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.

Related Material:
Laitman.com Post: There are no Miracles
Laitman.com Post: All the People In the World Are Sick With the Same Illness
Kabbalah Today Article: What is (and is not) Kabbalah?
Chapter from Book The Kabbalah Experience: Beliefs, Mysticism and The Supernatural

Filed under: Torah - No Comments →

We have just published my first book in Arabic – a translation of the book From Chaos to Harmony.

There are many people among the Arabic population who are interested in spiritual ascent. This has ancient roots in the general Arabic culture. I have many students whose native language is Arabic, and therefore I am very glad that this book has been published. After all, Kabbalah was revealed to the world by our common forefather Abraham.

I hope that we will soon publish many more Kabbalistic books in Arabic with the help of my Arabic students. I look forward to working together!

Related Material:
Laitman.com Post: Kabbalah in a Cairo Daily Paper
Laitman.com Post: Kabbalah for Everybody
Laitman.com Post: We’re All Children of the Creator
Kabbalah website in Arabic

Filed under: Notices - No Comments →

Two questions I received on evolution and history:

Question: If we were monkeys in the past then who created the monkeys? I’m not sure what to believe in, evolution or religion?

My Answer: Kabbalah says that development in our world does not occur by natural selection, where forces and qualities of “the fittest” are chosen, but rather by the sequential emergence of Reshimot in us. Reshimot is information about the souls’ descent from above downwards – from the World of Infinity to our world. This informational data formed in us as a result of creation’s descent from the World of Infinity to our world, and hence it is built into us as a spiral of data about each degree of descent.

Today we (as well as everything that exists in general) feel the manifestation of this data (Reshimot) inside us about these degrees (from below upwards), and we have to realize them. We can realize the Reshimot in two ways – either through the path of Light or the path of suffering. The path of Light is when we study Kabbalah in order to learn about our future degrees, and we thereby draw the Correcting Light, Ohr Makif. The path of suffering is when we don’t study the structure of the system and don’t draw the Light from the next degree, but only feel the pressure of the following Reshimo that demands to be realized.

Hence, there is no evolution, but only a gradual expression of data that’s already known in advance. Everything is known ahead of time, other than the method of ascending the degrees – whether it will happen consciously (quickly and pleasantly) or forcefully (slowly and painfully). It’s like a film strip where all the future frames already exist, but they gradually appear before the viewer.

Therefore, both Darwin and religion are incorrect.

Question: Do you believe that history can repeat itself? And do you think that people have the right to call their methods using their own names, or should they explain them anonymously?

My Answer: History does not repeat itself. The history that unfolds before our eyes is Reshimot (informational data) that become expressed sequentially (step by step).

In reference to your second question – I don’t care whether people have the right to do something or not; I only care whether their method is a science. If it isn’t a science that’s based on facts, according to the principle “The judge knows no more than what his eyes see,” then I will not take it into consideration. In our times, all “sciences” and “methods” will be tested for authenticity, and to the degree they are authentic, they will become part of Kabbalah.

Today this revolution in our consciousness is not evident yet, because Kabbalah is still concealed. But when Kabbalah will become revealed, then scientists will be amazed at the possibility of “pure” experiment – one that’s not obscured by the egoistic mind. They will then discard everything that is not related to clear attainment of the world, according to a principle that’s explained in The Book of Zohar: One can only attain the material and its form, but not the abstract form and the essence (see the article “Preface to the Book of Zohar”).

As for how a method should be named, this doesn’t matter at all. We either name it according to our egoistic demands, or according to the necessity of scientific notation and definition.
[1727]
Related Material:
Laitman.com Post: Freedom of Will Lies in Acceleration
Laitman.com Post: Creation and Evolution
Introductory Course to Kabbalah – Lesson 3 – The System of Reshimot (Records) – the development software

Filed under: History - No Comments →

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.)

Related Material:
About Rabbi Shimon Bar-Yochay
Five Things You Should Know About the Zohar

Filed under: Zohar - No Comments →

The Book of Zohar, Chapter “Rose” (abridged):

1. In the Torah it is written: In the beginning created ELOKIM ET THE HEAVEN, AND-THE, EARTH, AND-THE EARTH, WAS, EMPTY, AND-CHAOTIC, AND-THE DARKNESS, OVER, THE FACE, OF THE ABYSS, AND-THE SPIRIT ELOKIM soars over the surface of the waters and-Elokim said: “Let there be light.”

Rabbi Hizkiyah opened (the path for the Light): “It is written in ‘Song of Songs,’ ‘as a rose among thorns.’ That a rose is the assembly of souls aspiring to the Creator. Just as a rose is tinged with red and white, so do the souls aspiring to the Creator contain the attributes of judgment (red) and mercy (white). Just as a rose has thirteen petals, so are the souls surrounded on all sides by the thirteen attributes of mercy.

It is written in the Torah: “In the beginning Elokim (the Creator’s name) initially created 13 words (attributes of mercy) for the protection (from egoistic attributes) of the souls aspiring to him.

These 13 attributes of mercy are designated by the words contained in the first sentence of the Torah, between the words ELOKIM: ET, THE HEAVEN, AND-ET, THE EARTH, AND-THE EARTH, WAS, EMPTY, AND-CHAOTIC, AND-THE DARKNESS, OVER, THE FACE, OF THE ABYSS, AND-THE SPIRIT.

2. The second time the name Elokim is mentioned in the Torah as “Elokim Parit” – so that there would appear 5 rigid leaves that surround a rose, called the “Five gates of salvation.” They are like the cup of blessing. During the blessing the cup must rest on 5 fingers, just as a rose rests on 5 rigid leaves. And a rose, just as the cup of blessing, is from the second word ELOKIM to the third word ELOKIM, between which there are five words: SOARS, OVER, THE SURFACE, OF THE WATERS, AND-SAID – corresponding to the five leaves.

Further it is said in the Torah: “And the Creator said: ‘Let there be light’ – this light was created, however, it was concealed and enclosed within the covenant of the souls, entered the rose and fructified it.

3. Just as the covenant is fructified in 42 Zivugim (unions) of the creature and the Creator, from that seed, so the secret name of the Creator fills and inseminates all 42 letters of the initial act of creation.

See the full commentary on the chapter “Rose”

My Comment: I will now be publishing selections from the most important part of The Book of Zohar – the Introduction, which is a concentrated version of the entire Book of Zohar. This is how the Introduction was conceived by the Zohar’s author – Rabbi Shimon Bar Yochai (Rashbi). The Introduction is like Keter, which incorporates the entire idea of the Book.

The chapters I will be publishing here will be abridged and I will add brief commentary in parentheses. If you want to understand these chapters more in depth, I suggest reading my book The Book of Zohar. It contains the “Introduction to the Book of Zohar” along with my full commentary on Rashbi’s text, based on my own personal studies with my teacher, Rabbi Baruch Shalom Halevi Ashlag (Rabash) in Tiberius and Miron – the places where The Book of Zohar was written by Rashbi 20 centuries ago.

Filed under: Zohar - 3 Comments →

Questions I received on various discernments one makes along the spiritual path:

Question: Baal HaSulsam says, “Make yourself a Rav and buy yourself a friend.” What is the difference between “making” and “buying?” And how do you make and buy someone?

My Answer: “To make” means to exalt someone (to see them as great), and “to buy” means to invest in someone. For more on this, see Baal HaSulam’s article “A Speech in Celebration of the Conclusion of The Zohar.”

Question: What should I do with all the different feelings of sadness and depression that I experience? Most of these feelings are related to thoughts that it will still take me a very long time to correct myself, and to correct the world in general.

My Answer: Become more incorporated into the world Kli, and read quotes of Kabbalists about the importance of what we are doing. Let other readers give you advice about what to read from their experience.

You’re worried that it will take a long time? But you have your entire life, which was given to you just for this!

Question: I have been studying Kabbalah for a long time, but I still don’t quite understand – what is a Reshimo?

My Answer: It is information about the future spiritual degree, which demands to be realized.

Question: Why does every person receive a unique situation in life in order to advance?

My Answer: It’s because every person has unique initial properties and a unique final state. Nevertheless, the method of correction is the same for everyone.

Related Material:
Laitman.com Post: Strive for the Goal, and Leave the Rest Up to the Creator
Laitman.com Post: The Formula of the Soul
Baal HaSulam: Introduction to the Book of Zohar
Quotes of Kabbalists

Filed under: Spirituality - No Comments →

A question I received: I know that in one of your videos Tony Kosinec states that meditation has nothing to do with authentic Kabbalah. However, Abraham Abulafia has left us with books on how to engage in Kabbalah meditative techniques. While these techniques are different from far-eastern meditative techniques in that Abulafia’s methods require the use of the intellect rather than the negation of it, still meditation has played an important role in the Kabbalah method. Perhaps Baal HaSulam did not find these practices relevant in his system, but does that negate the validity of these meditative practices in other Kabbalistic systems?

My Answer: Sometimes the word meditation is used in Kabbalah to refer to a deep analysis of one’s intentions and qualities. But actually there is no such word in Kabbalah – this is only how people translate the concept of “inner observation” into other languages. Besides, of course there is a difference between the exposition styles of Eastern and European schools.

Instead of trying to sort through all of this, isn’t it better to simply turn to the source that’s closest and most effective for us – the works of Baal HaSulam; and instead of discussing history and geography, to start correcting yourself? What other reason do we have for being in this world?

Related Material:
Laitman.com Post: Kabbalistic Meditation
Laitman.com Post: What Can Be Done to Awaken the Desire for Correction?
Kabbalah Today Article: “Kabbalah: User Manual”
Kabbalah Today Article: “Desires – The Engine of Change”

Filed under: Spirituality - No Comments →

We have just published a new edition of the collected works of Rabash (in Hebrew). The three volume set of books includes materials that have never before been published. The books can be purchased here.

This three volume set of books contains all the materials of Rabash. In addition, we are currently preparing the collected works of Baal HaSulam for publication as well.

We only study the works of Baal HaSulam and Rabash. This is why I recommend for everyone to have these books.

Filed under: Notices - 1 Comment →

Two questions I received on how to make dreams come true, and the spiritual meaning of teeth and hair:

Question: Why is it that when you really wish for something, to the point that you daydream about it all day, then it’s bound not to come true? Does this mean that if you really want something, it’s better not to daydream about it?

My Answer: If your dreams coincide with the Creator’s plan, then they will definitely come true. This is why Kabbalah suggests that instead of daydreaming, you should start coinciding.

Question: At one of your lessons you promised to explain why we are born without teeth and hair, and also why we have very little teeth and hair when we grow old.

My Answer: It’s because teeth are a sign of growing up and being able to process food, similar to grindstones that process grain to make flour. Teeth symbolize one’s ability to discern which desires and Lights can be used for spiritual growth.

The Hebrew word for hair is Searot, which comes from the word Soer – one with a burning desire. Hair is a sign of additional desires, which disappear in old age, and hence a person in our world gets bald when he grows old. This was beautifully described by a great Kabbalist named Ramchal in the book Adir BaMaarom.

Related Material:
Laitman.com Post: Are Dreams The Life of the Soul?
Article: Kabblah: Yesterday, Today, Tomorrow
Article: Spirit and Body

Filed under: Spirituality - No Comments →

Questions I received on feeling empty, connecting with the virtual group, dealing with contradictions, and not wanting to study:

Question: Why is it that the more you disseminate and make efforts, the emptier you feel?

My Answer: The feeling of emptiness emerges when one does not realize the importance of dissemination as an act that’s favored by the Creator. By disseminating, you bring the world closer to Him. However, one’s constantly growing egoism does not feel the importance of this action. Egoism constantly grows, especially in those who study Kabbalah, in order to give them the opportunity to overcome it and to thereby rise to the level of the Creator.

You should compensate for the feeling of emptiness quickly by receiving the greatness of the goal and the Creator by connecting with books and friends. The Shamati articles explain this in great detail.

Question: How can you advance spiritually without being in physical contact with a group?

My Answer: If you keep virtual contact with the world group, then you are guaranteed to receive an impression and connection that are just as powerful. In addition, you can physically participate in the Congresses, as well as visit and train at our Israel center.

Question: How should one deal with the contradictions in Kabbalah? One day things are explained one way, and the next day – the opposite way!

My Answer: When you gain the right understanding, then all these “contradictions” will actually complement each other and connect into one whole. The contradictions lead to understanding, because they are an indication of your imperfection.

Question: There are days when I really want to study Kabbalah, and there are also days when I don’t want to think about Kabbalah at all, and instead I want to do the corporeal things that attract me. Does this indicate that I don’t have the point in the heart yet?

My Answer: During these days you receive an opportunity to advance independently, through your own efforts, rather than through the desire that you receive from above.

Related Material:
Laitman.com Post: Redemption Will Come At the Hands of the Creator
Laitman.com Post: Only the Upper Light’s Influence Can Give You the Importance of the Group
Laitman.com Post: The Moral Norms of a Kabbalist

Filed under: Spirituality - No Comments →