Baal HaSulam, “Introduction to The Book of Zohar,” Item 203: …Since fear is a Mitzva that contains all the Mitzvot in the Torah, as it is the gate of the faith in the Creator.

And according to the awakening of one’s fear, the faith in the Creator’s guidance is in him. Hence, the fear must not be forgotten in each and every Mitzva. It is especially so with the Mitzva of love, meaning that fear must be evoked along with it, since the fear is actually united in the Mitzva of love.

This is why he explains that the fear must adhere to love. And how does it adhere to it? Should fear also be evoked at that time as one evokes the complete love?

Must we even awaken fear at that time when complete love is awakened? Here he repeats the two sides of love, whether in Din or Hesed, and the success of his ways. He says that one must evoke fear on both sides of love, that during the Hesed and success of one’s ways, fear of the Creator should be evoked, lest the sin will cause his love of the Creator to chill. By that, he includes fear in love.

The Mitzva of fear is not terror and fear of the Creator; rather, it is fear that I don’t love Him strongly enough. In other words, I am not afraid of Him; we are not talking about this. Fear like this exists only below the Machsom, below the spiritual world. And only levels of love are found above the Machsom.

I am not afraid of the Creator and I am going towards Him. But I am afraid that my love for Him will not be great enough because I might become confused and make a mistake. That is, this is fear of judgment, of punishment. Fear like this doesn’t exist in spirituality because I have already risen above beastly fear. Rather I am afraid of giving him less satisfaction than what is possible. This is the only fear.

I am always afraid that I will not love the Creator with complete love; perhaps it’s possible to give Him something further and I will not do this, I will not notice an opportunity, I will not be sensitive enough. Fear like this is a mechanism for increasing the love and for ascent on the entire ladder of levels. We go half of the way acquiring fear to the level of Bina. And after that, there are levels of love, and in this second half of the way, we feel twice the fear.

But as is understood, this fear will never be egoistic as it is under the Machsom, for their own welfare. Fear will always be in regard to the one who is loved.

Also, on the other side of love, during the harsh Din, he should evoke fear of the Creator and not harden his heart or stray his mind from the Din. By that, he includes the fear in love, as well. If he does so, he is always in complete love, as it should be.

In regard to the integration of fear in love on the side of Hesed he brings the verse, “Happy is he who is always fearful.” He explains the word “always” to mean that even when the Creator treats him favorably, he should fear Him lest he will cause the sin.

This raises the question, how is it possible to be in fear all the time? Of course, this fear is not egoistic, but is above the ego. It’s necessary to be afraid all the time, meaning to search for what else I can add to my love so as not to detract from it. If we were to behave this way in our world, in relationships between people, in the family, then our lives would be wonderful!
[127269]
From the 4^th part of the Daily Kabbalah Lesson 2/11/14, Writings of Baal HaSulam

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Preparation to the Lesson

Workshop

The Book of Zohar — Selected Excerpts

Talmud Eser Sefirot, Vol. 3, Part 9, “Histaklut Pnimit,” Item 6

Writings of Baal HaSulam, “Introduction to The Book of Zohar”  

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Question: We always try to understand that everything comes from Above, and this begs the question: To what extent do you need to accept the conditions that are given to you, and to what extent do you need to try to rise above them and adhere to the group regardless of the circumstances? In other words, when do you need to accept the conditions that you have, and when do you rise above them in connection to the group?

Answer: First and foremost, one should cling to the Source of all of these conditions. As for whether any effort needs to be exerted in this or not, it depends on the circumstances. What difference does it make? The important thing is to constantly be glued to the Source.

I might like it or I might not, this varies, although it is not important. I grab Him and shout, “You are mine!” and that is it. And then you need to separate from yourself whatever your egoism is feeling at the time, whatever I feel by addressing Him, that is, to go in faith above reason. But the most important thing is to seize Him and not let go.

Often, we are given circumstances where even if we do not wish to, we are still required to accept them with our minds. How do we act in such cases?

If my friends or certain life circumstances are telling me that everything that is happening to me right now comes from the Creator, then however unpleasant this may be for me, since I am unable to agree with it right now because it completely churns me, I nevertheless need to accept Him as the source of all that is happening. Moreover, as a good and kind source, one that is necessary for me so that I would work with it and bring myself to a state when all the time, to whatever extent possible, I remain with Him.

Do I perceive it as an obstacle? – Yes.

Is this obstacle for my own benefit? – Yes.

Is it pleasant or unpleasant? – Unpleasant.

Still, I have to gradually come to a state where this obstacle will fade away. This requires a lot of patience and a lot of work, and then everything will turn into sweetness.
[127546]
From a lesson in Russian, 2/10/2014

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The Book of Zohar is a guide for us, and that is why it was hidden for two thousand years, waiting for all of humanity to reach a crisis that requires a mandatory correction.

We are already in this period, which is described by Rabbi Kook, AGRA, and Baal HaSulam. In fact, it began with the holy Ari five hundred years ago already.

The great Kabbalist Abraham Azulai wrote that “I have found it written that all that has been decreed Above forbidding open involvement in the wisdom of truth [Kabbalah] was [only meant for] the limited time period until the year 5,250 (1490 C.E.). From then on is called the “Last Generation,” and what was forbidden is [now] allowed. And permission is granted to occupy ourselves in the [study of] Zohar. And from the year 5,300 (1540 C.E.) it is most desirable that the masses both those great and small [in Torah], should occupy themselves [in the study of Kabbalah], as it says in the Raya M’hemna [a section of the Zohar]. And because in this merit the Messiah King welwill come in the future—and not in any other merit—it is not proper to be discouraged [from the study of Kabbalah].”

Correction happens due to our study of The Book of Zohar even without understanding what is written there. But we realize that we need to unite, and the spiritual world will be revealed because of our unity. Indeed, there was a fall, that is, from the property of bestowal, mutual love, into hatred and mutual rejection. Now, we have to make the return journey from the bottom up, correction, unity; that is what is required from all of humankind.

In our time, we are already beginning to feel that the crisis is not economic and not even environmental, not in education and family. These are just small individual crises that naturally affect everyone and even extend to all of humanity in various forms. But the real crisis is integral and happens in relationships between people.

In other words, we must be united in one interconnected system, but we are not able to achieve this. In our world there is no force that can unite us. We will find this in relation to ourselves and all of humanity.

Studying The Book of Zohar is the means of revealing this force of unity and correction that allow getting rid of all the problems and starting to feel a completely new reality, to get a new perception. So, many years ago we began to work on the adaptation of this book, to make it accessible to everyone.

It is clear that we could not touch the text of The Zohar, written from a height of GAR of the world of Atzilut, the end of correction. But we have translated into Hebrew all the insertions made in Aramaic, deciphered abbreviations so that it is easy to read. That is, we made this book closer to the general reader as much as possible. Now, it is necessary just to know Hebrew to read it.

The more we study this book, the more we realize that it contains everything! All the thousands of generations that changed since the time of the writing of The Book of Zohar to the present day were nourished from this book like from a source with living water, each time drawing new strengths for correction, knowledge, clarification of all the degrees, the entire upper world.

Much is written about The Book of Zohar, and all of Kabbalah is based on this book. It does not matter when and who wrote a Kabbalistic book, the author’s basis has always been The Book of Zohar. As Rabbi Tzvi Hirsh Eichenstein of Zidichov said, “The one who never saw the light of The Book of Zohar, never saw a light in his life.”

We must understand that this is not just a “book.” Kabbalists do not write words in a book but create between themselves an interconnected spiritual system and express it in writing. But the main work is spiritual, created from the connections that they built. All the parts were cut off from each by the breaking and scattered, and Kabbalists connect them together into a single integral system and describe their work, the types of connections, the whole process that occurred, and they got results.

First, they reveal the breaking, which is quite unpleasant because they are ready to burn each other; they feel hatred, darkness, fog, confusion, helplessness, hopelessness. Everyone sometimes experiences this feeling; it not possible without this, as it is said, “And there was evening, and there was morning, one day.” The advantage of the light is always revealed from the darkness. Then, they reveal a connection, that is, how it is possible to connect these things and join them together.

Kabbalists do these spiritual actions in practice and then describe them in books. A book is only the result, a written statement of the changes made in the spiritual system that was first revealed to them in a broken form, as well as the final result, that is, how they managed to connect it.

That is why, from generation to generation, as Kabbalists advance in their correction, Kabbalah also changes. A person from the next generation does not have to repeat the corrections done by the previous generations. Therefore, the wisdom of Kabbalah reaches him in a different form, and he himself is completely different. This happens with each succeeding generation.
[127075]
From the World Zohar Convention 2/5/14, Lesson 1

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Preparation to the Lesson

Workshop

The Book of Zohar — Selected Excerpts

Talmud Eser Sefirot, Vol. 3, Part 9, “Histaklut Pnimit,” Item 5

Writings of Baal HaSulam, “Introduction to The Book of Zohar,” Item 55 

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Preparation to the Lesson

Workshop

The Book of Zohar — Selected Excerpts, “The Donkey Driver,” Item 93

Talmud Eser Sefirot, Vol. 3, Part 9, “Histaklut Pnimit,” Item 3

Writings of Baal HaSulam, “Introduction to The Book of Zohar,” Item 50 

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Preparation to the Lesson

Workshop

The Book of Zohar — Selected Excerpts

Talmud Eser Sefirot, Vol. 3, Part 9, “Histaklut Pnimit,” Item 2

Writings of Baal HaSulam, “Introduction to The Book of Zohar,” Item 52 

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The Book of Zohar, Introduction, “The Second Commandment,” Item 198: It says, “Noah walked with God, as Noah had to be taken care of and supported, since he was supported by the great abundance that the Creator had bestowed upon him.”

Noah refers to conditional love. The more the Creator bestows upon him, the more dependent he feels on the Creator. Although Noah is aware of all the goodness that he receives from the Creator and feels grateful, it’s still a level of incomplete love.

It is already a spiritual attainment, since I receive from the Creator and I understand and know this. It says: “Noah walked with God,” which means that he understands and is aware of his state, but he cannot ascend above it and be free of the dependence of receiving it. He is aware of that, since the moment he receives something bad, his love diminishes.

A person cannot do anything by himself: The moment he receives a blow, he runs from the Creator, and when he receives something sweet, he comes near. But he cannot stop himself from making any other movement forward or backward. He is simply incapable of that since this is his body’s natural reaction. He cannot put his hand into the fire since he will immediately pull it back because of the pain. A person cannot make efforts that are beyond his nature.

Noah is the level of recognition of conditional love. A person who reaches this level reaches the level of Noah. We shouldn’t underestimate it since it’s a very high level. It says: “Noah walked with God.” Although Abraham did not need support, as it says, walk before me and be upright, since walk before me means without support, but before me, although you don’t know if I will follow you to support you. This is complete love, great love. Although I don’t give you anything, your love will still be complete, “to adhere to Me in your heart and soul.”

Abraham reached the level of Bina, faith, the force of bestowal. This means that he doesn’t depend on how much he receives or doesn’t receive. There is also the question of what will happen if he receives something negative? Will he continue to love the giver just as he did when he receives something good from Him? But at least his love doesn’t depend on the amount of goodness that he receives.

The Upper Light already affects a person in such a way that it sustains him on a level on which he values the Creator Himself, the attribute of love and bestowal, and not the benefit that he gets from it. This means that a person divides himself into two. The first part is the donkey in him (his matter) that enjoys more or less, or doesn’t enjoy at all. The other part is the human being in him, the level of his resemblance to the Creator that is determined by how much he values the sublime attributes, the Godliness, the love, the bestowal, something above his corporeal egoistic interests.

Abraham is already divided into these two parts and doesn’t depend on the amount of pleasure he receives. It doesn’t affect his appreciation of the Creator, his love of the attribute of love and bestowal, in any way.
[127202]
From the 4^th part of the Daily Kabbalah Lesson 2/10/14, Writings of Baal HaSulam, “Introduction to The Book of Zohar”

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“The Zohar was to be concealed in the future… until the last generation would come in the end of days, when it then would be revealed.”—Rabbi Isaiah HaLevi Horowitz, the Holy Shlah.

Many Kabbalists spoke about the nullification of the ban on studying the wisdom of Kabbalah: The great Kabbalist of the Middle Ages, Avraham Azulai, as well as the Ari and all the Kabbalists linked with him: the Ramak, the Ramchal, Rabbi Hayim Vital. The Ari was the Kabbalist who made a break with the entire process of the exile and ended it. And from him onward, the Era of the Messiah began.

But this was to be a complete period that would develop gradually according to the levels of 0-1-2-3, and in our day we are already entering into the last level 4, which belongs to the Era of the Messiah. Therefore the whole world is in fall, while Kabbalah is beginning to be revealed more and more.

Until the time of the Ari, The Book of Zohar was concealed. It was revealed a bit by Rabbi Moshe de Leon, but only through the Ari have we merited to see what is written in it. And therefore we count the Era of the Messiah from the days of the Ari onward.

“Messiah” means that through our work to draw (Limshoh) the Light that Reforms we can make an “Itaruta de Letata” (arousal from below), expressing our desire that will raise us on all the levels and will attract the Light to us that will correct the relationships between us. Then we will feel that we are no longer in this world; instead we have truly entered into a higher world. All this is clarified through the connection between us. If this connection is integrated, transforming correctly, then accordingly we begin to feel ourselves in the upper world and rise higher and higher through the 125 levels.

“And because in the future Israel will taste from the Tree of Life, which is this Book of Zohar, they will leave the exile with mercy.” The Book of Zohar, “Naso,” section 90.

If we are seriously and diligently involved with The Book of Zohar, then certainly we will leave the exile with mercy. And if not, then it will happen as it is written: “I will place over you a king like Haman and against your will he will return you to reform.” In other words, we have a possibility of going out of exile in a good way, by the way of Torah, through the Light that Reforms, which is uniquely designed for correction of the evil inclination. If we know how to be involved with The Book of Zohar correctly, then we will summon the Light that Reforms onto ourselves and we will leave the exile, meaning the causeless hatred and the temporary feeling of a miserable existence in this world. Everything will be changed according to the connection between us.

We can make the same change through the way of suffering, which is truly a very difficult and long way. But through the Light that we summon, we advance on a very short, easy and pleasant way.
[127127]
From the World Zohar Week “World Zohar Convention,” Day One 2/04/14, Lesson 1

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Filed under: Conventions, Group Work, Spiritual Work, Zohar - No Comments →

Preparation to the Lesson

Workshop

The Book of Zohar — Selected Excerpts

Talmud Eser Sefirot, Vol. 3, Part 9, “Histaklut Pnimit“

Writings of Baal HaSulam, “Introduction to The Book of Zohar” 

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