World Zohar Convention Lessons – 05.09.10
Posted on May 9th, 2010
The Zohar, Chapter “VaYechi (And Jacob Lived),” Item 157: How much longer was I given to live in this world? I have no permission to inform you this, and a man is not informed of this. But Rabbi Shimon was in great joy on the day of his demise, and there was great joy in all the worlds because of the many secrets he had revealed then.
The death of a righteous person resembles the purification (Hizdakchut) of a Partzuf. When a person leaves his degree and transitions from one world into the other, and especially when he leaves the lowest of all degrees – this world – it is a big joy.
However, we think otherwise, and believe that we live in a wonderful world. We simply haven’t seen anything better besides this world. We have to reveal the spiritual world, as it is said, “See your world in this life.” Then we will realize where in fact we are now.
If a person completes his mission, he doesn’t have to return to this world as it happened to Rabbi Shimon who attained the final correction. From now on he stays only in the higher dimension and doesn’t reincarnate into the lowest material form. Whoever hasn’t achieved the final corrected state in a given reincarnation has to be reborn and live in this world again.
It goes without saying that Rabbi Shimon is blissful not because he finally got rid of the work and can now enjoy rest but because he brought the Torah (the Light that Reforms) to the whole world. This of course overwhelms him with joy.
Lecture on Lag BaOmer 5/1/2010
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The Book of Zohar: Prologue.”About Rabbi Shimon Bar-Yochai”
A Question I Received: You said that there are three components of the intention while reading The Zohar: 1) Everything I read in The Zohar occurs inside of me; 2) I feel that I’m studying The Zohar together with my friends, and I feel them; and 3) Unification between us is possible only due to the Upper Light. How is it possible to maintain these three intentions simultaneously and continuously; which should be given priority?
My Answer: The intention should always consist of all three components together. As Baal HaSulam writes, a person constantly should be in the intention, “Israel, Torah, and the Creator are one.” If one singles out one of them over the others, he strays from the path.
We’re talking about a single reality called the World of Infinity where the Creator, creature, and the entire universe with all of its qualities (the good and the evil, the past, present, future, and everything that we can possibly imagine), are revealed in one point which is the connection called “adhesion.” Thus I should think only about this state, constantly feel as though I exist in it, and aspire to it. All the interferences that are revealed are only meant for me to direct myself more and more correctly to this point of adhesion where all the qualities complement each other.
Therefore, the group, the Creator, The Book of Zohar that I’m reading, myself, and everything happening inside me become included into Infinity together. We wish to reveal one reality which is the only one that exists. We exist in it even now, but, in order to reveal it, we need to aspire to this picture.
Every degree or each of my states is the same Infinity. We reveal it only as we draw closer to it in increasingly higher resolution and with greater precision. However, every degree is the same ten Sefirot which are revealed more: from a drop of semen (a point) to a full Partzuf.
The intention should consist of the fact that everything is situated in the state of Infinity where I, too, exist. I just desire it to be clarified to me and for its minor details to become larger and to complement each other so that the group, the Creator, all the states, and I are revealed as being one whole. All that is needed is the effort, and it will come. We shouldn’t think about how to connect all the components. On the contrary, we should try to see the final, perfect picture where we exist.
The Surrounding Light comes from this picture with which you wish to be connected. It’s precisely what we need in order to reach revelation. Any deviation to the individual components of this picture just weakens the Surrounding Light.
We need to strive to “learn” as Baal HaSulam writes in Item 155 of “The Introduction to Talmud Eser Sefirot.” To “learn” means to reach adhesion, a connection with that same picture that I’m trying to imagine now. As it’s written, “Now Adam knew Eve his wife.”
From the 1st part of the Daily Kabbalah Lesson 4/29/10, The Zohar
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The Zohar, Items 16-21 (synopsis): The narrative of the Torah starts with the action performed on the soul which has already gone through the breaking of the vessels, the mixing of the broken parts, and the fall into hate and rejection. In other words, the Torah is talking about the soul which is ready for correction.
Being in the state of concealment, a person in our world doesn’t feel flawed, miserable, and full of hostility and hatred. Only the influence of the Upper Light will uncover and help us understand our true nature, which is under total control of instant gratification and pleasures.
In order to rid itself of egoism and come to the state of everlasting pleasure, the creature, Malchut, has to change its intention from “receiving for its own sake” to “receiving for the sake of bestowal.” This gives rise to the property of Bina which demonstrates how the desire to receive can become bestowing.
When the creature “restricts” its desires and annuls itself, it comes under the power of Bina, the mother who is teaching her daughter, Malchut, to work in bestowal. As soon as Malchut becomes included in Bina, the mother starts passing on to her daughter the “garments and precious adornments,” meaning the property of Hassadim. Under its influence the creature gradually becomes similar to the Creator.
As a result of her further spiritual development Malchut rises above Bina and obtains the property of “Elokim.” This means that she begins attaining her root and comes to the understanding of her place, function, and duty in the system of the common soul.
The Zohar Lesson in Russian 5/2/2010
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The Zohar, Chapter “Emor (Speak),” Item 129: Open for me an opening like the tip of a needle, and I will open the high gates for you. …This is why when David wished to come into the King, he said, “Open to me the gates of righteousness … This is the gate of the Lord.” The gates of righteousness is Malchut; it is the way to enter the King. “This is the gate of the Lord,” to find Him and to adhere to Him. Hence, “Open to me, my sister, my love,” to mate with you and forever be at peace with you.
In one of his letters, Baal HaSulam describes entering the spiritual world. There is a wall in front of us, we are walking along it, looking for the entrance, but can’t find it. However, the instant a person becomes similar to the One who is behind the wall, an entrance appears in the wall.
This is the way to enter the spiritual world. You have a solid wall in front of you which doesn’t have any opening, and then, all of the sudden, an entrance opens for you.
In the material world, we know that there’s a door in a certain place, it’s closed, but it can be opened. However, in the spiritual world, there is no door; nothing is visible in advance; everything is completely concealed. It’s utterly impossible to imagine that something can be opened here. Then, suddenly, an entrance opens.
Everything happens according to the similarity of properties of the person standing in front of the wall, and the Creator behind it. If they share at least one percent of similar properties, the person can enter inside. It happens on the condition that he wants to enter only to the extent of this percent and leaving the rest outside.
This means that a person wants to become connected with the Creator only through the desires that fit Him. Then, the entrance opens and he finds himself in the spiritual world. Corrections of our desires ultimately lead us to a desire called “gates to the Creator.”
From the Evening Zohar Lesson 4/30/10
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Preparation to the Lesson, Shamati #103 “Whose Heart Maketh Him Willing”
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The Book of Zohar – Selections, Chapter “VaEra (And I Appeared),” Item 157
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Beit Shaar HaKavanot, Item 128, Lesson 39
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Rav Yehuda Ashlag “Matan Torah (The Giving of the Torah),” Lesson 7
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Preparation to the Lesson, Shamati #137 “Zelophehad Was Gathering Wood“
Our advancement is a reconciliation of two opposites: The receptive nature and the quality of bestowal.
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The Book of Zohar – Selections, Chapter “VaEra (And I Appeared),” Item 128
The “Egyptian plague” is a sequential chain of decisions regarding rising above receiving to bestowal.
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Beit Shaar HaKavanot, Item 122, Lesson 38
The Kabbalists don’t provide me with knowledge. Instead they distract and confuse me in order to create a space for growth that’s not filled with familiar facts.
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Rav Yehuda Ashlag “Matan Torah (The Giving of the Torah),” Lesson 6
This world and the spiritual world differ only in the intention. The action can remain unchanged.
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New York, May 7th – 9th
You’re invited to join friends from all around the world to discover a new reality together. The World Zohar Convention 2010 is an intensive 3 days of studies and workshops on The Zohar with Dr. Michael Laitman and the Bnei Baruch Kabbalah Education and Research Institute, open for all who wish to sense the eternal, complete reality.
The Zohar holds the key to discovering the complete, eternal reality, where humanity is united in perfect harmony as one soul, in the shortest time possible. The World Zohar Convention is aimed at giving its participants a taste of this reality, and by doing so, accelerating everyone’s advancement toward it.
The World Zohar Convention 2010 is for anyone with a desire to change oneself and better the world we live in. Students currently studying with Bnei Baruch via Bnei Baruch Kabbalah Learning Center on their own or through Kabbalah TV or the Kabbalah Academy are especially welcome.
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