The Zohar, Introduction, Article “The Vision of Rabbi Hiya,” Item 56: …“At that time, He kicks 390 firmaments, and all are startled and frightened of Him.” … This is the hint in the Masach called “firmament” … There aren’t 400 but 390, with ten missing, Malchut de Malchut. This is why he calls the firmament, “390 firmaments.”

The vessel of our soul is characterized by the size of the desire. This size is called “Aviut.” If we perform the First Restriction on it (Tzimtzum Aleph), then the Direct Light (Ohr Yashar) comes to us and we reject it, raising the Reflected Light (Ohr Hozer).

The Direct Light is equal to the desire because our desire reveals the degree of Light or pleasure that it corresponds to. Therefore, in reality the Light does not have to “come.” Now, when I have not made a restriction yet, I do not feel that I am in the Light, the Creator. But having carried out the condition of the First Restriction I will immediately feel that I am in the Light.

This is the Direct Light that “comes” to me. It pushes on me, knocking to come inside, and then the first thing I do is I reject it, raising the Reflected Light. The Reflected Light indicates the rigidity of the screen (Kashiut), while the Direct Light indicates its Aviut. We are talking about the screen because it is the connecting link between the soul and the Creator, being in the middle between them.

The desire itself, Malchut, divided into four parts, each containing ten Sefirot, each of which also consists of ten. Altogether there are 400. We cannot correct the lowest part, Malchut de Malchut, “the stony heart.” Her ten Sefirot are excluded from the general count and thus there are 390 remaining Sefirot or screens that The Zohar calls “firmaments.”

From here we see that in order to hold on to the connecting thread, we have to translate The Zohar’s language, which is still incomprehensible to us, to the language of Kabbalistic terms.
From the 1st part of the Daily Kabbalah Lesson 12/23/10, The Zohar

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The Zohar, Introduction, Article “The Vision of Rabbi Hiya,” Item 54: …It is they who roam after Divinity, who sits alone, and who always awaits for the Creator to raise Divinity from the dust. And one who does not await that each day while he is in this world has no share here.

Question: How is it possible to await the restoration of the Shechina (Divinity) from the dust each day?

Answer: “Each day” means each moment. This is a rigid condition because the spiritual world is perfection. In other words, it’s when a perfect desire reigns inside you and you cannot leave it alone.

Now, when egoism reigns inside you around the clock, you do not challenge its power. That is how the desire of bestowal will reign in you day and night, making you tirelessly aspire to redemption.
From the 1st part of the Daily Kabbalah Lesson 12/23/10, The Zohar

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“Introduction of The Book of Zohar,” Article “The Letters of Rabbi Amnon Saba,” Item 37: The letter Bet entered. She said to Him, “O Lord of the world, it is good for You to create the world with me, for in me are You blessed above and below, since Bet is Beracha [blessing].” The Creator told her, “I will indeed create the world with you, and you will be the beginning with which to create the world.”

Question: Why was the world created specifically by the letter Bet?

Answer: This is because the letter Bet symbolizes blessing (Brachá), the Light of Hassadim (Mercy). It is flawless. Besides it, there is no other law, no other quality, with which creation can be started.

How else can one draw the difference between the desires which serve the Creator and those which do not? How are corrections carried out if not by means of the Light of Hassadim since it immediately separates those who strive to bestow from those who strive to receive?

Then, it is clear for you how next to proceed. No other analysis is clearer and simpler, an analysis that lays down the basis of further building. Without Hassadim, without aspiration for the Creator, we will not be able to build anything from the Light of Hochma (Wisdom).

Besides, this quality is boundless. The Light of Hassadim, without differentiation, penetrates all of the worlds from Infinity to the end of the world of Assiya. There is no restriction on it. There are no restrictions on bestowal.

Question: Then, why don’t we feel the blessing in the world?

Answer: We are not talking about our world at all, but about spiritual reality. Desiring to reach it, I must stock up on the quality of mercy (Hesed). It is that very blessing, thanks to which I build my world.

The material world is just an imaginary picture in our perception evoked by spiritual unconsciousness. In the unconscious state, the brain creates an illusory perception of life. This is what our existence is.

In order to wake up, we have to arm ourselves with the force of Hassadim, the quality of the letter Bet, the blessing. This force can only come from Above. We do not have control over it; it is not incorporated in us. However, if we exert a lot of effort in order to obtain it, we receive what we desire.
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From the 1st part of the Daily Kabbalah Lesson 12/19/10, “Introduction of The Book of Zohar,” Article “The Letters of Rabbi Amnon Saba”

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Question: Are the shapes of the Hebrew letters connected to the qualities they symbolize?

Answer: Of course they are. These letters were discovered by Adam HaRishon (the First Man) after he entered the spiritual world. That is why, since that time forward, Kabbalistic works are written using these letters, either in Hebrew or Aramaic (the letters are the same). The language is chosen according to the forms of expression of the Creator’s actions: If an action of the Light is expressed, it is recorded in Hebrew, while if an action of the Kli (vessel) is expressed, it is recorded in Aramaic.

The shapes of the letters, their order, and grammar are left unchanged since they are defined by the two Lights of Hassadim (Mercy) and Hochma (Wisdom), or the two forces, two desires: receiving and bestowal. The screen between them builds all the shapes of the letters.

Here iron rules are absolute laws of the ten Sefirot at work. Malchut and Bina connect with each other in order to reach Keter, and their interaction gives birth to 22 forms of connection.

They are stipulated by Aviut (coarseness), the three lines, the qualities of the first nine Sefirot to which Malchut wants to be similar. Then, with the help of various combinations of these forms, Malchut finds self-expression and resembles Keter completely.

The Torah, from the first letter to the last, describes to us the Light, but in the perspective of the vessels. If you undergo all of these forms with your desire, with your screen, with your efforts, then you will correct yourself completely.
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From the 1st part of the Daily Kabbalah Lesson 12/19/10, “Introduction of The Book of Zohar,” Article “The Letters of Rabbi Amnon Saba”

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“Introduction of The Book of Zohar,” Article “The Letters of Rabbi Amnon Saba,” Item 34: Explanation: Zayin [ז] is Yod [י] over Vav [ו] … as it is written, “A virtuous woman is the crown of her husband.” This is so because she is mingled with the male world, which is Vav, and then becomes a crown over his head.

Each letter is a collection of numerous qualities and states which a person gradually undergoes until he manifests the letter in himself and begins to work with it. Zayin (ז), the seventh letter of the alphabet, is “a crown on the head of a righteous man,” “a virtuous woman,” Yod (י), over Vav (ו).

Imagine yourself in the place of a king’s daughter who is observing two heroes fighting for the right to become her husband. What does she feel watching them? Now, in essence, her fate is being decided. Does anyone show any interest in which one she loves and whether she loves anyone at all? No. The winner will become her husband for the rest of her life; that’s it.

How does a person with uncorrected qualities feel in such a situation? What is his attitude toward what is going on? While at it, he must correct himself to such an extent that, in the end, he would fall in love with the winner one hundred percent. So, how can this be reached? How does one “fall in love” with the chosen one only because he has won?

For this, one must ascend to faith above reason, above the egoistic feelings, personal relationship, and wholeheartedly fall in love with the one who is closer to the Creator. This is what Malchut has to reach. In other words, this is how a person must correct himself in order to agree with the result of the fight.

Possibly, this example will help us imagine, feel how we correct ourselves in the quality of the letter Zayin. A person has to raise above his personal feelings to such an extent that his love toward the winner becomes absolute.

On one hand, the king’s daughter does not choose her husband, but, on the other, he will become her beloved husband for the rest of her life.
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From the 1st part of the Daily Kabbalah Lesson 12/19/10, “Introduction of The Book of Zohar,” Article “The Letters of Rabbi Amnon Saba”

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The Book of Zohar — Introduction: “Vision of Rabbi Hiya,” Item 51, Lesson 2
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Talmud Eser Sefirot 3, Part 8, Item 31, Lesson 18
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Baal HaSulam, “Beit Shaar HaKavanot,” Item 102
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Rav Yehuda Ashlag “Peace in the World,” Lesson 4
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“Introduction of The Book of Zohar,” Article “Hochma [wisdom], on which the World Stands,” Item 40: The one who is not mentioned, that hidden one who is not known, AA. Since the word Barah [created] is in Beresheet [the first word in the Torah] itself, who is it who created it? He says about it that it is that hidden one who is not known, Hochma Stimaa de AA, since he took Bina out of his Rosh and made her VAK, creating these six great upper edges, implied in Beresheet.

Bina is related to the head (Rosh) of the Partzuf. Besides, it represents Hafetz Hesed, which literally means one who desires mercy, that is, never feels any kind of lack. Mercy is always in abundance, and if you want it, please do receive it. There is no limit to it; nobody places any conditions or restrictions on you.

This is why Bina is regarded as “a free country,” “free desire.” It can be present anywhere without exception and can even supply Malchut, the egoistic desire, with its own properties. In that case, the egoistic will to receive begins to bestow and also moves to the rank of Hafetz Hesed. Therefore, Bina can serve as the means of Malchut’s correction, the transformation of souls.

Souls themselves cannot ascend to it, to the Rosh of the Partzuf. Desiring nothing for itself, Bina stays there in perfection. However, without any damage to itself, it can dwell outside of the Rosh, in the place of residence of the lower Partzufim, and supply its perfection to them.

Where they are miserable, where they suffer and are unable to fill themselves due to lack of corrections, where the Light cannot appear until the conditions of the First Restriction (Tzimtzum Aleph) are met, there, Bina provides them with the Light of Hassadim (Mercy), demonstrating to them how good it is to be in the property of Hesed.

And indeed, Bina has neither restrictions, nor problems; it doesn’t part with perfection even at the lowest rung. This is why “the father” (Hochma) who cannot appear anywhere brings “the mother” (Bina) out so that she may be where their children are suffering, and, in the first place, provide them with correction by way of mercy (Hassadim).

Then, they acquire perfection of bestowal; they are no longer bribed or enslaved by its desire of pleasure. Thus, they begin to contemplate not only bestowal in order to bestow, but even receiving in order to bestow. After all, they possess the desire to receive the Light of Hochma, and now, having backed themselves up by the property of Bina, they may awaken their desire.

But they may awaken it only in the degree of their ability to subordinate it to the rule of Bina. Thereby, Malchut gradually gets included into Bina. In other words, the souls’ desire to receive gets included into Bina’s desire to bestow, which the souls have acquired. In that case, they receive illumination of Hochma from below upward, by “screening” it in bestowal.

Thereby, souls keep correcting themselves up to the final correction (Gmar Tikkun). It is said: “Beresheet,” Barah Sheet, meaning [He] created the six great edges, VAK of illumination of Hochma. These are, indeed, great corrections on the path to the goal.
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From the 1st part of the Daily Kabbalah Lesson 12/20/10, “Introduction of The Book of Zohar,” Article “The Letters of Rabbi Amnon Saba”

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Question: What does the upper one feel when it reduces itself for the sake of the lower one? Does it suffer while doing so?

Answer: No, it doesn’t. On the contrary, it is willing to descend in order to assist the lower one. The upper one absorbs the lower one’s pains and that is its descent.

In our world, I get in the elevator and take a ride to the first floor. But in spirituality, I receive a totally different mind and another perception that suit the “lower floor.” This is what we call “change of place, change of luck.”

Any spiritual move implies changing the form: the change of the screen (Masach) and the change of desire. Therefore, by descending to the lower one, the upper one becomes similar to it. The upper one clothes in the lower one and appears as such, and only internally does it keep its true spiritual degree, a rung it can ascend to.

To reduce oneself in spirituality is very challenging. One has to be very strong to do this since you “corrupt” yourself by accepting a flaw, a great desire that attracts the Klipot (impure shells). It is justified only by the fact that you do it in order to save the lower one. The goal sanctifies your actions and gives you strength. Only after having prepared yourself and collected strength, are you fit for undertaking your mission.

Then, you descend and establish a connection with the lower one who is corrupted and soiled by egoism. So do you submerge yourself in this filth and corruption, which burden you with a great dab of darkness and forces of impurity? You do it solely to help the lower one.

Now, both of you are corrupted, but you, beside the external flaws, possess an inner storage of strength. Internally, you are corrected; therefore, by connecting with the lower one, you can elevate not only yourself, but the other as well.

Imagine you reduce yourself to the level of a drug addict whom you wish to save. You, too, start using drugs, join him, and live through him. Now, both of you suffer from drug addiction.

And then, you activate your forces, begin transforming him, pulling both of you out of the swamp. He is already linked in your desire, and now you elevate him to your level, where you repair that part of you which became his as well as him as part of yourself. This is a double correction that requires a double screen. Besides, his corruption is much more severe than yours.

So, it turns out that bestowal, dissemination, and correction of the lower ones are much more difficult than the correction of self. However, by doing so, you receive an opportunity to draw the Light through the lower one, which means to beget him, to manifest new perception in him.

It can be accomplished only if you draw from Infinity the new Light that fills all spiritual worlds. This new “dose” used to help the lower one is what delights the Infinity, the Creator. Thanks to this act, you merge with Him.
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From the 1st part of the Daily Kabbalah Lesson 12/20/10, “Introduction of The Book of Zohar,” Article “The Letters of Rabbi Amnon Saba”

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Question: Is it worth reading Kabbalistic texts in Hebrew even if I don’t understand it?

Answer: Here, above all, it’s important how a person gets inspired by the whole idea. Therefore, he or she should read the book in a language he understands. He should be with us emotionally, not grammatically.

Geometric forms of written letters exist only in our world. At a slightly higher, spiritual level, it’s not geometry anymore, but attributes which have nothing to do with the forms that we are seeing now. There, the outlines of letters appear in sensation. Therefore, if a person doesn’t know Hebrew, let him listen to a lesson in any language that would allow him to feel the essence, the idea.

In general, these letters don’t belong to the Hebrew language. They symbolize two forces, Hassadim (Mercy) and Hochma (Wisdom), reception and bestowal, interconnecting between themselves in one way or another.

A Hebrew letter (Ot, אות) is also a symbol. What we see is not the Hebrew letters, but geometric shapes that represent different interactions, combinations of the two properties.
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From the 1st part of the Daily Kabbalah Lesson 12/22/10, “Introduction of The Book of Zohar,” Article “The Letters of Rabbi Amnon Saba”

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The Book of Zohar — Introduction: “BeHibaraam (When They Were Created) – BeAvraham (In Abraham),” Item 45
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The Book of Zohar — Introduction: “Vision of Rabbi Hiya,” Item 48, Lesson 1
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Talmud Eser Sefirot 3, Part 8, Item 31, Lesson 17
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Baal HaSulam, “Beit Shaar HaKavanot,” Item 93
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Rav Yehuda Ashlag “Peace in the World,” Lesson 3
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