounding Light should turn into the Inner Light when you acquire a Masach (screen), which means the intention to bestow. The question is do you yearn to attain a Masach? Are you drawn to correction? Do you want to reveal the evil inclination? Are you ready to go through this although it is unpleasant? Do you see this as an obligation and a necessity? Do you invest all your energy in the society in order to be under the influence of the friends? Only then will they lift you from your desires and pull you out of this swamp.

When you hate someone you have to make an effort so that you will love him. It is as if he did you wrong and you rise above that although the feeling of hate remains, and you work only for love by wanting to give him more than you give to your own baby.

Do you do that and hold on to this inclination regarding these corrections? If so, you are drawing the Surrounding Light that operates on you and provides you with necessary attribute.

At the same time you are diverted from the path, and you are thwarted by more interruptions, but you still have to advance by subduing yourself before the friends and asking for their help. Thus you evoke the Surrounding Light upon you, yearning for that attribute—for bestowal and love—above hate and rejection. Even if you are absolutely right in all your claims regarding the friends, you still try to advance “above reason.”

As for those you are asking about, they deal with the wisdom and not with the Torah, not with the method of correction in which the Reforming Light is concealed. They read the texts without any connection with the evil inclination that will be revealed or that is already revealed. They don’t come to the lesson in order to correct themselves, and they don’t study the Torah, but wisdom. Therefore it says: “wisdom among the nations, believe.” The “nations” refers to those who don’t want to correct themselves. However, those who want to reach unity are called “Jews,” and this is the whole difference.

Abraham gave “gifts” to the children of the concubines, meaning intermediate methods. They studied for pleasure, received a slight illumination, but didn’t fulfill the correction and didn’t ascend the ladder of the spiritual degrees. Such people study the material by heart, discuss it, argue….

We don’t argue and don’t discuss anything, for us only the Reforming Light is important. It doesn’t matter how much a person knows, what’s important is to keep in contact with the text that brings him the power of correction.

Eventually, however, the correction is everyone’s share, and I don’t underestimate anyone. If a person opens Kabbalah books, even if he walks in the dark, he is still moving forward.
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From the 4th part of the Daily Kabbalah Lesson 5/23/12, “Introduction to the Study of the Ten Sefirot

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Beware Of Substitutes

Dr. Michael LaitmanWhen the group of Kabbalists that became a nation spread all over the world after the spiritual descent, it was separated. The Jews were cut off from each other in different parts of the world and the wisdom of Kabbalah was hidden until the time came. Under these conditions, although it is a result of free will, certain people who didn’t really attain spirituality created different alternative methods, perceptions, and beliefs. This is the origin of the different religions, which are actually corrupt “adaptations” of the wisdom of Kabbalah.

It began in the days of Abraham: He brought the people of his time the necessary means for their development: methods that led them to the truth in some way, that elevated them above the “beastly” level and enabled them to at least touch the more advanced perception of the upper force, of life and death.

Today, however, it is very hard to speak about the true wisdom of Kabbalah because everyone has his own opinion about it. People have heard a lot about mysticism, about red strings, miracles, lucky charms, special prayers, rituals, etc., not to mention those who simply make a profit from that. Even the honest openhearted approach doesn’t guarantee a successful spiritual search, although even such ideas were attributed to the wisdom of Kabbalah.

As a result of all this, there is great confusion these days. We are speaking about a wisdom that is revealed especially in our days since we are approaching a fatal stage in history. After all, an incorrect interpretation of this wisdom can bring about much bloodshed, if it does not allow us to follow the right and simple way.

In the article “The General Attribute of the Hidden Wisdom,” Baal HaSulam quotes from the book of Proverbs: “The Lord’s Glory is concealed.” This rule is the strict rule that applies to the concealment of the wisdom of Kabbalah, as he says: Many have fallen victim to revelations of this kind. It is from this that all the magicians and mystics originate when students who lacked principles went in the wrong direction and began to teach all the materials they had without checking whether the person was suitable for this purpose. Thus they began to use the wisdom in order to attain human goals, out of lust and ambition, selling things attributable to Holiness and calling it “practical Kabbalah.”

In the article “Disclosing a Portion, Covering Two,” Baal HaSulam adds: “From the midst of those stem all the charmers, whisperers, and ‘practical’ Kabbalists, who hunt souls with their cunningness, and the mystics, who use withered wisdom that came from under the hands of unworthy students, to draw bodily benefit for themselves or for others. The world has suffered much from it, and is suffering still.”

For us practical Kabbalah means that we actually correct ourselves when we unite in the group according to the principle of mutual guarantee. But for others it is about certain actions that help them remove the evil eye, to change their fate, etc.

On the whole there are two separate approaches:

  1. I acknowledge the fact that everything is in the hands of the Creator and only with His help when I transcend myself is it possible to change anything. Everything in our world is meant for us to change ourselves and not to try to change our fate. Eventually I look at myself and at the world through a prism of the opportunity to bring contentment to the Creator, when I resemble Him, adhere to His attributes, and thus enable Him to be revealed in the created being. Looking at reality this way is the wisdom of Kabbalah—the revelation of the attribute of bestowal in the created being that completely fills him.
  2. As to the correction of everything else: A person’s health, family issues, the state, the world, it all has nothing to do with the wisdom of Kabbalah, but with psychology, rituals, etc.

It is one of the two: Either my only goal is to perceive the world according to principle of the unity of the Creator, to actually discover Him by correcting myself, or I use different means in order to correct my external state.
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From the  Daily Kabbalah Lesson 5/18/12, The Essence of the Wisdom of Kabbalah

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A Virtual Lesson on Fundamentals of Kabbalah

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How To Speak About An Unfamiliar World

Dr. Michael LaitmanQuestion: Why is it much easier to keep the right intention when reading the Study of the Ten Sefirot than when reading The Zohar?

Answer: The thing is that we need a language for explanations. After all, there are no words in the spiritual world and Kabbalists have to speak the language of branches, which confuses us.

The language of branches is good for those who already are in the spiritual world. If I am above the Machsom, I do not have a problem with understanding no matter the language of explanation. This is because I really feel this world, I understand it, and I perceive it on the level of the 125 degrees to which I have ascended. I will understand what is happening from the explanation the same way I understand a tale about this world with which I am familiar.

But if I am beneath the Machsom, I am unable to understand the allegorical language of branches. It is easier for me to understand the language of TES, which speaks in technical terms and uses spiritual definitions, names of Lights, Sefirot, Partzufim, and the heights of levels. I can somehow understand this; at least it is clear to me that the 120th degree is lower than the 125th degree, and Nefesh is smaller than Ruach.

Even if I do not understand what this is, I can still somehow compare and gauge them. And this is very important. Even if I do not feel these concepts in my heart, I can at least separate them into levels in my mind: Reshimot Dalet/Gimel, Gimel/Bet, Partzufim AB, SAG, MA, BON.

Here everyone can be wise if he has studied the material. Even if he has not practically attained anything, he has at least learned the terminology and can explain himself. This is why it is so necessary for us and we would not be able to express anything at all without it. After all, Kabbalists must establish a certain connection with us in order to use it to bring the Reforming Light to us.

They need a certain thread that connects them with us to be able to constantly pour medicine into us through it. Otherwise we are unable to connect with them because they are in another world that is separated from us. We do not see the channels through which information flows to us.

Kabbalists create this channel by telling us about Partzufim AB, SAG, MA, and BON. And as we study them theoretically and establish an external connection with them, essentially without any understanding, but only obediently repeating words after them, in this way we express our desire to receive the medicine from them, the Light of correction, and this is why we receive it. But this connection is necessary.

If Kabbalists, instead of speaking the language of TES (Talmud Eser Sefirot – The Study of the Ten Sefirot), speak the language of the Tanakh, you immediately imagine that they are speaking about this world and that you understand everything. This is the entire problem, people do not understand that the legend pertains to the spiritual world, actions of bestowal (called the Holy Bina, the quality of bestowal), and they attribute it to this world, which begets all the religions and beliefs.

However, as the notions of the group, connection, and dissemination become closer to you, you will feel that the material in TES is becoming clearer. You will never be able to understand it purely theoretically with your mind. You can memorize all the words, but you will not advance past this. If a person wishes to advance through sensory attainment inside his desire, then he will not understand TES until he connects it with some already attained private correction of himself. Already before the Machsom, he will begin to perceive the inner meaning of the notions, and it will become easier for him to study.

When a person advances correctly, attainment goes from feeling to mind. This is why one does not need to have a big mind to learn. Theoretical knowledge is not connected to spiritual advancement in any way.
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From the 3rd part of the Daily Kabbalah Lesson 5/16/12, The Study of the Ten Sefirot

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The Ripe Fruits Of The Convention

Dr. Michael LaitmanQuestion: After the convention I have a feeling that it was all like a dream, and it’s difficult to realize what happened. How would you sum up the results of the convention?

Answer: This is not easy. If you had known Rabash, you would know how closed he was, concealing himself and not wishing to give any explanations besides the most necessary ones. Yet it is clear that he wanted to give as much as possible to his students, since it is written, “A cow wishes to feed more than the calf wishes to suckle.”

But the problem is the student’s readiness level. The teacher cannot give him an “unripe fruit” since instead of being help, this will harm him and bring him to a halt, a descent, confusion, and then it will take him a long time and great efforts to get out of this state. Everyone will pay dearly for that—both the teacher and the student, as well as those who have to unite with him into one system. This is a very complex calculation.

That is why it is written, “Raise a lad in his own way.” That is to say, the teacher should not give to the student according to the student’s infantile demand, “Give me!” But should do so correctly and deliberately, as befits his level of development.

Clearly, this constantly evokes pressure in the relationship between the teacher and the students. They are shouting to the teacher, “Give to us!” They don’t understand that he can only give them the method but not the actual fulfillment. They will have to receive the fulfillment themselves by realizing this method upon themselves.

Therefore, some people do not think that they are advancing well. Some cannot justify this method and perceive it. Or they might even understand it with their mind, but are not ready to agree with it in their heart. As a result, they start to disregard the teacher, the method, and the sources. And nothing can be done about it—that’s how life is.

I think that we already overcame very difficult stages, and whoever has stayed after this, out of the thousands of people who have gone through here, will go forward. And whoever left might still come back. We are waiting for everyone, the whole world, to join us.

But in the future there won’t be a choice either: all new levels will always be revealed from the side of the vessels, empty desires. Therefore, you must only strictly carry out the advice of the sources and teacher, and after realizing this advice you will receive answers and fulfillment yourself! Fulfillment cannot come from above to an empty place, if there is no vessel.

Let us hope that we have now gained a better understanding of these principles and the order of our work. Many new people took part in the Convention, who do not have the experience we do yet. But by tuning into the common unity, they will be able to learn these principles quickly, just like any new generation relies on the experience of the previous one and receives from it. And we will be happy to give them everything we have so that by tuning in to our world group, they will immediately become just as experienced and knowledgeable as us, and even more so.
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From the 1st part of the Daily Kabbalah Lesson 5/15/12, Writings of Rabash

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Feel Your Neighbor’s Desires

Dr. Michael LaitmanQuestion: Which psychological or verbal actions will help a person from an integral group “come out of himself?”

Answer: To do this one first needs to study the materials we have prepared about integration, interconnection, and mutual connection between people where it is written about how to start coming “out of yourself” and feel others, which means to feel their desires.

In reality, I cannot feel the desires of others, but when we acquire common desires and common aspirations, then I can imagine that they are common and can “enter” them as I understand that my group partners, my friends, also exist in these common desires and aspirations.

These can be both men and women since a group can be mixed, but it can also be homogenous, depending on the circumstances. Sometimes it is best for men to study alone without the participation of the women. It is harder for women to be together, they do not communicate as well with each other. We must take all of this into consideration.

In general a lot depends on the people. None of this matters when they are prepared. But when they are not prepared, we even need to take their social level, origin, and other things into consideration.

The group needs to be carefully selected to make sure there are no “black sheep” in it, who will slow the process down because they have their own way of doing things, a certain position that obligates them to act in a certain way or in some way they were taught. These people need to be removed from the group because they are unable to flow with it right from the beginning. And then they can enter it very slowly and passively as they become closer to the group training.
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From “A Talk on Integral Education” #17, 2/28/12

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Pharaoh’s Tricks

Dr. Michael LaitmanQuestion: Looking back on the way, I see how Pharaoh is constantly walking by me. Not long ago a new trend has emerged, systematic vector psychology, and many think it is very similar to Kabbalah. This means that Pharaoh is becoming more cunning.

Answer: The Kabbalistic method is very direct. It speaks about one thing only, but gradually it reveals more and more. A person discovers greater depth and motion in the Kabbalistic text ,and if he operates accordingly, he reaches a point of adhesion with the Creator, with the one force that manages everything. Everything else was invented by man.

But in order to direct us to Him, this force constantly formats us more accurately, more finely, until we become as sharp as the attribute of bestowal, in order to enter the “needle’s eye.”

Throughout history man has invented different methods. 3,800 different methods, beliefs, and religions have officially been counted, but there can be more or less since they disappear for lack of believers. New theories are constantly emerging. Since the middle of the 20th century there have been many new methods based on different scientific findings. In addition there have been many methods that are used by secret services, for example, the development of a person’s internal mental powers. People don’t even know about it.

All these methods are based only on the ego and its development. If it seems that it is a development above the ego, it is still altruistic egoism that characterizes 10% of the world’s population who want to do each other good, to preserve the ecology, to protect nature, the animals, etc. In other words they deal with the altruism of our world, yet it is still the same egoism.

There is a very thin border, a struggle, clarifications, and examinations: “So what is the pure method for attaining the upper Light?” It comes down to the constant internal clarification of our direction.

I believe that all the other methods are very helpful. Everything in the world was created in order to help “clean” people from different confusions and mistakes.

On this basis we have to clarify what the truth is. This means that you don’t clarify psychology, not different methods of intellectual training and not ESP, but rather resemblance to the Light, by drawing the Light upon you. This is the whole difference between the Kabbalsitic method and other methods.

All the new methods that seemingly resemble Kabbalah are given to us by Pharaoh or by the Creator through Pharaoh. It is written: “I have hardened his heart,” and this is in order to sift, to sort out, the people who may be a burden on our groups.

So we shouldn’t feel sorry about the many people who come and that later 90% of them leave. The wisdom of Kabbalah chooses only those who belong to the Creator, those who can really mediate between Him and the rest of humanity. The spiritual world is built on quality not on quantity.

We are happy about every person who arrives, but everyone is free to choose. We don’t underestimate anyone in any way, but if a person leaves, it is his free will. This means that he still has to work on himself on other levels and he isn’t ready to come yet. He received something from us; he will later process it, and after a while will return to us. If he doesn’t, then he has his own way and he will end it in his next life, while we want to finish it in this life.

The wisdom of Kabbalah spreads knowledge, like a farmer who plants seeds while walking in the plowed field, and if someone picks up what falls, that’s good. It doesn’t depend on our desire. We can only hope that as many people as possible will hear about it and then it is already the Creator’s work.
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From KabTV’s “Foundations Of The Integral Society” 4/08/12

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Penetrate Inside Creator’s World

Dr. Michael LaitmanQuestion: In your opinion, was it important to have voiced our common demand during the workshop? I had a feeling that at some point you were nudging the focus group towards expressing “Creator, fill us! We are ready. Change us.” Should these words be said out loud? Or perhaps only “I sensed. I felt…?”

Answer: No. We have to move forward through Kabbalistic sources. We need to read articles, analyze them, and precisely through these articles to penetrate the world of the Creator more greatly and deeply.

We can reveal Him only if there is a primary Kabbalistic source in front of you. Under no circumstances should you trust your thoughts and desires! It’s necessary to follow the text. If you don’t like one text, take another; you can change them.

I open a book, say, Shamati, on any page and I begin to do spiritual work from it. If I see that the page I opened isn’t right and doesn’t quite correspond to my state, then I can turn another 15-20 pages—that’s not important. Then I start reading and working here. But nevertheless, I work from whatever is written in the book.

After all, a Kabbalist describes sequential actions of cause and effect that incrementally lead you forward.

And if you’re going to make things up yourself based on that mass of thoughts and feelings that rise up inside you, then who knows where it will lead you. Being small, we learn like this from older kids, and they tell us what to do, how, and why. And so we must keep on studying like this, progressively.
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From the Vilnius Convention 3/25/12, Workshop 2

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In The Kabbalists’ Footsteps To The Upper World

Dr. Michael LaitmanWhile reading the articles, we have to learn to follow the thought of the author, to yearn to enter the states our teachers describe. When a person begins to watch a captivating movie, he forgets about the entire world and lives with the heroes on the screen, experiencing everything they go through.

This is how we have to relate to reading the texts. We must annul ourselves and adhere to the author, to his states at the time he was writing the article, and to his thought, and to constantly flow with this thought, hold ourselves within it. It is as if I don’t exist, which means that I cling to the books and their authors.

We have no other way to reach our teachers. At this time, I don’t see such readiness on the part of the students. Even before the lesson, before reading the text, we should think that we are about to do something special. By reading or listening to a text written by a Kabbalist and by making constant efforts to hold onto his thoughts, we cling to the Creator.

We mustn’t think about anything or have any calculations, but simply flow with the Kabbalist on the same wave. It doesn’t matter whether I understand what the text says or not. I feel like a baby in the arms of an adult. Someone lifted me and is taking care of me. Thus, I gradually begin to grow and understand why and how everything happens.

First, I simply find out what is going on, and afterwards I will understand the reasons. This attitude is essential while reading the articles.
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From the 1st part of the Daily Kabbalah Lesson 4/22/2012, Writings of Rabash

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