Weekly Torah Portion – 08.06.10
Posted on August 6th, 2010
Shamati #8 “What is the Difference Between a Shade of Kedusha and a Shade of Sitra Achra?”
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The Book of Zohar – Selections, Chapter “Lech-Lecha (Go Forth),” Item 373
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“Preface to the Wisdom of Kabbalah” Item 70
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Rav Yehuda Ashlag, Article “The Teaching of the Kabbalah and Its Essence”
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Rabash, Shlavei HaSulam, “The Matter of the Argument Between Yaakov and Lavan”
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The Book of Zohar – Selections, Chapter “Lech-Lecha (Go Forth),” Item 346
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Rav Yehuda Ashlag, Talmud Eser Sefirot, Vol. 6, Part 15, Item 134, Lesson 8
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Rav Yehuda Ashlag, “Introduction to the Book, Panim Meirot uMasbirot,” Item 8, Lesson 8
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Question: Can we say that the flow of the words in The Zohar changes the strength and the direction of the forces that bind us together?
Answer: We do not know how it works. Something about it is still deeply hidden from us. The Book is written in a language that seemingly allows us to discern quite logical things in it, relate to them, and somehow picture ourselves in them or them in us. There is a certain interaction between me and the book, a connection and understanding that the Book talks about me and I am inside of it.
But this is a completely false sensation. It is simply the form in which the story is presented to us, the story that is extremely distant, unfamiliar, and foreign to us. It is like some beast that acquired a human form, talked to us, and we could only grasp its outer form: its arms, legs, or head. But it is absolutely not the case.
Consequently, we need to relate to The Zohar as to the Book that contains a certain secret code, a sequence of spiritual instructions. I do not know how they are written from the inside and cannot come into contact with them. In order to establish at least some sort of connection with these spiritual instructions, I read The Zohar. However, the connection emerges not by my hearing or reading the text; rather, it is built to the measure of my desire to unite with this inner code so that it could transform me.
The Book can be written in a variety of forms, and I may not understand a single word of it. What counts is my desire for the inner content of the Book to correct me. Its inner content is the spiritual world with its entire apparatus, actions, and forces, not the paper and print within the cover.
From the 2nd part of the Daily Kabbalah Lesson 8/4/10, The Zohar
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In order to ascend to a next degree, we should act by “faith above reason.” “Faith” means that our “head” (Rosh) is in the Upper One. The Upper One tells us what to do, and we do as we are told: Unite with the friends and study. We know that we do not love anyone and do not want to unite with anyone, but we are told: “Do it mechanically, and do not fool yourselves. You do not want to unite; your heart is against it. The Pharaoh, the will to receive pleasure, the evil inclination, rules you with all its might. Hate is inside of you, and the game of ‘love,’ a lie is on the outside.”
This is done on purpose. It is necessary because the Upper degree which we are now enacting is a lie to us; we are not yet connected with it. However, we have to act it out until it becomes the truth. This is done by the Light that we draw through the “silly” act of “we shall do,” and, as a result, we “will hear,” will attain “Lishma” (Bina), the spiritual level of “hearing.”
This is the most intelligent action that allows us to grow. Without it, neither plants, nor beasts, nor humans evolve. We advance only when we annul ourselves before the Upper One, the higher spiritual degree. We simply imitate whatever we are able to, as much as possible, without the mind’s participation for we do not yet comprehend or perceive what is occurring at a higher spiritual degree. The sages say: “Whatever is in your power, do it” and “I have labored and found.” You put forth effort and find a “treasure” that you did not expect or imagine you would obtain.
This is the sole basis of growth. There is no other way to ascend from one spiritual degree to another. I have to annul myself before the Upper One and tell myself that my “head” (Rosh) serves only one purpose: to recognize the actions of the Upper One and copy them with my “body” (Guf). Just that! I don’t use my “head” for my “body.” I use my “head” solely to connect with the Upper One and repeat his actions as my own.
Our world operates according to the same principle. In every element of nature where there is growth and evolution this law presides, even in the vegetative and animate levels of nature. A living cell that desires to grow matches itself with the more advanced cell, and thereby evolves. This is called “acting” because the higher spiritual state has not clothed in me as “Mochin,” and I move forward by the mind of the Upper One, as in a game. I do it just like a child who is playing a “grown-up” and because of this becomes one.
This is an iron law in all spiritual degrees. Only by abiding by this law can we ascend the spiritual degrees. This law governs both the material and spiritual worlds.
[18500]
From the 2nd part of the Daily Kabbalah Lesson 8/3/10, The Zohar
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The Zohar, Chapter “Lech Lecha (Go Forth),” Item 315: “Bless the Lord, you His angels… upon hearing the voice of His word.”
A person is called an angel when he performs actions automatically, without using his mind. He doesn’t have his own head (Rosh) and does what he is told. He carries out what someone else thinks. This state is called “angel” since an angel is a force that acts without any discernment.
Hence, in the instruction of “we shall do and we shall hear,” we carry out “we shall do” as angels. This is why it is written: “…His angels…upon hearing the voice of His word.” We too shall act and then we shall hear. Acting without inner agreement or a clear understanding of the reason and purpose of our deed (since they are the attributes of a higher state), we merit a higher degree.
As a matter of fact, this is the most natural way to act. It is similar to a child who while playing an unfamiliar game repeats the words of a grown-up even though he does not understand the meaning. We can say any nonsense, and the child will repeat it seriously. If we perform an action, he will copy it with total willingness and passion. This is how a child learns. A “small one” doesn’t possess a mind (Rosh, the head of the Partzuf); a mind is the attribute of a “big one.” A “small one” has only a body (Guf of the Partzuf) to carry out the tasks.
However, when the lower one follows the Upper One and annuls himself before him, then he acquires the mind of the Upper One and becomes similar to him. This is the essence of “we shall do, and we shall hear.”
From the 2nd part of the Daily Kabbalah Lesson 8/3/10, The Zohar
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Rabash, Shlavei HaSulam, “And It Shall Be When the Lord Came to the Land, Which the Lord Giveth Thee”
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The Book of Zohar – Selections, Chapter “Lech-Lecha (Go Forth),” Item 330
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Rav Yehuda Ashlag, Talmud Eser Sefirot, Vol. 6, Part 15, Item 13, Lesson 7
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Rav Yehuda Ashlag, “Introduction to the Book, Panim Meirot uMasbirot,” Item 7, Lesson 7
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Question: It is written that a person who studies Kabbalah must free up a place in his heart. What is this referring to, a method of inner work?
Answer: While studying The Zohar we must be concerned with freeing up a place in our heart where the Light that Reforms will begin to work. I have to prepare the material on which the Light will do its work. What inside me is bad right now and needs to be returned to the source, to goodness?
I have to prepare an empty place for the Light, the area of the breaking, evil, so the Light will turn all of this to goodness. Therefore, I must first discern: Where is this area of evil inside me and what does it mean? And what does it mean that it will be turned to goodness? This state has to correspond to the action of the Light since otherwise the Light will not do it.
If my desires, intentions, and expectations do not correspond to what the Light does, then it will not influence me. It will only influence me in response to my true desire, the correct plea. Therefore, I have to feel in what regard I am bad (in my opinion) and change my notion of evil in order to make it the same as the Creator’s (the Light’s) notion of it. To the Creator, evil is an egoistic action where you think at the expense of your neighbor and hate others. You have to desire for the Light to correct you and make you bestow, feel love for your neighbor, and a connection with others.
If I define my current state as bad and discern which state I consider good, and the transition from one to the other precisely corresponds to whatever the Light has to do, then the Light will do it. However, if I still don’t have a very good understanding of what is evil and what is good, and what kind of change the Light has to perform in me, then it won’t do anything!
I have to obligate the Light to do this! I have to desire this transition so much that I will enact the verse, “My sons have defeated me!” I have to force Him to correct me. I have to tell Him, “You have to do this! You promised it to me!” My desire must hit the target exactly.
This is the clarification we must be making during the study and before it, during the preparation. Then the correction will happen very quickly.
From the 2nd part of the Daily Kabbalah Lesson 8/3/10, The Zohar
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Question: It often happens that I understand a lot during the lesson, but later I forget everything I thought about and understood. Is this the right way to advance?
Answer: Forgetfulness is actually the best quality a person has. Otherwise he would not be able to change his states. If one’s desire changes, then the mind serving the desire changes as well.
Memory acts mechanically and belongs only to the desire corresponding to it. Since our task is to change our desire from reception to bestowal, our memory must be cleansed in order to start serving the new qualities and desires.
Therefore, don’t worry about remembering the material you study! You should only worry about feeling it and increasing your desire to bestow. Is your desire becoming more sensitive and uniting with others? Do you understand that you do not want to unite with others? You should care only about the sensations!
Don’t worry, the mind will always develop alongside the sensation. The mind forms in order to serve the feelings. That is how we are built by nature. That is why it is written that “people do not study with the mind.” Kabbalah is not attained through the mind or by having more knowledge. There are no exams that will test who remembered or understood the most. It is the heart that understands.
If a person forgets what he heard at the lesson, does not understand it, and feels that the material disappears to the extent he advances (“I studied so much and heard about it a thousand times, and I still don’t understand it!”), then this is a sign that he is advancing correctly. It means he is demanding a change and correction of his desire, rather than trying to fulfill himself with knowledge in a purely mechanical fashion.
That is why a person must be very careful about what he demands from the study and which changes he wants to see happening within him. Perhaps he wants to become smarter and understand more, which is called “reasoning more than doing”? In that case he acquires more knowledge than correction (because action is correction), and that would be a grave mistake.
From the 2nd part of the Daily Kabbalah Lesson 8/3/10, The Zohar
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The Zohar is the main book in the wisdom of Kabbalah. It is written that there is no book more magical, secret, concealed, magnetic, or incomprehensible than The Zohar. This is truly so.
The Book of Zohar is revealed in two stages. First of all, I need to form the right outlook on the book, meaning to correct myself, the reader. In order to read The Zohar, instead of regular “glasses,” I need completely different ones which allow me to recognize the spiritual phenomena within this book. Therefore I must first acquire spiritual organs of perception (Kelim). Then the book will be revealed to me and it will truly be the “Zohar” (Illumination) which the authors of this book revealed and described 18 centuries ago.
Kabbalists attain the Upper Light that created a desire to enjoy and that gave it the force “to receive” (pleasure). Then the Light gave it the intention to act “for the sake of bestowal,” and afterward “broke” this desire, turning it into an egoistic intention. In this manner the desire to enjoy became a desire to receive for its own sake. And now from our world, we gradually correct this desire to enjoy so that it becomes a desire to bestow, and thereby reach correction.
All these phenomena (the descent from Above downward, meaning the corruption of the desire and the intention, and their subsequent correction) are carried out by the Light since there is none else besides Him. All the changes, everything that happens within the desire to enjoy, are done by the Light. There is no one else who performs any action. And all the actions of the Light are above matter, which is the desire to enjoy. Prior to the Light’s influence on it, the desire to enjoy is merely formless matter. The Light decides what to turn it into and what form to give it, as it is written, “The Light moves the desires.”
Therefore, if we wish to change, we need to draw the Upper Light onto ourselves. This is why we read The Book of Zohar with one intention: for the Light to come since it is the force that will change me. By reading The Book of Zohar I demand my correction. This is the right attitude toward the Book.
From the 2nd part of the Daily Kabbalah Lesson 7/30/10, The Zohar
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