A Question I Received: When I read The Zohar, my mind keeps seeing superficial images. How can I remember that all these things are happening inside me as the text speaks about connections between us?

My Answer: To tell you the truth, it doesn’t matter. "Time does what the mind does not." The time is for studying and growing closer with the friends. When, during the lesson, a person isn’t able to think (with his head) about the goal (with his heart), let him listen to his heart.

Most important is to constantly hold on to the thought of what you want from the study. Torah does not have an affect without this. The Torah influences according to one’s intention. As it is written, "I created the evil inclination and gave the Torah as a spice." Do you have an evil inclination? Bring it and then you’ll receive the Torah as a spice to it (the means for its correction).

However, how does having this spice help you if you lack the evil inclination? Kabbalists give us simple examples. Do you have soup? Would you like to add pepper, salt, and all kinds of seasoning? Go ahead, but how will you benefit from having salt and pepper if you don’t have the soup? By themselves, salt and pepper taste disgusting.

In our case we first need to prepare the "soup." Without it, there’s no need to ask for seasoning; we wouldn’t even be able to ask for it. It’s during the process of making the soup (in the group) that the need for seasoning arises (for the Light to unite us). Only those who need Torah have (discovered) the evil inclination.

This is why we need to approach the reading of The Zohar and all our lessons with the proper intention, with  knowing exactly what we desire, or, in other words, with a prepared evil nature. With the evil revealed in you, you have something to correct; you will receive correction for it. If you haven’t discovered the evil within, you first need to look for it. If you feel righteous, the Torah is not for you; it is for the sinners for their correction. This is why the one who is greater than the others is the one who discovers a bigger egoism within, a greater evil, and he has something to correct.

Thus, it doesn’t matter how much one understands during the lesson. "It’s not the wise who studies" (Lo ha-Hacham Lomed). What matters is feeling that one has something to correct in the connection with his friends.

We need to unite into one desire, the soul of Adam, and we must become brothers in our goal. Even though we now hate one another, don’t want the others, and disdain them, we understand that unity is the goal. This is why we wait for the Light to come and bring us back to the source where we will become one complete desire, and the Creator will become revealed among us.

From the 1st part of the Daily Kabbalah Lesson 5/17/10, The Zohar

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Preparation to the Lesson, Shamati #224 “Yesod de Nukva and Yesod Dechura”
The science of Kabbalah explains to us the correct union between the male and the female parts of the creation.
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The Book of Zohar – Selections, Chapter “VaYikra (The Lord Called),” Item 105
The evil inclination is revealed within a person in relation to the Creator. A person is happy to receive this revelation because it connects him to the goal and allows his to advance toward it.
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Rav Yehuda Ashlag “Preface to Sulam Commentary,” Item 12, Lesson 4
In accordance with his advancement a person reveals the entire depth of desire and opposite of it is the powerful and vast Light.
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Rabash, Article 17 “The Purpose of the Association 2,” 1984
The group is a great inner force that allows working together, correcting the egoistic desire on the way to bestowal.
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The Zohar, Chapter “VaYikra (The Lord Called),” Item 80: When he reached her, he saw that she was lying in the dust. Who saw the glory of the queen at that time, and the king’s requests of her? Finally, the king held her in his arms, raised her, and brought her to his palace. And he swore to her that he would never part from her again and will never be far from her.

Every time the breaking is greater and the exiles are more real. The last exile can not even be compared to the one before. This is because the difference between them is in the revelation of evil in the thickness of the egoistic desire (Aviut) on the level of Aleph (Ego-1), Bet (Ego-2), Gimel (Ego-3), and Dalet (Ego-4).

Ego-4 was revealed during the last exile while all the previous exiles were merely preparation for this one. After all, it is Ego-4 that needs to be corrected. All the other exiles (as well as all the other levels of the ego) do not exist on their own, just like the still, vegetative, and animate levels have to exist for the sole purpose of engendering the human kind, Ego-4.

Similarly, the fourth level of the development of desire, Malchut, cannot become revealed without the levels 0, 1, 2, and 3. But it is specifically Malchut on level 4 which is the goal; all the corrections happen in it.

This is why this last exile is special, it corresponds to the “human” level within the desire to receive pleasure. It is precisely in it that the needs, aspirations, desires, and the Creator’s goals regarding all the creatures (including levels 0,1,2 and 3), what He desires of them, become revealed.

Likewise, this fourth and last exile in its turn is divided into subcategories: still, vegetative, animate, and human. It began almost 2,000 years ago, but it is only now that we are entering the fourth, human level of the fourth exile. Now is when we reveal the lack of fulfillment on the human level. We witness depression, breakdown of the family unit, crisis in education, and all that relates to the “human” level. Hunger (animate level) is no longer the main problem. Now the main issue is the inner problems of the human level which did not exist in previous states.

This is why the King sent the queen into a long exile somewhere far away. On the other hand, He needs to give her the opportunity to come out of this descent, to ensure that this exit is towards a connection with Him, on a human level. Thus, He must gradually unveil this broken state and reveal Himself in it. The queen lies in dust, while the King must reveal Himself to her in this precise state.

From the 1st part of the Daily Kabbalah Lesson 5/16/10, The Zohar

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A question I received: In Kabbalah, advancement depends on the intention and desire to learn the material. Is it possible to study a new language by building the right intention? Suppose I want to learn Spanish. I don’t understand it, but I want a textbook to influence me. I apply effort and maintain my desire to gain knowledge of it. Will I learn Spanish this way? Or does this method apply solely to Kabbalistic books, such as The Zohar?

My Answer: The Zohar doesn’t need your understanding, meaning that you don’t have to comprehend it to become a Kabbalist. You won’t really understand anything until you actually become a Kabbalist; whatever The Zohar describes will be concealed from you.

You read The Zohar only to attract the Upper Light. When the Upper Light begins influencing you and raises you to a new level, then you will obtain a vision of what you read. Only then will you understand it. Until the Upper Light elevates you, The Zohar will remain a mystery for you.

Question cont’d: So I won’t learn Spanish without understanding it? In other words, I can’t put a Spanish textbook in front of me and wait until it influences me. It won’t happen.

My Answer: No, a Spanish textbook won’t influence you, but The Zohar will. When it comes to The Zohar, it doesn’t depend on knowledge, but solely on the impact of the Upper Light on you.

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The Zohar, Chapter “VaYikra (The Lord Called),” Item 87: Since the Torah came out of Bina, the first tables were written from Bina, when it writes, “Harut [Engraved] on the tables,” do not read it, Harut [engraved], with a Kamatz, but rather Herut [freedom], with a Tzereh. It is actual freedom since it is the place upon which all the freedom depends, for there is no freedom from all the Klipot unless through the lights of Bina. Also, there is nothing in the Torah that is divided or that does not go into one place, Malchut, or does not gather into one wellspring, which is Yesod.

We are the matter of creation, the will to enjoy, the will to fulfill ourselves. This desire is only able to receive. If the intention over this desire is “to receive for one’s own sake,” then we call this intention (but not the desire) “evil.”

Desire is matter which does not change. It cannot be deemed good or bad. Only the intention determines whether the desire is good or bad. And therein lies our freedom of choice.

We don’t have freedom of choice about our desires on the still, vegetative, and animate levels. We cannot change anything about those desires. This fact is also confirmed by all the scientific research. The only change we can possibly make is on the human level; we can change the intention above the desire.

The desire itself was created by the Creator and was given to us in an unchanging form. The intention above the desire that we were initially given is egoistic, “for our own sake.” We have to realize that this intention is evil because it is aimed against unity, against bestowal to one’s neighbor, and against bestowal to the Creator.

However, our intention can be made opposite, “for the sake of others,” for the sake of bestowal. Then it is called, “the good inclination.” Thus, the good inclination and the evil inclination, or good and evil, are defined according to one’s intention. However, the “inclination” itself, the desire, is unchangeable. Everything is defined by the intention on the human level. The intention to become similar to the Creator is called good, and the opposite intention is called evil. The expression of the intention takes place through unity or through separation from others.

Therefore, out of all my intentions, I have to choose only the ones that give me freedom of choice: the freedom to unite with others through a shared intention for mutual bestowal. And we thereby become equal to the Creator.

This is our only chance to choose good or evil, whether in relation to our egoism or in relation to what the Creator places before us. Therefore, if we wish to correct ourselves, it can only be done by Bina, the upper quality of bestowal. When Bina comes to the will to enjoy, it transforms its evil quality into a good quality. That is to say, it changes the intention of reception to the intention of bestowal.

From the 1st part of the Daily Kabbalah Lesson 5/17/10, The Zohar

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Preparation to the Lesson, Shamati #214 “Known in the Gates”
All spiritual work is conducted in the group. The group’s unity creates a Kli-a vessel for the revelation of the Creator.
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The Book of Zohar – Selections, Chapter “VaYikra (The Lord Called),” Item 85
The correction of the soul is the correction of its connection with other souls.
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Rav Yehuda Ashlag “Preface to Sulam Commentary,” Item 5, Lesson 2
In our world light can be detected only if it hits an object. Similarly, the spiritual Light becomes revealed with the help of a screen.
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Writings of Rabash, Shlavey HaSulam, Article 18 “What is the Preparation for Receiving the Torah,” 1987
With the help of Kabbalah we can exit the ordinary existence and enter the spiritual, which is perfect in every way.
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Letters are qualities which our desire accepts under the influence of the Light that Reforms. The Creator has created matter, meaning our desire to receive pleasure. Under the influence of the Light, this desire takes different forms or qualities similar to the Light.

On its own, matter is the desire to receive pleasure, the desire for fulfillment. But with the help of the Light, it acquires higher forms that are opposite to its nature, the qualities of love and bestowal. We refer to these qualities as forms because they emanate from the desire and project to the outside. The desire acquires an external form that can be recognized. If it was simply matter, I wouldn’t be able to perceive it. I recognize it because it has a certain form like a circle, square, or rectangle. I wouldn’t recognize it without a form.

The Light influences the desire to receive pleasure by creating different "protuberances and cavities" in it, thereby enabling it to distinguish itself through the qualities of bestowal which initially do not exist in the desire. These qualities are built over the desire, as if they were beginning to emerge from it. This is why we refer to these qualities as forms. What does a "form" mean? Matter which in a way has become similar to the Light is called the form of matter.

In total there are 27 of these forms: 22 letters from "Aleph" to "Tav" and 5 ending forms, MaNTZePaCH. Why is this so? This is because there are 22 forms of bestowal that emanate from ZAT de Bina (parts of Bina that influence us): 9 from Bina, 9 from Zeir Anpin and 4 from Malchut, as well as 5 end forms (forms of limitations).

This is why we have 27 forms that our matter accepts under the influence of the Light. For this reason we can use these 27 forms in order to explain what the Creator is doing to us, what He wants from us, and how we can become like Him in the 27 forms which we acquire under the Light’s influence on our world. But so far our matter completely lacks form; it is nothing but a mount of desires.

From the Evening Zohar Lesson 5/13/10

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The Zohar seemingly tells us a simple story. It describes the same things over and again, but from different levels and degrees, and in various terms and situations. We can’t help but wonder: “Why does it come back to the same thing all the time? How much can we read about the same thing?”

However, we should understand that if a person goes through these states while reading The Zohar, then it is not the same thing at all. He experiences a new adventure each time. It may be described in the same words, but that is because there is nothing in reality except ten Sefirot and three lines, meaning the four letters of HaVaYaH, multiplied by the three lines, which equal twelve parts.

If the desire and the screen change in us, then new qualities are constantly revealed, such as sounds, smells, and tastes. From beginning to end, the picture changes every time, and we experience new impressions and sensations every day.

Therefore, although we may wonder how many times it can be repeated (and the text of The Zohar is merely five percent of what originally existed), every page and every word is a completely unique experience for those with spiritual attainment. Let’s hope each of us will be able to feel The Zohar in this manner.

From the Evening Zohar Lesson 5/13/10

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Regular science is already coming closer to a worldview akin to spirituality. Everything in science is unifying and erasing all boundaries, generating such phenomena as chemical physics and physical chemistry. Scientists continue to discover new forces, as though delving deeper into the picture of the world with a microscope and revealing new elements in it. However, all of these elements belong to one common source.

In essence, each and every form of matter – positive, negative, and neutral elementary particles – expresses different forms of the same idea or force. However, for the time being we are unable to see nature "in the middle line," and we constantly perceive it "from the right" or "from the left."  It seems to us that nothing exists in the middle, as if zero, while in truth there cannot be zero. Consequently, science will come to the eventual conclusion that matter should be examined from above down, rather than from below upward, that is, from matter itself.

This is what happens with Kabbalah studies. A person works hard on examining his or her material, which is the desire to receive pleasure. He tries to fill it somehow, but as a result, comes to a complete breaking and reveals that it is impossible to do anything with oneself. Then a person turns to the Upper degree and asks it to be revealed, wishing to receive the same form as the Upper in order to reveal one’s lower degree.

Modern science is coming closer to revealing the fact that unless we, the observers, raise ourselves to a higher degree, there will be no understanding of our present degree. The science of Kabbalah addresses this problem at the outset. Kabbalah explains that if a person remains on the same degree, one will be unable to reveal a thing. It teaches: "Rise higher, and there you will attain the force that controls you; it is the same force that built and now leads you through all the states you are experiencing.”

Hence, although science has not yet reached its final stage of development (it is only coming closer to this), it will eventually reveal that we have to rise to a higher degree in order to understand something in ourselves. All of reality is contained within our desire, so will we really benefit by revealing thousands of additional phenomena in it or discovering more elementary particles in quantum physics?  It is impossible to unite all of the parts together without understanding the Force that controls everything. This constitutes the entire problem in attaining the higher degree, which moves our whole reality.

Kabbalah, on the other hand, places the goal of attaining the Creator, the Upper degree, before a person immediately. Moreover, it is a completely scientific approach since while remaining submerged in our material we cannot attain this material; we need to rise to the level of forces.

From the Evening Zohar Lesson 5/13/10

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The Zohar, Chapter “VaYikra (The Lord Called),” Item 20: And one appointee was established on the gate from the outside, and his name is Gazriel. With him, there are twelve appointees surrounding him—three, three to each side, on four sides. The [lower] general Merkava is twelve—Michael, Gabriel, Uriel, Raphael—in each of which are three lines, HGT, which are twelve. Individually, each contains twelve.

In spirituality, every creation consists of twelve parts. Every element including the smallest and the entire spiritual reality, has the same structure and the same properties. If we carved out even a tiny portion, it would contain all the properties of the whole structure. Therefore, there is no difference between the general and the particular in spirituality, contrary to our world where parts are added together to form the whole.

In the spiritual world, quality rather than quantity is important; the whole is not created as a sum of its parts. Rather, every part is already the general; however, it is revealed at the qualitatively new degree. The spiritual reality is revealed only in a person’s attainment, within one’s desire. This means that we attain the forms of desire, which are called the soul and the Light, acting inside the desire and giving such forms to it.

It turns out that the entire reality is one soul Adam HaRishon. All of the worlds, spiritual objects (Partzufim), angels, and forms are the four levels of the desire (still, vegetative, animate, and speaking). The entire creation has the same structure. Besides it there is only Atzmuto, the essence of the Creator, which is unattainable. We can only guess that it is the root of everything that we reveal, but we cannot attain Him.

From the Evening Zohar Lesson 5/13/10

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