The Book of Zohar – Selections, Chapter “Hakdama, BeLaila De Kala (The Night of the Bride),” Item 149 and Article “Among All the Sages of the Nations of the World, There Are None Like You,” Item 161, Lesson 1
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The Book of Zohar — Selections, Chapter “Tzav (Command),” Item 98
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Baal HaSulam, “Beit Shaar HaKavanot,” Lesson 51
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Rav Yehuda Ashlag, “Body and Soul,” Lesson 2
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Question: If I read The Book of Zohar together with you over the Internet, not being present in the group physically, does it influence me?

Answer: Do you really think that you will extract greater benefit by sitting next to me in an embrace? Everything depends on the unity of hearts and not on distance. A person who is far away may be more anxious and worried, and that means he should stay exactly where he is.

The important thing is how responsible a person feels toward others when making his actions. We still have to improve many things, adding new depth and dimension to our intention every day. I don’t want to just restore a connection with others, but to be responsible for them. If I don’t think about and aspire to the goal, then they will also lose spiritual aspiration. This is bad even in the egoistic sense: When I am idle, this affects them and comes back to me as a negative response.

Besides, I am doing this for the sake of our mutual guarantee. Why do we need it? It’s in order to give pleasure to the Creator. By restoring our interconnection, we reveal the general quality of bestowal, the Creator inside it, and by so doing we give Him pleasure.

The quality of bestowal is not just love of friends; it is not limited by the relationships between us. It also contains the One who gave us that quality or desire. Inside our unity we discover one more layer – the basis or cause of the unity. This is the Creator, the primary cause of everything we think and perceive. That is why our intentions have to become more and more complex as they transform into a single aggregate that incorporates Israel, the Torah, and the Creator.

The first step toward this is to imagine the path toward the friends through five worlds. Once I reach them, I will attain Infinity. This is the picture we will gradually complete and color with new shades and strokes.
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From the 1st part of the Daily Kabbalah Lesson 11/23/10, The Zohar

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Question: What is the Light of correction? Where is it, and can we associate with it?

Answer: We exist in a perfect reality that was created by the Creator, but it appears to be different in relation to us. There is everything we want in the true reality: Infinity, Light, perfection, eternity, and the Creator. Here, in this world, we see a completely different reality: darkness, evil, and egoism.

One reality is separated from the other by the ladder of 125 steps where I am to change my nature. The difference is that here, we all only perceive this world and exist in darkness, suffering, and egoism. However, in order to exist in the true reality, I need to attain the intention “for the sake of bestowal,” love instead of hatred.

As long as I exist in the nature of this world, I do not have a chance of escaping into the spiritual world. It is a completely different dimension that I cannot leap to. However, there is a “wonderful force” (Segula) that can help me.

Everyone is connected in the spiritual world, while in this world, everyone is separated. Love is there, hatred is here. Bestowal, Light, and good is there; egoism, darkness, and evil is here. In other words, everything is reversed, as it is written, “I saw a reverse world.”

We would be completely hopeless if not for one detail which, thankfully, is not opposite. It is given to us as the end of a rope to grab onto and draw closer to it. Each one of us, separated in this world, is given a spiritual spark, “the point in the heart.” This is the end of the rope that descends from the spiritual world. It stretches to every one of us from that perfect state where I exist in harmony and absolute comfort.

However, this is merely a point, and I do not know what I am to do with it. I just feel that I belong to something higher. Besides, I was given a book called The Zohar. The actual book is in this world, but there is also a “book” in the spiritual space, which stands for revelation, Light. The title itself, The Zohar, stands for the Upper radiance.

This means that you want to return to the Upper World, to your root, while being in your physical world together with a book that was printed somewhere in China. This point is pulling you!

Now you need to try to unite with others like you, separated from one another. As you read The Zohar together, strive toward the Light so it would influence all of you and make you like it.

That is it. The rest does not depend on you. These properties, both evil and hatred, are given. On your own, you will not be able to do anything with them. You only have two means in relation to the spiritual world: the group and the book.

When you use them, you attract an enormous Light from the spiritual world, which influences you. It is that Light that is called The Zohar (radiance) or the Surrounding Light that Reforms. This is what changes you. The Light works on you and moves you back toward your root.
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From the 4th part of the Daily Kabbalah Lesson 11/18/10, “The Essence of Religion and Its Purpose”

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The Book of Zohar – Selections, Chapter “Hakdama, BeLaila De Kala (The Night of the Bride),” Item 142
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The Book of Zohar — Selections, Chapter “Tzav (Command),” Item 84
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Baal HaSulam, “Beit Shaar HaKavanot,” Lesson 49
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Rav Yehuda Ashlag, “Body and Soul,” Lesson 1
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The Zohar, “Introduction of The Zohar,” Chapter “BeLaila De Kala (Night of the Bride),” Item 135: On the fifteenth of Nissan, David sent a proclamation through all of Israel to go to war. They were with Yoav on the seventh of Sivan, and went and destroyed the land of the children of Amon. They were detained there through Sivan, Tamuz, Av, and Elul, and what happened with Bat Sheba was on the twenty-fourth of Elul. And on Yom Kippur [Day of Atonement], the Creator forgave his iniquity.

Of course, we are not dealing with dates here, but with spiritual degrees. The annual cycle is divided into 12 months, in accordance with the four stages of HaVaYaH multiplied by the three lines. The four seasons, the order of months, and holidays are determined by the mutual inclusion of the Lights of Hochma (Wisdom) and Hassadim (Mercy).

The Jewish calendar is based on the cycles of both the sun and the moon. The sun calendar is the part that pertains to Zeir Anpin, and the lunar months are the part that pertains to Malchut.

These are descriptions of spiritual corrections, depending on the kind of forces and influences are at play. Either Malchut influences Zeir Anpin, or Zeir Anpin influences Malchut. As a result of the correct connection that they build between them, they ascend and attach to Bina, to their supernal mother, who corrects them.

Accordingly, all dates in the lunar cycle have their own spiritual meanings. Every month begins with a new moon and ends before the next new moon. This concerns the thirty Sefirot of HaBaD–HaGaT–NHY, each including the three lines. The states of this system may be subdivided and systematized by its particular Sefirot down to “hours,” “minutes,” and “seconds.”

This would clarify what specific corrections Bat Sheba had undergone with David and Uriah, and why they had fallen on those “dates.”
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From the 1st part of the Daily Kabbalah Lesson 11/18/10, “Hakdama, BeLaila De Kala (The Night of the Bride)”

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The Book of Zohar tells us about the correction of Malchut. Malchut is the collective Kli, the will to receive pleasure (the desire) made by the Creator. On the other hand, He created it through a series of special actions in order to give this desire a special form which will later allow it to prepare itself to receive the entire Light of Infinity.

This is why we talk solely about the correction of Malchut or desire. The process is divided into several stages: conception (Ibur), nurturing (Yenika), and adulthood (Mochin). All these states become corrected by way of unification of Malchut and Bina. Their correct combination is regarded as “Malchut of David.” The correct approach lies in our correction of Malchut only in the degree that we are able to include it into Bina.

In the article “The Night of the Bride,” The Zohar colorfully describes how King David fell in love with Bat Sheva. She was once the wife of Uriah, David’s commander, and David intentionally sent him to die in the battlefield so that he could marry Bat Sheva, not even waiting for the news of her husband.

This story narrated by the prophet Samuel seems surprisingly appalling, although today such behavior is quite common. How could that happen?

Obviously, the story is allegorical. “David” is Malchut that is able to be corrected, but in the male aspect, by means of a screen and the Reflected Light, that is, intention. “Bat Sheva” is the part of the collective Malchut that at the moment is fit for correction. If she is corrected by means of the Light of Hassidim (Mercy), it may belong to David.

The sequence of actions is as follows: First, the Light of AB-SAG exposes a given part of Malchut, and then the Light of Hassidim fills it. The preliminary stages where Malchut is analyzed and filled with the Light of Hassidim is the work of Uriah. His name (אוריה) expands into: אורי"ה, which signifies the Light of the first half of HaVaYaH that has no relation to the second half, to the receiving Kelim of David.

Only after this can Malchut be corrected to receiving in order to bestow, and at that point it becomes “David’s work.”
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From the 1st part of the Daily Kabbalah Lesson 11/18/10, “Hakdama, BeLaila De Kala (The Night of the Bride)”

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The wisdom of Kabbalah is given to us to correct our state. Having descended from the World of Infinity (Ein Sof) into the corporeal world, we can ascend back up into the World of Infinity by using the method of Kabbalah. When can we do so? As soon as we use it as it was intended.

In Infinity, we all are linked together, as one man with one heart. We are bonded in the hearts, regardless of the bodies. The “hearts” should be viewed as desires, intentions, and even thoughts. After all, thought is designated to amplify and sort desire; it is intended as a tool for working on desire.

Hence, it is not said: “As one man with one heart and one mind” but rather, just “one heart” for it is enough. We have to link our desires to become as one. What kind of desires? The desires aimed at the purpose of creation. They are the ones we must link together. They expand from Infinity so that we may unify and correct them.

Our entire problem has been caused by the breaking of the Kelim (vessels) and separation, the distancing of these desires or sparks from each other. Thereby, correction is their moving closer to each other and achieving total adhesion. It is implemented by way of our efforts when we desire to unite while reading the authentic primary sources, the works written by Kabbalists who were in attainment of oneness and correction.

With this intention, we should turn to The Book of Zohar.
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From the 1st part of the Daily Kabbalah Lesson 11/18/10, “Hakdama, BeLaila De Kala (The Night of the Bride)”

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Question: What is meant by “prohibitory commandments” and “positive commandments” which are described in The Zohar, and what is the difference in their correction?

Answer: “Prohibitory commandments” means “do not do,” meaning that you need to refrain from using your specific desire to receive pleasure. We are talking about an egoistic desire which a person strives to use in order to receive the pleasure that stands opposite to this desire. And if there is no pleasure against the desire, I do not feel this desire although it exists in me.

However, we are talking about the desires that awaken in us, against which there are Lights that bring pleasures. We need to somehow refrain from using these desires, separate or “freeze” them. This is called “prohibitory commandments.”

I need to activate many forces for this. But what forces? Not using a desire does not mean that I hold myself back. In the material world I wish to use a desire, but I slap my own hands so that I don’t touch it. However, I cannot do this in the spiritual world. In order not to use my desire, I need to place a higher value and significance against it.

After all, in the spiritual world, a transgression is determined based upon whether I wish to use the desire or not. I need to reach a state where I have a desire, and according to the desire I would like to use it. However, according to the significance and to the system of values, I don’t want it since I don’t bring pleasure to the Creator through it; on the contrary, I become more distant from Him.

It turns out that I have a desire, and against it the correction. I need to work on this correction instead of just holding myself back and not using a desire, like in this world. I need to work on the desire itself so that there will be a screen over it, meaning the significance of the fact that I do not work with it on the level of the desire.

Therefore, our whole work on the desires consists of the system of values: how important the Creator and the goal are in my eyes, how important it is to be similar to Him in qualities. Then I can refrain from using the desires, and this is “prohibitory commandments.”

This is great work on each desire: to develop significance against it in order not to use it. Then the importance of the Creator in my eyes exceeds the use of the desire and withstands it. This is called “prohibitory commandments.”

Then there is a more advanced stage when I can use the desires in order to bring pleasure to the Creator. I take these desires and reveal them. I already have several screens on them as well as a restriction not to work with them. I have a screen of bestowal for the sake of bestowal and a screen of receiving for the sake of bestowal.

Then I work with these desires in order to bring pleasure to the Creator. This is called “positive commandments.”
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From the 2nd part of the Daily Kabbalah Lesson 11/18/10, The Zohar

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The Book of Zohar – Selections, Chapter “Hakdama, BeLaila De Kala (The Night of the Bride),” Item 138
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The Book of Zohar — Selections, Chapter “Tzav (Command),” Item 62
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Baal HaSulam, “Beit Shaar HaKavanot,” Lesson 48
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Rav Yehuda Ashlag, “The Essence of Religion and Its Purpose,” Lesson 7
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The Zohar, “Introduction of The Zohar,” Chapter “BeLaila De Kala (Night of the Bride),” Item 130: “The correction of Yesod is Brit Milah (circumcision). Hence, it is said that the existence of the covenant is called “the work of our hands,” for we separate the Orlah (foreskin) from Yesod through the work of our hands. But this only concerns the period up to the end of correction.”

Until the end of correction (Gmar Tikkun) we operate within the ten Sefirot of our soul. First of all, we must cut Malchut off, meaning to exclude from operation the desire that cannot be corrected. Moreover, we cut desires until Yesod, and we only work with those Kelim that lay above it, to the extent of our ability to incorporate them into Bina.

This is the “union of circumcision”: We deactivate the desires that cannot be used until Gmar Tikkun. They will only be corrected at the end of correction. But we can receive Light for the sake of bestowal in all the other Kelim (vessels) from Keter to Yesod.

…as it is said: “From my flesh I shall see the Creator.” Specifically “from my flesh,” because every time man signs the covenant of this union, he sees the Creator there.

“From my flesh” means from the receiving Kelim. The bestowing Kelim are located above, until the middle of Tifferet, and the receiving Kelim that are called “flesh” and “skin” are located under them.

It is only possible to see the Creator, that is the Light of Hochma (Wisdom), in the receiving Kelim, but only on the level of the “flesh” (Basar). We do not even touch the “skin.” In other words, we stop at the third stage (flesh, meat, or Behina Gimel), and we do not engage the fourth stage (skin, Behina Dalet).

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From the 1st part of the Daily Kabbalah Lesson 11/17/10, “Hakdama, Laila de Kale (The Night of the Bride)”

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