Question: Why is it much easier to read those parts of The Zohar where Baal HaSulam explains it using Kabbalistic terms?

Answer: It’s because then it’s clear to us that these are technical definitions and not earthly images. However, everything depends on one’s level of qualification.

If I invite a specialist to fix my computer, I show him the images on my screen and tell him that I don’t like the color shades or display quality, but he doesn’t look at the actual picture. A computer specialist looks at the electric signals, the forces that create this picture inside, at the quantity of the colors installed in the system. He doesn’t care about the picture itself because for him it’s nothing but an external reflection, a symbol for what’s happening inside, which indicates the computer’s proper or improper functioning.

On the other hand, when I show him this picture and ask how to fix it, he explains it to me in technical terms: “Here you need to replace HGT, NHY, reconcile the forces of the right and left lines…” and I don’t understand what he’s talking about either.

We are confused not by The Zohar speaking this way or that, whether it’s the language of legends or the language of Kabbalah, but by our inability to correctly discern the actual picture and realize what it’s talking about. Every word of The Zohar indicates a desire which must be corrected. There is nothing else to it besides that.

The Creator gave rise to desire. This desire must be brought to correction and fulfillment. Until it achieves its correction followed by fulfillment, we’re only talking about this desire. As soon as it becomes corrected and fulfilled, we stop talking about it and begin to discuss the next degree, a deeper desire which follows right after.

This is how we correct desire after desire, layer after layer. This phased approach to the whole power of the desires within us, which we correct step-by-step, one after another, is called Mishpatim—judgments or reincarnations of souls. “Reincarnations of souls” means that I am always undergoing these inner transformations.
[42584]
From the 2nd part of the Daily Kabbalah Lesson 5/6/2011, The Book of Zohar

Related Material:
It’s Better To Be Diligent Than Smart
Make Your Desire Like His
The Last Drop That Turns On The Light

Filed under: Daily Kabbalah Lesson, Inner Work, Kabbalah Study, Q&A, Zohar - No Comments →

Question: Why does the greatest advancement happen precisely while reading The Book of Zohar, without understanding anything, just by keeping intention?

Answer: The study of Kabbalah does not require any special mental abilities because it is not learned with the mind. On the contrary, people who consider themselves smart, who are good at studying, who grasp things quickly and have a keen mind, usually do not advance very well in Kabbalah. That’s because the mind and the sensation of their mental abilities stops them, carrying them away to the path of the rational study of this science instead of attaining it by being loyal to the group. This is a problem.

I would say that it’s precisely the regular, “average” people who are more successful in spiritual advancement. The brilliant smart-alecs who come to study the science of Kabbalah usually stumble right away. I see that its as if they jump head-first into the deep sea, and “resurface” from there many years later, once the water washes off all of their pride, feeling of superiority, and power.

Let us hope that we belong to those who are successful in attainment rather than those who have a brilliant mind.
From the 2nd part of the Daily Kabbalah Lesson 5/11/11, The Zohar

Related Material:
Desire And You Shall Reveal
What Are You Thinking About While You Are Studying?
Nothing To Your Name

Filed under: Daily Kabbalah Lesson, Kabbalah Study, Prayer and Intention, Q&A, Zohar - 1 Comment →

Shamati #34 “The Profit of a Land”
Download: WMV Video|MP3 Audio

The Book of Zohar – Selected, Chapter, “Mishpatim (Ordinances), ‘Double-Edged Sword,’” Item 398
Download: WMV Video|MP3 Audio

Talmud Eser Sefirot Vol. 1, Part 1 “Histaklut Pnimit,” Lesson 12
Download: WMV Video|MP3 Audio

Rav Yehuda Ashlag “Peace in the World,” “Good and Bad Are Evaluated by the Actions of the Individual Toward Society”
Download: WMV Video|MP3 Audio

Filed under: Daily Kabbalah Lesson, Zohar - No Comments →

Writings of Rabash, Shlavei HaSulam, “What Is the Israel Return to the Creator Your Lord in Work”
Download: WMV Video|MP3 Audio

The Book of Zohar – Selected, Chapter, “Mishpatim (Ordinances), ‘The Grandfather,’” Item 359
Download: WMV Video|MP3 Audio

Talmud Eser Sefirot Vol. 1, Part 1“Histaklut Pnimit,” Lesson 11
Download: WMV Video|MP3 Audio

Baal HaSulam “Inheritance of the Land”
Download: WMV Video|MP3 Audio

Filed under: Daily Kabbalah Lesson, Zohar - No Comments →

Question: You say that The Zohar is the system of ties between us. How are these connections expressed in The Zohar: in the shape of the letters or the meanings behind the words?

Answer: You won’t find the symbols of these connections in letters or words, and not even without them. We should view The Zohar as a connecting device and nothing more. I don’t know how it works. All I know is that if my desires are correct and I am reading The Zohar with the hope that these desires will be fulfilled, it will occur.

I have a certain device that I adjust and plug into electricity, but the one last drop is missing: a little bit more of my thought and desire for it to occur, for the device to start channeling electricity and begin to work.

I should be anticipating it, nothing more. It is regarded as “awaiting salvation.” But we must, to the best of our ability, prepare our desires and needs so that they are fit for correction as much as possible. After all, an unripe desire doesn’t merit correction. Desire the time which has passed and a new desire needs to be used or the same desire but at a higher degree won’t merit correction either.

Everything has to occur with the utmost precision, and then the Light that Reforms comes and performs our merging with the Creator. This is what our work entails.
[42476]
From the 2nd part of the Daily Kabbalah Lesson 5/8/2011, The Zohar

Filed under: Daily Kabbalah Lesson, Inner Work, Q&A, Zohar - No Comments →

The Book of Zohar, Chapter “Mishpatim (Ordinances),” Item 343: He [King Solomon] signed his chair with a seal engraved with the holy Name, took a ring on which the holy Name was engraved, went on an ascent, riding that eagle, and went away.

Question: What is this ring?

Answer: This is a special force protecting Malchut, which restricts itself in order to use the Light of Hochma only from above downwards, above the will to enjoy, meaning in the intention to bestow rather than to receive into itself, into its egoistic desire. This is called a “ring.”

This is the origin of the wedding ritual where people put rings on each other, symbolizing their bestowal to one another and their connection.
From the 2nd part of the Daily Kabbalah Lesson 5/9/11, The Zohar

Filed under: Daily Kabbalah Lesson, Family, Q&A, Zohar - 2 Comments →

Question: Throughout all of history, Kabbalists passed the science of Kabbalah from one generation to the next. But on the other hand, they created a special concealment over this science to make sure it wouldn’t expand all over the whole world. Why?

Answer: Kabbalists reveal their attainments in concealment. That’s why it is written, “When revealing one measure, conceal two.” This is talking about the revelation of the necessary desire in a person, in which he will then feel the upper world.

Our nature is desire, and only if this desire is present do we perceive the world inside of it. The greater the desire, the more it perceives. All the objects in our world differ from one another only by the size of the desire. The desire of level 1 is still, level 2 – vegetative, level 3 – animate, and level 4 – human. If the desire intends to enjoy by itself, then it is in our world. If it intends to give pleasure to someone else, then it is in the upper world.

It’s known that pleasure can only be felt to the extent that one has a desire for it. In other words, the Light can only be received when there is a vessel.

Concealing two measures means that a Kabbalist teacher must create a concealment in a student—the desire of one measure, the need for revelation, and the concealment of one more measure so this desire for revelation would be for the sake of bestowal. In that case, the student will merit revelation inside of that corrected desire.
From the 2nd part of the Daily Kabbalah Lesson 5/9/11, The Zohar

Filed under: Daily Kabbalah Lesson, History, Q&A, Spiritual Teacher, Zohar - No Comments →

Shamati #113 “The Eighteenth Prayer”
Download: WMV Video|MP3 Audio

The Book of Zohar – Selected, Chapter, “Mishpatim (Ordinances), ‘The Grandfather,’” Item 331
Download: WMV Video|MP3 Audio

Talmud Eser Sefirot, Vol. 1, Part 1, “Histaklut Pnimit,” Lesson 10
Download: WMV Video|MP3 Audio

Lesson About the Israeli Nation
Download: WMV Video|MP3 Audio

Filed under: Daily Kabbalah Lesson, Zohar - No Comments →

Filed under: Books, Spirituality, Zohar - No Comments →

Question: What is the use of studying The Book of Zohar if I discover that I am merely trying to run away from my earthly problems?

Answer: A person studying The Zohar does not have any earthly problems besides one: to unite with the friends to such a degree that the upper Light will become revealed inside of the connection between them. All the problems come only from the lack of Light. There is no other source and no other solution.

A person can fuss about and try to correct this state using all the possible earthly means, and he will discover that he seems to have corrected it, but instead of correcting it, even worse problems arose, and everything became much worse. Why is that?

That’s because he thought that he could overcome the previous problems alone, but maybe now, when greater troubles came crashing down on him, he will no longer think that he will overcome them alone and perhaps he will turn to the right solution. And if that doesn’t help, then he will be sent even greater problems until his cup of suffering overflows and he will see “the hand of God” in it, like Pharaoh’s sages did.
From the 2nd part of the Daily Kabbalah Lesson 5/8/11, The Zohar

Filed under: Daily Kabbalah Lesson, Q&A, Suffering, Unity, Zohar - 1 Comment →