Rabbi Nachman from Breslov said, “Many tears are shed over The Book of Zohar until a person becomes worthy of understanding.” When thinking about the corrected desire, I should imagine that it is all mine. There are no other people; they are all, in fact, inside me. They are all me! Therefore, when I read The Zohar I should imagine that everything happens inside me. I read about mountains, summits, a stream flowing out of the Garden of Eden, top or bottom, corporeality or spirituality, Pharaoh, Moses, Abraham, men and women who get married and give birth to children; but all of this happens inside me, in my desires. There is nothing else.

In this manner I am being told about the different phenomena taking place inside my desire. The Zohar tells me about what happens inside me, in this entire, enormous vessel of desire which consists of everyone. Nothing exists outside of it; the whole reality is in me.

So where is the Creator? He is also inside me! If I can attain a feeling of unity, bestowal, and love between all His parts within this desire, it will mean that I have revealed the Creator. The Creator is called “Bo-Re” – “come and see.” This happens in the desire, where the Light is situated. The Light is perceived only in the desire.

The more you try to change your vision in this manner, the easier it will become. We simply need to take off the glasses through which we see our world and begin to look from a different point of view. Then we will suddenly reveal that reality is actually completely different from what we are used to. We only need to remove the regular picture of the world that blocks it.

The Zohar is deliberately written in a language that seems to speak about our world, as if it tells us about a family, such as Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, or about a nation that comes out of Egypt, and other things. It explains this to us purposefully, so we would switch from focusing on this world, our customary perception, to another type of focus that is more internal. Then we will see that everything happens inside us.

A person is a small world. Understanding this is the condition for understanding spirituality.

Filed under: Daily Kabbalah Lesson, Zohar - No Comments →

The Zohar, Chapter “Miketz (At The End),” Item 84: In all the places of judgment over the other nations, it is for the good. For “Masa” (prophecy) [also] means “burden”; it is a burden for the Creator – the good of the nations-idol worshipers. And when their judgment is passed, He removes from Himself the burden He had suffered due to them.

And hence when “Masa” (prophecy) is spoken of them, it is for the good.

It is impossible to change our desire to enjoy without feeling pressure and a burdening of the heart. As times grow increasingly difficult, we see that the world listens more and is now ready to hear the advice of the Kabbalists. In fact, this applies to each one of us as well.

The science of Kabbalah enables us to employ the remedy capable of forestalling the blows. It allows us to take the good path – Achishena, instead of the path of suffering – Beito. (In Hebrew Achishena means “accelerating time,” and Beito means “in due time.”)

Yet either way, by the path of good or by the path of suffering, the correction of the desire to enjoy occurs through pressure and restrictions, until we decide that we must change it. As a result, we wait for the Light that Reforms, since the only thing that can correct our egoistic desire in the first place is the Light that created it.

Filed under: Daily Kabbalah Lesson, Zohar - No Comments →

A question I received: I don’t understand why I have to know about all these minute details that The Zohar describes if I’m unable to penetrate the text so deeply anyway.

My Answer: The Zohar is an entire system, and you exist inside it as though in a spider web or a net. This is the system of the universe which contains all the creatures, and all of it is the Creator.

When we read The Zohar, we desire to unite in order to elicit the influence of this system upon us, so it will begin to work on us and make us active parts of it. Then we will be able to independently understand, act, and move forward.

The Zohar tells us about this system and how it works in its entirety. Of course, you still don’t realize how deep and multi-faceted it is; you reveal only what is vital for you at every moment of your development.

Actually, we are reading the remains of the original Book of Zohar, which was 20 or 30 times bigger than the text that has reached us. And don’t forget that this was all written almost 2000 years ago.

Imagine that one of the authors of The Zohar now came to us and gave us a lesson. We would understand him because he would be speaking the same language as what we are now studying. He would be telling us the same things we now want to learn. But it would be coming from a person who lived a very long time ago. Just think: Would anything like it be possible in any other situation? Can you imagine any other situation where people desire to meet an ancient ancestor in order to learn from him, where they are jealous of his moral and spiritual level and are able to understand him; they desire to hear him, they accept him, and they speak to him in the same language about the same things?

This is possible because the system they describe is real, global, and eternal. We exist inside it, but each of us reveals it to the degree he is able to feel it. We feel as if we are going from light to darkness, and at first it seems like we can’t see anything in the dark. But once you are there for a few minutes, you start to gradually discern more and more things within the darkness. And then you see that you don’t even need the light anymore; you don’t even have to turn it on. There is a slight glow, and it’s enough for you.

When you first enter spiritual darkness, you feel lost. But with a little bit more unity and a bit more influence of the text upon you, you will begin to feel where you are. Instead of your current perception of this world, you will begin to feel that there are different forces operating all around you. They influence us and we are connected to them. The air will thicken and make room for the spiritual world.

All you have to do is keep going.

Filed under: Daily Kabbalah Lesson, Zohar - No Comments →

A question I received: How will The Zohar study at The Zohar Convention 2010 differ from what I am now watching on the computer screen?

My Answer: The Upper System descends to our world, where we perceive ourselves inside bodies, separated from one another by distance. Why can’t we just be in the souls, in the spiritual world? Why do we also need this world, the lowest of all the worlds?

This world is necessary because while we are in it, spiritually separated from one another, we can physically reduce the distance between us and thereby bring about spiritual closeness. In the spiritual world we are separated by spiritual distance, which can only be overcome by truly correcting one’s desire.

However, I can perform a correction in this world by coming to the Congress and being next to you. When I pay money to attend the Congress, to have the physical closeness, it helps me to carry out a spiritual correction. This is, in fact, the only reason our world exists; otherwise, there would be no need for it. It is a special reality where our material actions can help us to begin making spiritual actions.

You can turn on an engine by twisting a knob, and it will work. But how can you turn on the engine of love and bestowal if you’re an egoist? You can do it by physically coming closer to another person while thinking of a spiritual reward. If I try to come into contact with others who have the same goal as me, then by physically uniting with them, I can “turn on” the “spiritual engine.” This is how I set the Upper System in motion, which corrects me.

We aren’t expected to unite our hearts, since it’s obvious that we are egoists. It suffices for us to make physical efforts to draw closer to one another, in order to turn on the engine of the spiritual system. It then shines upon us with the Light of Correction, making us similar to the Creator.

The Light of Correction comes to us in response to our actions. It travels through us and begins to raise us. All of the descent of the worlds from above downwards took place only to enable you to turn on the spiritual system even while being at the lowest point – this world. You can do it yourself, independent of the Upper Level, through your material actions.

This is exactly what we do by coming to the Congress.

Filed under: Daily Kabbalah Lesson, Zohar - No Comments →

The Book of Zohar – Selections, Chapter “Tazria (When A Woman Delivers),” Item 26
The Zohar is an active system in which all souls exist. Through our common plea, each person reveals what’s necessary for him.
Download: WMV Video|MP3 Audio

“Preface to the Wisdom of Kabbalah,” Item 161, Lesson 65
Everything depends on the lower level. The smallest spiritual act on our part evokes great Lights in all the systems of the spiritual world.
Download: WMV Video|MP3 Audio

“Introduction to the Book of Zohar,” Item 38, Lesson 17
Animalistic love gives me pleasure, whereas real love gives pleasure to the one I love.
Download: WMV Video|MP3 Audio

Filed under: Daily Kabbalah Lesson, Zohar - No Comments →

The Book of Zohar – Selections, Chapter “Tazria (When A Woman Delivers),” Item 15
Download: WMV Video|MP3 Audio

Filed under: Zohar - No Comments →

The Zohar is the name of the Light that comes from the head of Arich Anpin, which is the state of the end of correction. The Zohar was composed by ten great Kabbalists who represent the ten main Sefirot, the complete HaVaYah. This is the original Upper System which descended to a particular level, and later, Baal HaSulam brought it even closer to us. As a result, we have a connection with the highest state. All of this was done for us.

Talmud Eser Sefirot is a special book. However, it is written in a form that distracts our mind so much that we cannot bring our feelings into it. Perhaps after reading The Zohar, we will be able to begin to read Talmud Eser Sefirot properly. The Zohar addresses our feelings and the Sulam Commentary addresses our minds. Together, they stir us in both of these directions and we are unable to resist it.

The Zohar is a revelation of the Upper System where you are allowed to press the buttons controlling everything. Even though you don’t know what buttons you are pressing, the system translates them into the proper influences. The Upper Degree (or a Kabbalist) understands what you want. He doesn’t give you what you are asking for, but what you really need. He acts in accordance with your inner need. For this reason, The Book of Zohar is the most special book of all the books of Kabbalah.

Filed under: Daily Kabbalah Lesson, Zohar - No Comments →

The Zohar, Chapter ”Metzorah (The Leper),” Item 20: “She is a tree of life to those who take hold of her, and happy are all who support her.” The tree of life is the Torah, a high and mighty tree. It is called Torah (teaching) because it instructs and reveals what was hidden and unknown. She is called “life” because all the upper life is included in her and stems from her.

The “Torah” stands for the Light of Correction, which is the Light that Reforms. This Light is attracted through the study of Kabbalah. It influences our intention and changes it from the natural, egoistic one to an intention of giving. By changing our intention, our desire is redirected from “for my own sake” to “for my neighbor’s sake,” or in other words, from receiving to giving.

The desire itself is neither receiving nor giving. Desire is defined by the intention. To the extent of our similarity with the Creator, we reveal Him and the Light that fulfills us.

Correction of our intentions is referred to as carrying out the commandments or the Creator’s directions. When we correct the 613 intentions that are “for my own sake” by transforming them into “for the sake of bestowal,” it is called the execution of 613 commandments. The 613 Lights or “613 advices” (Tariag Eitin) correct us by filling the 613 desires.

“Isra-El” (directly to the Creator) refers to a person who strives to attain the Creator by correcting himself. Zeir Anpin of the World of Atzilut is called the Tree of Life because it brings the Light of Correction to us.

Filed under: Daily Kabbalah Lesson, Zohar - No Comments →

The Zohar, Chapter “Metzorah (The Leper,)” Item 10: When the time comes for the soul to part with the body, the soul does not depart the body before Divinity appears before it. Then, the soul, out of joy and fondness of Divinity, departs the body toward it. If the person is righteous, he connects with Divinity and adheres to her.

This means that when a person ascends to a higher level, the previous state fades away.

And if not, Divinity leaves him and the soul remains and walks and mourns for the separation from the body.

Allegory: When the cat does not leave the fire, sharpen the knife and the cat will follow you because it will think that you are about to cut meat. Thus, it will part with the fire. Here too, when the soul does not wish to leave the body, Divinity appears before the soul and comes out toward it and parts from the body.

In order to rise to a new level, a person must be pushed by an indirect cause. It is written, “You rise in sanctity, but never descend.” There are many ways to advance. A new state emerges only after a new, uncorrected desire is revealed. This causes the Light to disappear, as it is forced to leave the desire.

If a person has reached the state of perfection, (the state of Hafetz Hesed, where one wants nothing for his own sake), or if a person has an intention for the sake of bestowal, then how can he leave this state and start bestowing less? He must do this in order to ascend to a new level, because a person has to separate completely from the previous state. He has to be reborn in a new state from zero. How is that possible? A person isn’t able to do that on his own. For him, it means having to fall. He simply is unable to part from perfection, saying, “I give to everybody, so what else do you want from me? I cannot stop giving.”

Therefore, an additional force must intervene. For example, let’s say that a mother is having a chronic problem feeding her child. A doctor examines the child and tells her, “Your child has a stomach disorder and must not eat for two days.” The doctor must use his authority to influence her to stop giving. In the same way, there must be an additional factor that draws a person away from perfection, which is the same as death.

Filed under: Daily Kabbalah Lesson, Zohar - 1 Comment →

A question I received: What is so special about The Book of Zohar that it awakens such powerful reactions in us?

My Answer: It’s not a book; it’s a mechanism whose buttons we press even without being aware of it. In addition, we study The Book of Zohar together in a large group of people all over the world. We are very different from each other but we all want the same thing. Because of this, we press these buttons very powerfully; we simply don’t realize this.

A crying baby doesn’t understand what a turmoil he is causing in the home. Adults cannot ignore a baby’s cry; it causes a great commotion inside us. We can tell an older child to go to his room and not to bother us. However, with a one-month-old baby, we cannot act this way. We fuss around him and drive ourselves crazy with worry. This is the kind of worry that we bring to the Upper Force and this is how The Book of Zohar affects us.

Actually, it’s not the book itself, but the whole system of the universe that is activated when a person studies this book. The desire to reveal spirituality is like a baby’s cry that wakes up the father (Aba), the mother (Ima), the neighbors, and the whole world. It forces factories to work for him in order to produce food, diapers, and everything else a child needs. Does the baby know what he is doing? No, he doesn’t, but just look at how many things the whole world produces for babies.

In the spiritual world, it works the same way. Everything is put into gear by love. We don’t understand that we activate a whole system which influences us in response. However, this doesn’t happen according to our infantile, egoistic demand. Instead, it teaches us gently, with great kindness, and helps us advance toward bestowal.

A person exists between two forces. His own egoistic force is below and the force of the Surrounding Light is above. These two forces pressure him from both directions and he feels like he’s stuck between heaven and earth. By opening The Zohar, he enters a completely different system – that of the Upper Force, and moves ahead by the path of Torah, which is the path of Light.

Up until this point, a person developed according to his need through the process of evolution, just like the rest of nature. His desire to enjoy was always searching for a better place and an escape from blows. However, he wasn’t advancing toward the Creator; he was simply looking for a more comfortable corner. This was our manner of development up to today, whereas now we are attracting a completely different force from Above onto ourselves.

Filed under: Daily Kabbalah Lesson, Zohar - No Comments →