Preparation to the Lesson

The Book of Zohar — Introduction

Talmud Eser Sefirot, Vol. 3, Part 9

Writings of Baal HaSulam, “600,000 Souls“

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The Book of Zohar was hidden for generations and it was prohibited to even look at. Kabbalists themselves promulgated this ban. The secret that is concealed within it is the Light that Reforms, but reaching this Light is possible only by breaking through the protective shield arranged by Rabbi Abba who re-wrote this text. When Kabbalists write books, they express the content so that it is concealed in a special garb, which we must penetrate through to reach what is inside. Their writing is a revelation, but while revealing one thing, they conceal two.

They help us with this concealment that brings us closer, by allowing us, to some small degree, to touch this secret. In fact, if there were no concealment, we would not be able to see anything at all. It is similar to an invisible man who cannot be seen until he dresses. But as soon as he puts clothes on, everybody can see him.

In other words, the concealment of Rabbi Shimon by Rabbi Abba helps us to approach this secret! But on the other hand, it leaves us room for work: If you break through this shield, you will find Rabbi Shimon. Rabbi Shimon brings revelation to us from above to below, so he must disguise himself. He wishes to pass it onto everyone but can’t since we are not ready to receive it. Hence, he cries (crying is symbolic of a small spiritual state, Katnut).

This entire enormous system regarded as Rashbi (Rabbi Shimon ben Yochai) is not a “person” but an upper system that is forced to reduce itself (which is regarded as “crying”) because the lower ones are unable to receive anything from it. And how must he adjust himself, make an “adapter” between himself and the lower ones, as if between a wide pipe and the eye of a needle? So, then another system is engaged, which is called Rabbi Abba, a unique soul that is capable of serving as an adapter that connects us to Rabbi Shimon.

Finally, Rashbi’s light becomes revealed through the special system of Rabbi Abba that descends to us in the form of the book called Zohar. It is titled by the name of the source from which its Light derives (Zohar means the upper radiance): the Light of Infinity or the Light emanating from the head of Arich Anpin.
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From the 4^th part of the Daily Kabbalah Lesson 12/14/10, Writings of Baal HaSulam

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Preparation to the Lesson

Writings of Rabash, “Article 19″

The Book of Zohar — Introduction

Talmud Eser Sefirot, Vol. 3, Part 9

Writings of Baal HaSulam, “600,000 Souls”

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Question: How can it be that Rabbi Shimon would cry at deciding whether he should or shouldn’t reveal the secret concealed in The Book of Zohar? Can a Kabbalist be trusted with such an enormous secret by which he would harm us?

Answer: Rabbi Shimon wasn’t some ordinary person made of flesh and blood who hid in a cave, but is an entire system, a part of the upper world that clothes in the Creator and receives everything He has according to the equivalence of their properties from Him. At the same time, he contemplates how to manage to pass this Light to the other souls that it is yet required to give birth to and develop.

And to accomplish this, he employs one more spiritual system, Rabbi Abba, which makes it possible to pass this Light downward. With Rabbi Abba and the other 9 disciples’ assistance, each of whom represents one of the 10 Sefirot and is comprised of 10 sub-Sefirot, meaning they contain a full set of 100 Sefirot, after the concealment and reduction of the Light in this specific mechanism, the Light can be adapted to the souls of our generation.

This Light is designated specifically for our time and not for their contemporaries or for the periods of exile. This is a unique correction, just like the one that the sages of the Talmud performed on our behalf so we wouldn’t have to torment our bodies to find spirituality as had been written in those times: “Eat bread with salt, drink water, sleep on bare ground, and study the Torah—then succeed!” But after the time of Talmud, such restrictions are not necessary and it is sufficient to simply study the inner Torah (Kabbalah) without any corporeal limitations.

It became possible because Kabbalists of that time inserted a necessary addition into the spiritual system, thereby adapting it to us. And besides, it corresponds with how close we ourselves approached it thanks to the evolution of our will to receive (desire, ego). They (Rabbi Shimon and the 9 disciples) brought the Light closer to us while we have also come closer to it (by evolving in the reverse direction thereby increasing our ego), and now we have become so close to each other that the effect of the Light alone is enough for our correction. No corporeal suffering is necessary any longer.

All of this occurred thanks to the corrections made in the upper system built by the previous Kabbalists. These sages are part of the upper worlds and the innermost part of it; they are related to the souls. When they perform corrections, they add to the collective system such reformed elements that revive it. Because of them, it comes alive and starts working passing the Light down to us!
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From the 4^th part of the Daily Kabbalah Lesson 12/14/10, Writings of Baal HaSulam

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Rabbi Shimon “cries” (tears are a symbol of a small state, Katnut), as if being unable to understand how to pass to us this enormous Light that he and his 10 disciples unveiled, in order for the souls of our time, beginning with our generation, to use it.

And then, he discovers that it can be achieved with the help of his student, Rabbi Abba. He explains that Rabbi Abba was able to reveal secrets “discretely” because he possessed a unique soul from the Surrounding Light. Hence, through him, through the Surrounding Light, we can receive all corrections.

And generally speaking, all corrections that we receive come only through The Book of Zohar, or through Rabbi Shimon and Rabbi Abba, through the Surrounding Light. And the source of all Kabbalistic books is also The Zohar since all of them were written on its basis. Without The Zohar, no Kabbalist who lived after it had been written would have been able to uncover spirituality and write a book. He wouldn’t have been able to adhere to the Light; after all, The Zohar is its source.

And when Kabbalists have reached attainment through The Zohar, they finally start writing themselves, as it happened with the Kabbalists of all generations: Ari, Rambam, Rashi, Agrah, and others. But all of them had one source. Clearly, we are not talking about those who came before Rashbi, Abraham, or Moses, who are parts of the upper system.

But we have no source of revelation other than The Zohar. Therefore, Baal HaSulam writes about how grateful we should be to such a soul as Rashbi, because without him, the Light wouldn’t reach us and we would remain cut off from the entire upper system.
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From the 4^th part of the Daily Kabbalah Lesson 12/14/10, Writings of Baal HaSulam

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Preparation to the Lesson

Shamati #68 “Man’s Connection to the Sefirot“

The Book of Zohar — Introduction

Talmud Eser Sefirot, Vol. 3, Part 9

Writings of Baal HaSulam, “Inheritance of the Land”

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Preparation to the Lesson

Writings of Baal HaSulam, “Igrot,” Letter 26

The Book of Zohar — Introduction

Talmud Eser Sefirot, Vol. 3, Part 9

Writings of Baal HaSulam, “Inheritance of the Land”

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The Book of Zohar, Chapter “Bereshit – 2”, Item 101: “When everyone is included as one into a third chamber, and the desire and the prayer rises to take its place in the fourth chamber, then all become as one—one desire and one connection, and this is the place of the bowing to bring contentment to one’s Maker.”

We have to make efforts to see the entire creation as it still exists in its first and third states. The second state, which we currently observe, is only a play of our imagination, as it is said “We were as dreamers.”

We have to rise above the dream and wake up. Depending on how strong our aspiration to stay alert and sense the genuine reality is, to that degree we elicit the Light, accelerating time (Achishena) so that it influences us.

Probably, it is better not to delve into internal scrutiny, wanting to discover how much we are in hatred instead of love. Perhaps, it is still difficult for us. It is better to aspire to the authentic state because essentially, we are in the world of infinity, the world of unity, perfection, and integration. But now, we are experiencing a certain confusion, which is purposely given to us, because only by applying our efforts to attain perfection and interconnection do we reveal the original state and wake up from unconsciousness. Similarly, a person who wants to wake up from sleep, become round, needs to apply certain efforts. Although, we are awakened from outside, we still have to try to wake up internally.
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From the 2^nd part of the Daily Kabbalah Lesson 6/28/12, The Zohar

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Preparation to the Lesson

Writings of Baal HaSulam “Letter 1“

The Book of Zohar — Introduction

Writings of Baal HaSulam “Inheritance of the Land”

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Is there a difference between how the upper force controls the part in us called “Israel” and the other part of ours called “the nations of the world”? How does the upper force relate to and influence these two parts in us? It’s not just a “plus” and a “minus,” but rather complicated and diverse actions in their direct and reverse forms.

Is it mandatory that in our egoism, the part that belongs to the nations of the world, we have to go through misfortunes, whereas when we become “Israel” we feel good? It may be just the opposite, and usually this is what happens.

After all, the part in me that belongs to “Israel” has to be elevated and raised to an even more advanced level. For that, I need to feel the difficulties and problems in the part of Israel in me. If I receive support in this part, then I would feel only egoistic benefits and so I would never grow up. In order to advance the part  of Israel in us, we just have to feel increasing pressure. That’s why the war of Gog and Magog and the pressure that precedes the Messiah’s arrival have to be extremely powerful and strong, unparalleled in history.

At the same time, the part of me that belongs to the nations of the world has to experience delight instead of suffering. After all, if this part feels enjoyment, we would be permanently confused and would have no chance to differentiate between right and wrong, like in the city of Shushan, the capital of the Babylonian kingdom, where they could not decide who was right, Mordecai or Haman.

So, it means that the Creator’s governance over those who aspire to advance is totally illogical. That’s why our internal philosopher cannot stop objecting to it. Even Rabbi Shimon continues to ask questions. At this level, there are no philosophers since philosophers don’t understand this stage. Only those people who are engaged in spiritual work can be concerned with these questions.

Philosophers explain everything in a very easy way since they are driven by profits in their pockets, stomachs, and minds… They act within a direct desire to receive. At this point, other questions emerge: How does the upper governance rule a person who is engaged in spiritual development? It turns out that the upper governance acts totally opposite to all our desires (both receiving and bestowing) and is contrary to both the nations of the world and Israel within us. It’s so “irrational” that we cannot realize how different it is. We constantly tend to judge these phenomena directly because our desires are not yet corrected.

I feel a complete failure in my bestowing desires, whereas in my receiving desires I am just fine. I feel this way since my level is still corrupt, and that’s why it seems to me that it is worth sticking to my egoistic desires and it’s not worth following my bestowing desires. In the bestowing desires, I constantly feel that I am a complete loser; at the same time when I am in my receiving desires, I feel that I can win.

This is what our internal judge sees, since “one judges according to what his eyes can see.” Only when the point in the heart awakens can we attach it to our environment, thus implementing our freewill and sticking to new values of bestowal. Then we can go deeper inside ourselves and scrutinize and clarify our desires, intentions, and thoughts correctly. This is ongoing work.
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From the 2^nd part of the Daily Kabbalah Lesson 8/18/13, The Zohar

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