The Book of Zohar. Chapter “The Lock and the Key” (abridged)

41. Rabbi Chiya and Rabbi Yosi were walking along a road (of spiritual ascent). As they reached a field (a state that’s ready for correction), Rabbi Chiya said to Rabbi Yosi, “The words BARAH SHEET (created six) certainly allude to BERESHEET, for the six Supernal Days (the six Lights), VAK de Bina, shine on the Torah (ZA), while the others (above them), i.e. GAR de Bina, are concealed.”

42. However, it is said in the secrets of creation of BERESHEET that He who is Holy and Concealed established the laws in Bina, in the secret and concealed, meaning Malchut of Partzuf Atik, which is a Partzuf with Malchut of Tzimtzum Aleph (the First Restriction). And He concealed all (the Lights) within the law that He established in Bina (a lower degree), and everything is locked under one key (condition). And He hid this key in a hall (the desire of Malchut). And although everything is hidden in that hall, the most important thing is in that key, for it locks and unlocks everything – in Sefira Yesod (instead of Malchut), the place of the covenant (unification of the souls with the Creator), permissible (for reception of the Light) after Tzimtzum Bet (the Second Restriction). This Screen allows for the reception of Light (in the souls), and is hence called the “point of population,” Tzimtzum Bet, and not the “central point” (of all creation), Tzimtzum Aleph.

43. That hall (Malchut) conceals tremendous treasures (Light). And there are tightly closed gates in that hall, which are meant to block access to the Light. There are fifty of them. They were divided into four sides and became forty-nine gates, for one gate has no side, and it is unknown whether it exists above or below. Hence, it remained closed.

A gate signifies the desire to receive the Light. If man can use a desire for the Creator’s sake, this is called a Commandment. The received Light is called the Torah. It is written about this: “Fifty gates of Bina, and all are given to Moshe, except for one, the last secret of the absence of the Upper Light” – for this key will open Malchut of primordial egoism, which will occur at the end of all the corrections, at the completion of the 6,000 years.

44. Those gates have one lock with a narrow space inside for inserting the key. It is unmarked (a rule of revelation), and recognized only by the impress of the key, which is unknown in that narrow space, but (information about it is concealed) only in the key itself. And it is written of this secret: BERESHEET BARAH ELOKIM (IN THE BEGINNING THE CREATOR CREATED). “In the beginning” is the key, and all is concealed within it, as it unlocks and locks. And six gates are contained in this key, which locks and unlocks. When it locks those gates, encloses them within itself, it is written IN THE BEGINNING (BERESHEET): a revealed word, though it is usually concealed. BARAH (CREATED) is a concealed word everywhere, implying that the key unlocks it and locks it up.

Malchut that stands in NE is called a “lock,” for it prevents Ohr Hochma from entering the soul, and Ateret Yesod is called a “key.” But there is a special recording, a prohibition in AVI on the Zivug in Malchut until the end of correction of all desires. The corrections are done on Yesod, all 49 Sefirot, while Malchut, the 50th gate, blocks the Light to Malchut.
And the word BERESHEET – IN THE BEGINNING – incorporates only the key, only 49 Sefirot, excluding Malchut, the 50th gate. However, the Light of Hassadim shines in all the Partzufim of the world of Atzilut. Therefore, the words IN THE BEGINNING THE CREATOR CREATED refer to the CONCEALED HOCHMA, because the word “created” – BARA, stems from BAR – outside, which means that He brought them outside the bounds of reception of the Light of Hochma, locked them.

“The Lock and the Key” – full commentary

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The Book of Zohar. Chapter “Supernal Wisdom” (abridged)

40. Rabbi Yudai asked, “What does the word BERESHEET (“In the beginning” – the first word of the Torah) mean?” It is the wisdom, upon which the world, Partzuf ZA of the world of Atzilut, is established to enter the concealed supernal secrets, namely the Light of Bina of Partzuf AVI of the world of Atzilut. Here are the six Supernal and great properties, VAK de Bina, from which everything emerges (from which the entire Light descends and constructs, governs, corrects and fulfills all the souls throughout their entire path from the beginning of creation to its end). The six river mouths, VAK de ZA, that flow into the Great Sea (Malchut of the world of Atzilut) were formed from them. The word BERESHEET consists of the words BARAH (created) and SHEET (Aramaic for six), meaning that in the beginning the Creator CREATED SIX properties. Who created them? He who is unmentioned, concealed, and unknown: Partzuf Arich Anpin (AA) of the world of Atzilut.

My Comment: In the world of Atzilut there is the concealed Light of Hochma in AA, and there is the Light that descends from Bina to ZA. That is why the word Beresheet means Be-resheet, from Hochma, but not concealed in AA, rather descending from Bina to ZA.

The word BARA is contained within the word BERE-SHEET, which alludes to the fact that everything is created by the concealed Light of Hochma of AA. His action is BARA (created), from the word BAR – brought Bina down, outside, so that its lower part fell to ZA, and through ZA facilitated the correction of Malchut, in which all human souls are incorporated.

“Supernal Wisdom” – full commentary

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The Book of Zohar. Chapter “The Letters by Rabbi Amnon Saba” (abridged)

Letters (forces and properties that the Creator governs) come to the Creator (reveal themselves). Each letter (property) tries to prove that it is the most fitting to achieving the goal of creation (merging with the Creator). But the Creator replies (reveals) to each letter its deficiency (its corresponding impure, egoistic force, which impedes the analysis of man’s properties and their correction).

22. Rabbi Amnon Saba said: “When the Creator thought to create the world (the system of governance of the souls), all of the letters (properties of the future creation – man) were still concealed.

The Letter Tav
23. All the letters of the alphabet (the forces that govern the world) began approaching the Creator in reverse order (because this is the order of the souls’ ascent from below upwards). The last letter of the alphabet, Tav, entered first and said, “Master of the world! It is good, and also seemly of You, to create the world with me, with my properties, for the word EmeT (truth), which is Your property, ends with the letter Tav. That is why it is fitting to begin the universe with me.” But the Creator answered that it also ends the word MaveT (death), because before the end of correction the world cannot stand on truth alone, but on its connection to other properties.

The Letter Shin
24. The letter Shin appeared before the Creator and said: “Maker of the world, it befits the world to be created with me, for Your own name Shadday begins with me.” The Creator replied: “You are fine, handsome, and truthful, but since the letters (properties) of the word Sheker (falsehood) took you to be with them, I cannot create the world with your properties.

The Letters Kuf and Reish
25. From the aforesaid, it follows that whoever wishes to tell a lie will succeed if he first tells the truth as a base on which the lie will then grow and start to act. And so it is in the word Sheker: although the letter Shin is a letter of truth, the other letters – K and R – are falsehood.

The Letter Tzadik
26. The letter Tzadik appeared before the Creator and said: “Master of the world, You should create the world with me, for Tzadikim (the righteous) are marked by me. And You are called a Tzadik (righteous one).” But the Creator replied, “But the impure, egoistic forces cling to you.”

The Letter Peh
27. The letter Peh entered and said: “Master of the world, it would be good to create the world with me, for the future liberation of the world is inscribed in me, as the word Pedut (liberation, redemption from egoism, from evil) begins with me. The Creator answered her: “Though you are fine, the word Peshah (transgression) begins with you and is secretly denoted by you, like a serpent that strikes and hides its head in its body (such is the shape of the letter Peh). So a sinner bows his head, hiding from others’ eyes, but stretches out his hands to sin.

The Letter Ayin
And the Creator also said to the letter Ayin that it would be unfitting to create the world with its properties, for within it lies the property of Avon (crime, sin), although Ayin tried to object, saying that its properties are contained in the word Anavah (humility).

The Letter Samech
28. The letter Samech appeared before the Creator and said: “Creator of the world, it would be good to create the world with my properties, for within me is Smicha (support) for the fallen, as it is written: ‘The Creator supports (Somech) all who fall.’” The Creator replied: “That is why you are needed in your place; do not move from it.” In other words, you must only act as support for the fallen.

The Letter Nun
29. The letter Nun entered and said to the Creator: “It would be good for You to create the world with me, for Norah Tehilot (great praises) is written with me. The Creator replied: “Return to your place, for you are the reason that the letter Samech returned to its place. And rely on it for support. For the letter Nun exists in the word Nefilah (fall), which must be corrected by the letter Samech. This is the reason why it needed to return to its place – so as to strengthen the lower ones, instead of being the basis of the world.

The Letter Mem
30. The letter Mem entered and said: “Master of the world, it would be good for You to create the world by me, for You – Melech (King) are called by me.” The Creator replied: “That is so, but I shall not create the world by you, for the world needs a King. Also, for the same reason I shall not create the world with the letters Lamed and Chaf that form the word MeLeCH.”

The Letter Chaf
31. The letter Chaf descended from the Kisseh: “Creator of the world, with my properties I merit to become the basis of the world, for I am Kavod – Your Glory.” The Creator answered: “I will not create the world by you, for your properties exist in the word Kelayah (destruction) and in the word Kalah (bride).”

The Letter Yod
32. The letter Yod entered and said: “Maker of the world! It would be good to create the world by me, for Your Holy name HaVaYaH begins with me.” The Creator replied: “It is sufficient that you are inscribed in My Name, in Me, and all of your aspirations are to Me, and you should not be uprooted from it all.”

The Letter Tet
33. The letter Tet entered and said: “Maker of the world, it would be good to create the world with me, for it is by me that You are called Tov (Good).” The Creator replied: “I will not create the world by you, for your goodness is concealed from the world. Your goodness has no part in the world that I wish to create, and will only be revealed in the world to come. And since your goodness is concealed within you, the letter Chet is opposite from you, and when you join together, the word CHeT (sin) is formed. This is why these two letters are not recorded in the names of the holy tribes.”

The Letter Zayin
34. The letter Zayin entered and said: “Maker of the world, it would be good to create the world by me, as Shabbat is preserved with me, for it is written: ‘Remember (Zachor) the day of Shabbat, so as to keep it.’” The Creator replied: “But weaponry (Klei Zayin) is made by you.” Having heard that, the letter Zayin left Him.

The Letters Vav and Hey
35. The letter Vav entered and said: “It would be good to create the world with me, for I am a letter from Your Name HaVaYaH (Yod–Hey–Vav–Hey).” The Creator replied: “Vav, both you and the letter Hey should be content to be contained within My Name. This is why I will not create the world with your properties.”

The Letters Dalet and Gimel
36. The letters Dalet and Gimel appeared before the Creator. However, the Creator told them right away: “Both of you help Dalim – the poor, and for as long as they exist on earth, there is a need for Gomel Hesed – to treat them with mercy.” Therefore, you cannot part, and it is enough for you to aid one another in this way.

The Letter Bet
37. The letter Bet entered and said to the Creator: “Maker of the world, it would be good to create the world by me, as by me You are blessed. For Bet is Berachah (blessing).” The Creator replied to Bet: “Of course, I will create the world by you, and you shall be the basis of the world!”

The Letter Aleph
38. The letter Aleph stood outside and did not enter to appear before the Creator. The Creator said to it: “Why do you not come to me like all the other letters?” Aleph replied: “Because I saw all the letters leaving your presence without the desired answer. And besides, I saw You giving this answer to the letter Bet. And You cannot take back his gift and give it to me!” The Creator replied: “Although I will create the world by the letter Bet, it is you who will stand at the head of all the letters, and all of My Unity shall be through you alone.”

39. The Creator made the Upper Letters, which refer to the Bina, large, and the lower letters that refer to Malchut – small. Therefore it is said: “Beresheet Barah” (in the beginning He created) – two words that begin with Bet, and then Elokim Et (the Creator Himself) – two words that begin with Aleph. The first set of Aleph and Bet are letters of Bina, and the second set of Aleph and Bet are letters of Malchut. And they mutually affect one another with their properties.

“The Letters by Rabbi Amnon Saba” – full commentary

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The Book of Zohar. Chapter, “The Mother Lends Her Clothes To Her Daughter” (abridged)

16. The heavens, the earth and their hosts were created by MA, which is Malchut, as it is written: “When I behold your heavens, the work of Your hands.” Before this, it is written, “MA, i.e. HOW glorious is Your name in all the earth, which You set above the heavens!” After all, the heavens were created by the name (property) of MA (Malchut). “Written in the heavens” refers to Bina, which is called MI, the heavens that are above ZA. The explanation of this lies in the name of Elokim. MA (Malchut) rises up, incorporates itself into Bina, and receives its properties. Bina is called Elokim. After He CREATED A LIGHT FOR THE LIGHT, meaning the Light of Hassadim, called “precious garment,” for Ohr Hochma, Ohr Hassadim dresses Ohr Hochma, and this is the meaning of the phrase, “He created a Light for the Light.” With the help of the supernal name Elokim, called Bina, Malchut rises, joins Bina, and receives all of its properties. That is why the phrase, “BERESHEET BARAH ELOKIM” (IN THE BEGINNING THE CREATOR CREATED) refers to the upper Elokim, which is Bina and not Malchut. This is because MA (Malchut) is not created by MI and ELEH.

17. But when the letters ELEH descend from above, from Bina, downward to Malchut, because a mother lends her clothes to her daughter (Bina gives Malchut the force of bestowal, the Light of Hassadim), the name of Elokim descends from Bina (mother) to Malchut (daughter). And when does she adorn her? When the male essence appears before her. It is then written about her, “Three times in the year shall all your males appear before the face of the Creator” (Elokim, Bina). This because then Malchut is called by the name “Lord” in the male gender, because it received the properties called “clothes” and the Light called “adornments” from its mother Bina. The letter Hey (A) then leaves MA (Mem + Hey) and is replaced by the letter Yud (I), and, just like Bina, Malchut assumes the name MI. And then she is adorned with male clothes, namely the clothes of Bina (the Light of Hassadim, the presence of a Screen), to accept all the males of Israel (Isra–El – those who strive to similarity to the Creator).

18. ELEH is received from above, from Bina, in Malchut, which is now called MI, just like Bina. I utter the letters ELEH (reveal these properties within myself) and shed tears of my soul (enter “Katnut” – the small state) to receive these letters ELEH from Bina in the house of the Creator (Elokim, Malchut). So that MalchutElokim would be called , just as Bina is called Elokim (it would equalize with the Creator through the properties of bestowal, and then be able to correct its desires to “receive for the sake of bestowal”). How can I receive these properties of Bina? With the voice of joy and praise – by raising MAN (and receiving from above the correcting Light of Ohr Makif, called the “Light of the Torah”).

19. Rabbi Shimon said (opened), “These are two levels (governance from above and attainment from below), and each one has to be recorded: MA is the lower one and MI is the upper one. The upper level registers (Reshimot) and speaks (reveals) of MI. And of MA. For they are both Malchut (Malchut at its own place and Malchut that rose to Bina). But the upper one is MI of Malchut and the lower one is MA of Malchut. They bring out the number 600,000 – the number of stars that stand together and bring forth the innumerable hosts (the original number of souls in the whole system of souls of Adam).

20. All 600,000 (primary souls) and all their innumerable hosts (other souls) shall be called (by Bina) by the name (defining their form and degree) – because the letters ELEH (the lower part of Bina that corrects the souls) were created and dressed in the precious garment of the Light of Hassadim (bestowal), due to which ELEH (lower part of Bina) join MI (the upper part of Bina), and are called Elokim (together they are called by the Creator’s name). And by the power of this name (by the full force of the property of Bina) He brings them forth (reveals them) in all perfection (in the property of bestowal, above our world), i.e. CALLS THEM BY THE NAME (of the souls), by the name Elokim (of the Creator).

21. The head of the level (concealed from the lower souls, the system of Arich Anpin of the world of Atzilut, which governs all creation, and is upper with regard to Bina of the world of Atzilut) – is where all desires rise up to, and all remain there, concealed. The strong one rose up in the name ELOKIM – this is the secret of the Upper World, called MI. No man (soul) is missing of the 600,000 that were created by the power of this name. And as no one is missing from these 600,000 above, so no one was ever missing from this number below (all the souls will attain their corrected state).

“The Mother Lends Her Clothes To Her Daughter” – full commentary

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The Book of Zohar. Chapter, “Who Has Created These, of Eliyahu” (abridged)

11. Rabbi Shimon said: “Elazar, my son (the continuation of the present state, the next degree), reveal to us the supernal secret (law), which the people of the world know nothing of (which they cannot observe in their properties).” Rabbi Elazar was silent (unable to reveal this to the lower ones). Rabbi Shimon wept (entered the state of Katnut, descended to a lower degree on the spiritual ladder), was silent and then said: “Elazar, what is THIS? If THIS was the stars and the signs of the zodiac (destinies), they would have been visible the whole time and located in Malchut, i.e. created, as it is said, “by the word of the Creator were the heavens made.” Meaning, by Malchut, called the “Word of the Creator,” were the heavens made. And if THIS refers to the concealed secrets, then it wouldn’t be written THIS, for the stars and the signs of destinies are visible to all (“THIS” indicates that the object is understood).

12. But this secret was revealed on the day when I was at the seashore (the edge of wisdom). Eliyahu the prophet (the revelation of the degree of wisdom) came and told me: “Rabbi, do you know what WHO HAS CREATED THESE means?” I told him: “These are the heavens and their hosts, the works of the Creator, that man can look at them and bless them, as it is written, ‘When I behold Your heavens, the work of Your hands! Our Master! How glorious Your name is throughout all the earth!’”

13. Eliyahu told me: “The Creator revealed the concealed to the Supernal Assembly: When the ‘concealed of all the concealed’ desired to reveal himself, he first made one single point (Malchut), and this point ascended into his thought (Malchut ascended and joined Bina). With it he drew all the forms and with it engraved all the images.”

14. He engraved inside a concealed, sacred candle (inside Malchut that joined Bina) one concealed image of the holy of holies, a secret structure that has emerged from the thought called WHO, which is the inception of the structure. It is great and is concealed deep inside the name (Bina) ELOKIM = ELOK–IM = THIS-WHO. Initially WHO senses the absence of THIS, strives to the name ELOKIM. He desired to be revealed and be called the full name ELOKIM – hence He clothed Himself in a precious, radiant garment (the Light of Hassadim). He created THIS. The letters THIS of the name ELOK–IM ascended and joined the letters WHO, thereby forming the full name ELOKIM. And until He created THIS, ELOKIM did not ascend (rise) to the name ELOKIM (to the level of Bina). That is why those who sinned in worshipping the golden calf (those who fell from the property of bestowal into the property of receiving for oneself), they pointed their finger at this secret, saying: “THIS is your Lord, Israel!” (they wanted to use only the lower part of Bina, which passes the Light of Hochma to the lower ones, without comparing itself with the properties of the upper part of Bina, the properties of bestowal).

15. Just as WHO joins with THIS to form one name ELOKIM (when Hochma clothes in Hassadim), so does the name join by this beautiful radiant garment. On this secret (the ability to receive for the sake of bestowal) stands the world (the fulfillment of souls), as it is said: “The world was created by mercy.” And Eliyahu flew away (ascended to the degree higher than mine), and I could no longer see him (could not reveal him on my own). But it is from him (from this revelation he made) that I attained the touch of the secret of revelation and of the secret of concealment (how to conceal the uncorrected desires and how to reveal the desires that have been corrected by the Light of Hassadim). Rabbi Elazar and all the disciples drew near (equalized their properties), bowed down (bowed their heads, descended to the same level as the body), wept (lowered their degree) and said (only then did they reveal): “If we had come into this world (attained this degree), but only to hear (attain this property of bestowal, Bina = hearing = ears), it would have been enough for us!” (we desire nothing more than to bestow).

“Who Has Created These, of Eliyahu” – full commentary.

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A question I received: I have discovered that not only do red strings fail to help people, they are also absolutely forbidden by the Torah. It says in the book of Beresheet, the chapter Derech HaAretz: Rabbi Tzadok said: “הקושר על ידו חוט אדום הרי זה מרדכי האמורי” – “One who ties a red string around his hand is like an impure force against Mordechai (the property of Bina).”

Why is it that when you answer questions dealing with myths about Kabbalah, you always mention Tarot cards, red strings, yoga, and so on? Why do you never mention “channeling” which is so popular now? For example everyone knows about Lee Carroll’s numerous appearances at the UN, as well as his books. And there are many other people who practice other teachings that coincide with what you teach. I have no doubt that no one explains the structure of the universe in as much detail as Kabbalah, but still the other methods help “awaken” humanity, which is running late with its correction.

My Answer: I am not familiar with all the “spiritual” teachings, and I don’t plan on getting to know them. They all appear and then disappear. I don’t have the time or the desire to pay attention to them. If we were to systemize everything that our egoistic mind can invent, then we would see how meager it is.

I prefer the teaching of Kabbalah, which deals with practical entrance into the Upper World (I have tested it for myself). It is based on coming out of the nature of our world, instead of all the different religions and teachings of this world (this can also be seen from above, from the Upper World). I advise you to do the same.

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The Book of Zohar, Chapter, “Who Has Created These?” (abridged)

7. Rabbi Elazar (the son of Rashbi, his next degree) opened (the Light of Wisdom) and said (revealed): “Raise your eyes (the corrected desire to receive) and see (receive the Light of Hochma) WHO HAS CREATED THESE. Raise your eyes to what place? To the place (degree) where the eyes (revelations) of all depend on Him (wherefrom the Light of Hochma comes). Who is He? He is one who opens eyes (corrects the desires of man), Malchut of Rosh (head) of Arich Anpin (the system of the source of the Light of Hochma, wisdom). And you will see that Atik (a higher Partzuf than Arich Anpin) is concealed, and therein lies the answer to the question, “WHO HAS CREATED THESE?”

WHO is ZAT of Bina of the World of Atzilut, the upper edge of heaven. Everything depends to Him. As there is a question (the desire to bestow) in Him, and He is concealed (because the lower ones are not stimulating Him to correct them), He is called WHO – questioningly. There is no question above Him (there’s perfection). Only at the upper edge of heaven is there a question (anticipation on behalf of the lower ones).

8. But there is another question below (in ZON of the World of Atzilut), called WHAT. What is the difference between them? WHO – is concealed, so that man would ask and investigate from degree to degree until the end of all the degrees, until Malchut. And that will be WHAT – what have you learned? What have you seen? What have you investigated? After all, everything is still concealed, just as it was before (and it depends on the lower ones’ stimulus to reveal the Upper Ones).

9. This secret is contained in the word WHAT: “WHAT do you testify? WHAT can be compared to you?” When the Temple was destroyed (when the souls lost the screen and the Inner Light), a voice sounded (the breaking of the bond between the souls was revealed): “WHAT can I point out to you, WHAT can I compare you to?” But in the type of WHAT: “WHAT is the covenant, WHAT can be compared to you?”

“WHAT is the covenant?” – Because the days of past (the descending degrees) are a testimony to you (to the Thought of Creation) each day, as it is written in the Torah (the method of correction): “I call to witness heaven (the force of bestowal) and earth (the force of reception).”

“WHAT can be compared to you (to your force of bestowal)?” – As it is written, “I adorned you with holy ornaments (of love) and made you ruler over the world (ruler of its correction). “Is this the city that was called the quintessence of beauty (when the Light of Wisdom clothes in the Light of Mercy)?” I have called you, “Jerusalem (Malchut, the egoistic desire made similar to Bina, bestowal), a city rebuilt by me.”

“WHAT could be compared to you?” – Just as you (Jerusalem = Ira Shlema = complete property of Bina) are below, so is He (the Creator, ELOKIM) above, in the Upper Jerusalem (the Upper Bina of the World of Atzilut). Just as now the holy nation (the corrected souls) does not enter into you, so I (the Upper Light) swear to you (have set forth the “Law of the souls’ similarity to the Light” as a law of nature) that I will not enter above until I enter into you down below (until the desire to become similar to the Upper Bina, to complete love and bestowal, is revealed below). And your consolation is that I shall equalize you with the Upper Jerusalem, with the Upper Malchut, which reigns in all things (Malchut means “kingdom”).

And while you are here: “Your misery is great, like the sea.” But if you claim that there is no existence or remedy for you, then “WHO shall heal you” (WHO is not a question, but the name of the force that will heal you). Meaning, that concealed supernal degree, called WHO, Bina, which animates all things; it shall heal and reanimate you.

10. WHO is the upper edge of heaven (Partzuf Ishsut), WHAT is the lower edge of heaven (Partzuf ZON = ZA and Malchut). This was inherited by Yaakov, for he is ZA, who shines from edge to edge. From the first edge, WHO, until the last edge, WHAT (from Ishsut to Malchut). It is therefore said: “WHO has created THESE”: Bina has created Malchut.

“Who Has Created These?” – full commentary

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The Book of Zohar. Chapter “Flower Buds” (abridged)

4. Rabbi Shimon opened (the Light): It is written in “Song of Songs”: “Flower buds appeared on the earth. “Flower buds” refer to the act of creation. “Appeared on the earth” – on the 3rd day of creation, when it was written in the Torah: “And the earth shall pullulate” (the middle line compels growth, because it comprises of the sum of the left and the right lines – desire and Light).

Then it is said in “Song of Songs”: “The time of singing has come” – and this is the 4th day of creation, the time of judgment (restriction; in order to provide an opportunity for growth it is necessary to restrict the growth of desire in accordance with its correction).

Then it is said in “Song of Songs”: “The voice of the turtle dove is heard” – this is the 5th day of creation, of which it is said in the Torah: “Let the waters swarm” – so as to produce offspring (the spiritual correction of broken desires).

And the word “heard” refers to the 6th day, where it is written, “Let us stand and create man,” and there it is said, “We shall do and we shall hear,” meaning that he will be able to perform actions (studying Kabbalistic sources, unification) that bring him to the property of bestowal (“hearing” is the property of Bina, bestowal, while “sight” is the property of Hochma, reception).

Then it is said in “Song of Songs”: “In our land” – this is the day of Sabbath, which is like the Land of Life, the world to come (“land” designates desire, “our” means corrected by the desire to bestow – the result is the corrected state called Sabbath).

5. Flower buds are the Patriarchs, the fundamental desires that entered with their correction the mind of the Upper One and the future world – Bina, and there they are concealed. They emerge from there concealed in the true prophets. Yosef was born and they concealed themselves in him. When Yosef entered the Holy Land (the soul’s corrected desires), they appeared and were revealed (to him as the Upper World). When are they revealed? When a rainbow is seen. It is the time of eradication of all the wicked from the world (final correction of all egoistic desires). That is why the flower buds can be seen in the earth. And if they could be seen earlier (if the Upper Light were to be revealed before the correction of all egoistic desires), they could not have remained in the world, and the world would not be able to exist (it would be destroyed, for Light would have come in contact with egoism, like an electrical short circuit).

6. Who animates the world and causes the revelation of the Patriarchs (the initially created desires)? – It is the voice of the children (revealed for the correction of previously concealed desires), who study the Torah (the method of correction). Thanks to these children (newly revealed desires, Reshimot) the world exists (the Creator’s revelation to people/souls). It is hence said in “Song of Songs”: “We will make you pendants of gold” (the Light of Hochma, gold, will fill the newly corrected desires). These are the children, the flower buds of the world, as is it said in the Torah (the method of correction): “You shall make two Cherubs of gold” (“cherub” comes from the word “Karov” or “Lakriv,” meaning to draw one closer – to draw man nearer the Creator by utilizing two cherubs, two lines, right and left, while the Creator speaks – is revealed, in the property of bestowal, between them, in the middle line).

“Flower Buds” – full commentary

My Comment: The Book of Zohar should be studied just like any other Kabbalistic text – with the intention of receiving the force of the soul’s correction from it. Then, to the extent that one’s soul is corrected, one begins to feel (reveal) what The Book of Zohar describes.
(See “The Introduction to The Teaching of the Ten Sefirot”, item 155.)

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Questions I received on perceiving the common soul and the Upper World:

Question: Everyone and everything is inside of me. The Creator is all around me and inside me. Once you understand that everything is inside you, you start desiring to unite with everything that “surrounds” you. So far so good. However, this means that I will be doing everything only for myself, since even a chance passerby is actually inside me. So in reality I actually want to correct everything for myself and not for others?

My Answer: A person certainly discovers that everything around him is part of him, and is incorporated in his egoism. However, this only happens when one aspires to come out of his egoism and be inside others – inside the environment. First he acquires the property of Bina, bestowal, “not for one’s own sake”; and then, once he is above this property (Tshuva mi Iraa, Hafetz Hesed), he attaches everything to himself and makes everything a part of him. Then he perceives all the souls as his own (Tshuva mi Ahava) and receives the entire Upper Light into this united Kli.

Question: How do we know that the Upper Force is the only one, and that what we will feel after the Upper Worlds are revealed is not our imagination or an illusion?

My Answer: We will know this by revealing the Upper World in our soul and comparing the two worlds. Everything in spirituality is attained inside us – just like we attain this world. We draw our conclusions only from our attainment of the Upper World. The science of Kabbalah is based exclusively on Kabbalists’ practical experience.

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A question I received: What are angels and other spiritual creatures mentioned in the Torah?

My Answer: All Kabbalistic books mention Ofanim, Hayot, and Kruvim. It says in The Zohar (Beresheet, item 77, page 81): “Ofanim are angels of the World of Assiya, Hayot are angels of the World of Yetzira, and Kruvim are angels of the World of Beria.” They all represent a small Light (Vak de Hochma) in each world, and they depend on the human souls. For example, when a person corrects himself, then Kruvim face each other, as it says in the Torah.

There are also spiritual forces that are referred to as lion, ox, eagle, and man; they correspond to Sefirot Netzah, Hod, Yesod, and Malchut. In addition, Kabbalistic books sometimes refer to different levels in the spiritual worlds by the words South (Hochma), North (Bina), East (Zeir Anpin), and West (Malchut). And there are many other terms.

All of this speaks only about the state of the Light in the Kelim (desires) according to the law of equivalence between them – to the degree that the Light and Kli share the property of bestowal, which is attained through our efforts. Instead of getting lost in all these names, I advise you to start using Kabbalistic (scientific, physical) terms, such as Sefirot, Olamot, Masachim, Partzufim, Reshimot, Orot, and etc. After all, no matter how you look at it, not one word in Kabbalah speaks about our world. All the confusion only wears a person out and takes him away from the goal.

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