The Book of Zohar—A Technique of Exaltation

Question: Rashbi, the author of The Book of Zohar, lived during the time of the Roman Empire. As an ardent opponent of the Romans, he hid in a Cave in Pkiin for 12 years with his son. After 12 years, they left the cave, gathered eight more people, and wrote The Book of Zohar.

What is so special about this book? Why is it written in an encrypted language? Was it not possible to explain the need for unity of the people in a simpler way?

Answer: No. This book is not about the unity of the people. This is a technique of exaltation of the soul, not an ideological treatise on how to attract people, bring them closer, and explain to them that they need to unite.

Question: What does exaltation of the soul mean? Is this not a union with others?

Answer: Exaltation of the soul occurs when a person, together with other people like him, rush to the Creator, that is, to a single force. So, they unite among themselves.

That is, The Book of Zohar is not intended to educate common people. It describes the comprehension of those who are already in a union.

Question: Can we say that this book is a technique for correcting egoism?

Answer: No. It talks about how, as a result of a gradual, step by step correction of egoism, a person reveals the upper force.

Question: Why, let’s say, are the Mishnah or Talmud intended for the education of the people, but The Book of Zohar is not? What is the difference?

Answer: The Mishnah is written in a completely different language. It does not oblige anything: just teach it and that’s it. We see that people still study the Mishnah, but it does not change the people at their roots.

Question: That is, the Mishnah is written in a simple historical language. Do people understand its stories and parables?

Answer: Yes. It reflects the spiritual world in an allegorical form.

Question: The Book of Zohar speaks of all kinds of abstract phenomena divorced from the life of an ordinary person. The Kabbalistic language describes Sefirot, Partzufim, etc. Was it hidden because of that, and people could not understand it?

Answer: No. It was supposed to be open only when humanity really became worthy to use it for spiritual ascent.
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From KabTV’s “Systematic Analysis of the Development of the People of Israel,” 8/7/19

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The Inner Root of the Jewish People

Remark: There is a joke about a person who lands on a lost island and finds one Jew there. The Jew shows him his possessions, including two synagogues. The man asks him: “Why do you need two synagogues?”—”In one I pray, but I am never setting foot in the other.”

Basically, such relationships accompany us throughout the history of development.

My Comment: This speaks of the inner root of the Jewish people, which consists of two parts: biological and spiritual.

If, according to the spiritual part, the people should unite, then according to the biological part, one feels rejection from everyone else. They are not his blood brothers and have nothing to do with him on all earthly levels—only on the spiritual one. The spiritual level must be achieved because it is broken, the opposite of the material level.

Naturally in these people there is absolute distance from each other. And only mutual hatred of the peoples of the world keeps the Jews in some framework so that they do not scatter and are not completely assimilated among the peoples of the world. Therefore, thanks to their haters, the Jews still somehow stick together.
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From KabTV’s “Systematic Analysis of the Development of the People of Israel,” 8/7/19

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Bearing the Method of Connection

Question: The Creator, the quality of bestowal,  good, created creation opposite to Himself. It is said by Rashi and many other Torah commentators: “The instincts of man’s heart are bad from youth.” What do you mean from youth?

Answer: From infancy. Every person is born an egoist.

Comment: It turns out that our hatred of the Creator is natural because we are the opposite from Him. We like to receive, but we don’t like to give. Or we like to give, but with the intention of receiving.

My Response: And to get as much as possible.

Question: Does it mean that hatred of the Creator comes from our root?

Answer: Yes, the antithesis of the Creator was originally inherent in us; we must correct it to the opposite—to love Him.

The people of the world do not have this root, so they have nothing to correct. They simply join us to the extent of our correction. And if we don’t improve, they feel that we, the Jews, are bringing negative energy into the world.

Question: Even the Talmud says that if the people of Israel repent, they will be saved, and if not, “this will be your burial place.”

The Creator singled out a group of people from all nations, forcibly united them, and gave them a method of connection. And then what?

Answer: In the time of Abraham, the Creator placed the aspiration for Him in some Babylonians, and Abraham united all those who, at his call, aspired to attain the Creator. So the group was formed, which became known as “Israel” (“straight to the Creator”).

Comment: Later, when the Jews gathered at the foot of Mount Sinai, the Creator set a condition for them: either you accept the Torah, the laws of bestowal, the laws of unity, or here will be your burial place.

This means that there is a people who received a cure for all problems, because only by approaching the Creator can we solve them.

My Response: This cure is to rise above our egoism. And you can rise above it if you really ask for it, and not alone, but together with the others. You will gather many people who will turn together to the Creator so that He will rid them of their egos and give them the quality of love and connection between them.

*For more information on this topic, I suggest you to read my books Like a Bundle of Reeds: Why unity and mutual guarantee are today’s call of the hour and The Jewish Choice: Unity or Anti-Semitism.

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From the KabTV’s “System Analysis of the Development of the People of Israel,” 7/22/19

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Antagonism within the Jewish People

Comment: Throughout the course of human development, there has never been a nation that has been subjected to greater persecution than the people of Israel. Some people say this is irrational. From your materials, I see that this, on the contrary, is rational.

My Response: Super-rational! This is the law of nature.

Question: What is the root of this hatred? As far as I can see, it lies in creation itself.

Answer: Man was created an egoist, but he was given a method of correcting his egoism. It is found in the people of Israel, that is, in a small group of people organized in Ancient Babylon in the time of Abraham, as described in the Torah (Bible), by Flavius Josephus, and in many other Jewish and non-Jewish sources.

In the hands of the Jews is a method of uniting peoples, rising above egoism, reaching the highest comfortable level both in earthly existence and in the unearthly. This means that even during material life, a person can begin to feel the next level of existence and dissolve the boundaries between the earthly and the upper world.

Since this is all embedded in our methodology, the wisdom of Kabbalah, the Jews tried to implement it, especially after leaving Egypt during the time of the First and Second Temples.

This happened in a constant struggle between them. After all, there were groups among the people who advocated the implementation of this method of connection and achieving a spiritual level, a sense of the upper world in this world, and groups who believed that it was impossible or not necessary because, as they thought, there are still other opportunities for a comfortable existence.

Thus, in the people of Israel, there has always been a great opposition of opinions up to the point of civil war. This continued until the complete exile during the period of the Second Temple. Therefore, there was no need for anti-Semitism from the peoples of the world who did not like Jews. Before the advent of the Christian and Muslim religions, they were practically non-existent.

Question: So the hatred was between the Jews themselves?

Answer: Yes, there were many different currents within the people.

Comment: For example, during the Roman Empire, the people were divided into Sadducees and Pharisees. Then the Maccabean war was underway not with the Greeks, but with the Jews who had adopted Hellenism.

My Response: Even during the period of the First Temple, large groups of people formed who were antagonistic to each other.

Comment: In addition, it was not the Egyptians who prevented the Jews from leaving Egypt but a layer of Jews called the “mixed multitude” (Erev Rav).

My Response: It must be said that although during the Crusades or in medieval Europe there were pogroms and persecutions of Jews by the surrounding peoples, the source of it came from hatred between groups in the Jewish people themselves.

All this is based on the spiritual principle. Among the Jewish people, there are those who believe that Jews should fulfill their spiritual function, meaning reveal the Creator in this world for themselves and for other peoples. And there are those who say: “No, we can exist as others. And our religion is given to us to fulfill on a normal, everyday level.” This is what is happening today.

Question: So, the dispute is about what is chosen by God? Do I have to fulfill some external commandments and for this I will have future peace and power over all peoples, or do we have to unite and spread the method of connection among all the people?

Answer: And with this, as it were, to serve them, to become a light for other peoples. In fact, this is a big job, to care for the correction of the whole world.

*For more information on this topic, I suggest you to read my books Like a Bundle of Reeds: Why unity and mutual guarantee are today’s call of the hour and The Jewish Choice: Unity or Anti-Semitism.
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From KabTV’s “System Analysis of the Development of the People of Israel,” 7/22/19

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The Consequence of Failure to Comply with the Law of Love Your Neighbor

Question: During the destruction of the Second Temple, unfounded hatred appeared between the students of Rabbi Akiva, and all 24,000 of them died because of this. Is this an allegory or not?

Answer: No, they really died. Rabbi Akiva taught them the law of love your neighbor, but they could not stay in it.

Such egoism flared up between them that they began to make selfish calculations relative to each other. Of course, their condition cannot be compared with the current state between believers. These were people of a completely different type—great people. But egoism at their level manifested itself so much that they led themselves to death.

Question: Can it be said that, as a result of this hatred, the Bar Kochba rebellion was crushed, and therefore the people could not restore independence?

Answer: Naturally. These were the greatest people of that era, the spiritual representatives of the people. If their spirit fell down to hatred, then the people had no opportunity to exist further.

Remark: The most interesting thing is that unfounded hatred arises precisely among those who should engage in unification and spread the spiritual ideology of the people. Hatred has always manifested itself between kings, priests, between the elite, between the sages, not among the common people.

My Comment: Yes, ordinary people did not really participate in this.
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From KabTV’s “Systematic Analysis of the Development of the People of Israel,” 7/8/19

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Resist Egoism

Question: After the suppression of the Bar Kochba rebellion, the Jews scattered all over the world. Didn’t the great sage Rabbi Akiva know about this?

Answer: Naturally, he knew that this would be so. But one does not interfere with the other. Jews should resist this and try to correct themselves all the time, even though they are in a free fall.

Question: Rabbi Akiva knew that after going into the fourth exile, the people would have to unite and, as a result, build the Third Temple. But he did not know when this would happen. He thought that this would take place immediately, but it took 2,000 years. Was he mistaken about the time? Or is it wrong to interpret these events?

Answer: I do not know. I cannot speak for Rabbi Akiva.

I know only one thing: the spiritual law is such that when you have the opportunity to do something good for connection between people, you must do it. You have no reason to start this process because we are still under the authority of the development of the laws of nature.

Question: So, was there still some possibility?

Answer: Even if it did not exist, we are still obligated to resist the egoism that develops, grows, and controls us. Resist it at any stage and in any condition.
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From KabTV’s “Systematic Analysis of the Development of the People of Israel,” 7/8/19

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Where do all the troubles come from?

Remark: In the newspaper The Nation, which Baal HaSulam published in 1940, he wrote: “Jerusalem was ruined only because of unfounded hatred that existed in that generation.” At that time, the nation was plagued and died, and its organs were scattered to every direction.

Also Naftali Berlin wrote in Introduction to the book of Bereshit: “The generation of the times of the destruction of the Second Temple was stubborn and depraved. Therefore, because of unfounded hatred of each other in their hearts, they believed that every person acting contrary to their opinion should be killed. And all the troubles ensued from this, until the Temple finally fell.”

But on the other hand, the Jews kept the outer commandments.

My Comment: No. This, in our time, is considered keeping commandments. At that time, keeping commandments was considered to fulfill the basic principle of loving your neighbor.

Everything else is just etiquette, customs that have nothing to do with the internal state of the people. Therefore, the destruction of the Second Temple occurred only because of unfounded hatred, although the people observed absolutely all the laws.

Rabbi Akiva was calling only to one thing: “Love your neighbor as yourself. Nothing else is needed.” Still, the Temple collapsed precisely because people said: “But we follow all the customs.” However, the most important thing was missing—closeness of hearts.

Remark: But we can say that they could not observe the principle of love your neighbor, as nature led them this way.

My Comment: On one hand, this is a natural process, and on the other hand, we are obliged to do this. Indeed, even now we do not know what nature is preparing for us.
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From KabTV’s “Systematic Analysis of the Development of the People of Israel,” 7/8/19

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When a Common Root is Missing

Remark: At the beginning of our era, Judea was ruled not by kings and spiritual leaders, but by Roman governors. At that time, the people were highly polarized, and a huge number of sects based on ideological differences appeared. Nevertheless, the desire to regain sovereignty among the people did not fade.

In the year 66, the country rose in a riot, which became the First Judean War. It is interesting that, in fact, the rebels tried to restore the lack of spirit by force of arms. We know how strong the Roman and Greek armies were, but the Jews almost constantly won the wars.

My Comment: Yes, they could fight. Although, of course, they mostly fought in spirit.

Remark: In one of his letters, Baal HaSulam writes: The sages claimed that the reason for the destruction of the Second Temple was not idolatry, but unfounded hatred, because they could not fulfill the basis of the Torah love your neighbor as yourself.

My Comment: Exactly this unfounded hatred became the basis for the destruction of the Second Temple.

Unfounded means that people did not put the connection between them at the top of their existence. You cannot rise above any cause in your hatred of the other, to be together with him in unity. That is, unfounded hatred is equivalent to the concept of causeless love.

Remark: But this is already the opposite side.

My Comment: Yes. This is how it should be seen because the reason for hatred can always be found.

Question: Still, what does unreasonable mean?

Answer: It means that you do not even need to look for reasons to hate, you still do not love him, do not want to live with him, be friends, and communicate.

Question: Where does this come from?

Answer: From human nature.

Remark: The most interesting thing is that this was observed only among Jews.

My Comment: Yes. The fact is that other peoples have a common root. So, their hatred for each other always has a reason. At the same time, they still consider the harm doer one of their own, as a brother hates a brother: Despite the fact that I hate him, he is still my fellow native.

The Jews do not. Here the hatred between people is such that they do not feel a brother in the other. They do not feel it! He is not mine, he belongs to another, completely alien tribe, the opposite of me.

Remark: That is, if there is no ideology that Moses described in his laws, then, in principle, the people do not understand what they have in common.

My Comment: They have nothing in common. And so, there is no reason to be together.

Remark: Flavius Josephus in The Jewish Wars puts the following words into the mouth of one of the generals: “God is a better General than I am. He will give the Jews free of charge into the hands of the Romans, and give victory to our armies without difficulty or danger. While our enemies are slaughtering each other because of the terrible curse of brotherly war, it is better for us to look at them from afar and sit quietly instead of interfering in the conflict of people who are going to their death, fighting madly among themselves.”

My Comment: First, Josephus Flavius, being a Jew himself, understood their nature very well. It was obvious what was really going on.
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From KabTV’s “Systematic Analysis of the Development of the People of Israel,” 7/8/19

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War is an Expression of Egoism

Remark: During the 6,000 years of the existence of civilized humanity on Earth, wars have been constantly waged. In total, they’ve only been gone for 200 years. Historians distinguish five main wars: the First and Second World Wars, and three more wars in China, during which hundreds of millions of people died.

My Comment: This is an amazing state of the world when people simply annihilate each other. They give free rein to their egoism, which cannot tolerate others, and come up with all sorts of reasons to kill.

Remark: War is like an expression of egoism. Every story is a story of war.

My Comment: On the other hand, we do not even imagine what would happen to the world if war had not been waged. Over the past 70 years, there have been no wars on such vast continents as Europe and Asia, and look what happened to humanity. The world’s population has grown from two million to eight.

We see that with uncorrected egoism, wars become necessary, because only in this way humanity restrains and purifies itself.
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From KabTV’S “Systematic Analysis of the Development of the People of Israel” 7/8/19

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The Confrontation Between the Maccabees and the Hellenists

Question: What was the ideological conflict between the Maccabees and the Hellenistic Jews?

Answer: The opposition was that the Maccabees were in favor of uniting the people under one common principle so that all were like brothers who felt the inner unity of each other.

And the Hellenists were for proclaiming each person free, independent, not worshipping the one God, i.e., the one force, nature, and, accordingly, the one uniting principle. Each person chose from a large host of gods to worship, as in ancient times when people worshiped trees, stones, celestial forces, stars, etc.

As a result, there was a huge difference between them in their ideology, behavior, and attitude toward each other. In principle, the Hellenists existed each by himself. Their state was held only by bayonets, despite the fact that later they were guided by reasonable methods borrowed from the Jews after the conquest of Israel.
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From KabTV’s “Systematic Analysis of the Development of the People of Israel” 7/8/19

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