Questions I received on possible dangers of disseminating Kabbalah

Question: Is there a danger that widespread Kabbalah dissemination will lead to another catastrophe for Israel, because Israel will be the source of Kabbalistic knowledge?

My Answer: No catastrophe was ever caused by Kabbalistic knowledge, but just the other way around: the catastrophes were caused by a lack of Kabbalistic knowledge – including the last one, the Holocaust. They took place because people didn’t want to introduce the study of Kabbalah when it was already time to reveal it, when the period of darkness and exile (from spirituality) ended. Kabbalists prohibited the study of Kabbalah only during the period of the exile.

Question: Are you sure that the time for revealing Kabbalah has really come?

My Answer: The only thing that I’m sure of is that great Kabbalists like Baal HaSulam, Rav Kook, and others know the design of the world better than all the “blind” non-Kabbalists who try to object to them. The great Kabbalists know the Creator’s desire, and I am just a small student of theirs, carrying out their decree.

Besides, you should know that our words don’t change anything, and the world will keep following its path regardless. All of Kabbalah’s opponents will disappear, and real Kabbalists and their students will remain. The only reason for struggling against Kabbalah’s enemies is in order to attain correction faster and with less bloodshed.

Related Material:
Laitman.com Post: The Worst Thing That Can Happen Is Having to Return to This World
Laitman.com Post: Disasters and Diseases Come to an End When Humanity Unites Above Selfishness
Kabbalah Today Article: Who Are You, People of Israel?
Article on UPI: A Trail of Anti-Semitism
Article by Baal HaSulam: “Time to Act”
Lessons on the Article “Time to Act”

Filed under: Spirituality - No Comments →

Here is some guidance on how to read the Torah chapter summaries posted on this blog:

The Torah lays out the foundation of the theory and practice of attaining spiritual life. Neither Adam nor Abraham received the full method of attaining the Creator; only Moses did. All other texts are commentaries, that is, other ways of describing the attainment of the Creator or descriptions of partial attainment of Him.

Torah comes from the words Ohr – Light, and Ora’a – instructions. It is written in the Language of Branches, which names spiritual forces by the things they produce in our world. So even though we think that it’s describing our world, it’s actually describing spiritual forces, since in the spiritual world there are only forces without matter.

Why do we need these descriptions of the Upper World?

1. So that by reading them, we will evoke the influence of the Correcting Light (Ohr Makif) on us.

2. So that after we correct ourselves by the Light, we will then be filled by It to the degree we’re corrected.

If it weren’t for this method, we would remain on the animate level of existence forever. We wouldn’t be able to reach the level of eternity, perfection, and equivalence to the Creator.

The Language of Branches (which describes the Upper Forces with the help of their results or branches) has four modifications, or in other words, there are four languages of branches:

1. The language of Tanach – historical narration, like the one used in the Torah chapter summaries posted on this blog;

2. The language of Halacha – laws;

3. The language of Hagadot – legends;

4. The language of Kabbalah – this language is closest to the spiritual roots and the most precise of all the languages. For more on this, See Baal HaSulam’s article, “The Essence of the Wisdom of Kabbalah.”

My suggestion: As you read the Torah, start imagining that it’s talking about egoism, the desire that has to be corrected, so that instead of being used for the sake of oneself, it will be used for the benefit of one’s neighbor (or the Creator, which is the same thing); and this correction happens gradually, in parts. Everything divides into the force of bestowal (the Creator) and the force of reception (the creation). The part of creation that’s corrected or undergoing correction is called Israel (Isra-El – straight to the Creator). It also has parts called people, rulers, slaves (of desires), overseers (of correction), Levites, Kohens, and so on. Check yourself to see how much you’re able to discern actions of forces that govern our world behind the “theatrical” scenes you read.

Related Material:
Laitman.com Post: The Torah. The Book of Beresheet. Chapter Vaera
Laitman.com Post: The Torah. The Book of Devarim. Chapter Vaetchanan
Laitman.com Post: The Torah – The Book BaMidbar, Chapter Baalotkha
Laitman.com Post: How to Use Kabbalistic Source Texts
Laitman.com Post: Dates of the Torah’s Transmission from Moses to Our Days
Laitman.com Post: Why Is Studying Kabbalah Good for You?
Kabbalah Today Article: Kabbalah Explains the Bible
Article: The Secret Meaning of the Bible

Filed under: Spirituality - 2 Comments →

Two questions I received about the mysterious fate of holy books

Question: All the holy books, which have nothing to do with the physical world, were for ages used as a design for living and culture, and sadly caused more suffering than enlightenment. Was this an error?

My Answer: This was necessary in order to mix the properties of egoism with the properties of the Creator that were corrupted in us, so that later, once these two opposite properties are intermixed, we would be able to correct ourselves by evoking the Light of Correction (Ohr Makif). Errors only happen in our understanding of what’s happening, but not in what’s actually happening!

Question: Why was The Book of Zohar written and then concealed for many years? Why did it come into this world so early, if people didn’t need it then?

My Answer: It was written at a time when “light” souls appeared in our world, at the beginning of the exile from the spiritual level, on the 125th level of attainment. But it is being used now, at the end of the exile from the spiritual world, starting with the lowest level (level zero), by people who already understand that there is no other way to go. And The Book of Zohar itself speaks about this.

Related Material:
Laitman.com Post: How to Use Kabbalistic Source Texts
Laitman.com Post: Changing the Future
5 Things You Should Know About The Zohar

Filed under: Spirituality - No Comments →

Two questions I received on women in Kabbalah

Question: Is it true that a woman only lives once and doesn’t reincarnate, and this is why she shouldn’t study Kabbalah?

My Answer: Women must study and correct themselves just like men, but according to the structure of the feminine soul. Women reincarnate just like men do, and incidentally, so does everything that exists, whether it’s on the still, vegetative, or animate level of nature. It’s because the desires of all species and levels must reach their final state – absolute similarity to the property of bestowal!

Question: I had recently started studying Kabbalah and the one thing that I have understood so far is that we are built of desire, and desire is the main theme of our existence. Moreover, I understood that we should not suppress our desires but correct them, so that they serve our Creator. However, what about sexual desires? I love my husband with all my heart and want to spend my life with him, but I can’t help how I feel towards other men. So, my question is – if I should not suppress these desires according to Kabbalah (as I have been doing so far), what approach can I take to channel my desire and make it benefit others and the Creator?

My Answer: You will be able to distribute your desires correctly only by increasing the importance of the goal (the attainment of the Creator), through participating in the common study, group, and dissemination. Your desires will then evoke Ohr Makif – the Upper Light, which will make all the necessary changes in you, bringing you to peace and harmony.

Related Material:
Laitman.com Post: Men’s and Women’s Desires
Laitman.com Post: The Woman’s Correction
Laitman.com Post: Is Correction Possible without a Man?
Laitman.com Post: Woman = Desire
Laitman.com Post: Women’s Spiritual Progress
Laitman.com Post: Time to Shift Our Attention
Laitman.com Post: This Is How I Am
Laitman.com Post: Men and Women in Kabbalah
Laitman.com Post: Women in Kabbalah

Filed under: Women - No Comments →

A question I received: It’s a known fact that Rabash never spoke about unification and unity, but only used terms like “above reason,” “Creator,” and so on. So how did you come to understand the meaning behind his words? Did he relate it to you in private conversations? If yes, then what were the other students doing there? Why do people have to spend years studying terminology that doesn’t appear in their lives?

My Answer: Beginning with Kabbalah’s revelation 5768 years ago, the only principle of correction is the unification of all our broken, separated souls (parts of one soul) into one soul (the only creation that was created), just as they were united before the breaking. Correction lies in unity.

The same condition of “mutual guarantee” (Arvut) was given to the people at the time of the reception of the Torah (the method of unification), at the time of the Creator’s revelation. He becomes revealed inside this union, to the extent of it.

Were you sitting with Rabash instead of us? Have you read Baal HaSulam’s articles “The Revelation of Godliness,” “The Arvut,” “The Peace,” his letters to students about the need to unite, and Rabash’s articles on the group? I recommend reading them! It’s because unification is the only action required of us. I don’t know what you may have heard from others, but I do know what is written!

Related Material:
Laitman.com Post: Practical Advice by Rabash
Laitman.com Post: Guidelines for Achieveing Unity – Selected Quotes by Baal HaSulam
Laitman.com Post: Adam – We Share One Common Soul
Kabbalah Today Article: About Bnei Baruch
Kabbalah Today Artice: Baruch Shalom HaLevi Ashlag (The Rabash)
Kabbalah Today: A Kabbalistic Quote from “The Need of Love of Friends” Article
Kabbalah Today: Rediscovering Our Unity, An excerpt from the book Kabbalah Revealed

Filed under: Spirituality - No Comments →

A question I received: I understand that the period of correction begins when we cross the Machsom, but there is something that leaves me restless and I do not understood well: Once the Machsom is crossed, the things that happen to us in this world continue happening, but the form of seeing them is one of having enough intelligence to understand what happens to us and to use that to enlarge the vessel and to fill it. Now, based on the above-mentioned, my question is: Is faith above reason necessary to cross the Machsom, or will this be given when one has the complete Masach? And can a person tell whether he has the Neshama?

My Answer: Faith above reason is what we attain after the Machsom. Before it we’re just trying to understand what is faith and to attain it. Before the Machsom , we try to attain faith above reason (the revelation of the Creator, a perception of Him, of the quality of bestowal and love inside us – above our entire egoism). We desire to rise above all the obstacles to the oneness of the Creator and His good governance!

But the fulfillment of this desire takes place after the Machsom, when it is filled by the Light of bestowal on the level of Nefesh, then Ruach, and so on, until we fully attain the quality of faith above reason – the quality of Bina.

And after this, there is another degree – not ascent above egoism, but usage of egoism, or the correction of egoism to bestowal – when we receive into our desire for the sake of bestowal.

Related Material:
Laitman.com Post: Faith Above Reason – Before and After the Machsom
Laitman.com Post: Kabbalah’s Definition of Faith Compared to a Common Understanding of Faith
Chapter 1.10 from The Path of Kabbalah: Faith Above Reason
Purchase the Book: The Path of Kabbalah

Filed under: Spirituality - No Comments →

Questions I received about distinguishing Kabbalah from religion and belief

Question: I have heard you say that a secular Jew can remain secular and still reach spirituality through Kabbalah.

My Answer: Do you really believe that the entire world and all the nations must become Orthodox Jews?

Question: How do you reconcile this with the Gemara Baba Kama 50, which says that anyone who says that G-d will overlook his sins, his life will be forfeited.

My Answer: Anyone who says that he can avoid correcting all of his egoism, he will not merit the upper life, and will remain spiritually dead.

Question: For example, it is understood that wicked people undergo punishments such as purgatory.

My Answer: Wicked people are egoists, and purgatory is liberation from egoism by the force of the Light. I don’t even understand how you can study the Talmud without understanding Kabbalah. What do you imagine a purgatory to be – fiery ovens and scorching rods?

Question: Furthermore, it has been said in the on line classes that dying is stepping out of one body into another body in order to continue the process of correction. We know, however, that people can be reincarnated into rocks and such for thousands of years, due to their sins. Again, how can we reconcile these contradictory ideas? Would it not make sense that G-d demands both corporeal observance as well as the study of the spiritual?

My Answer: Your logic is based on egoism, which is opposite to the property of the Creator and the Upper World. Believing that people can reincarnate into rocks is idol worship. A rock is the lowest form of egoism, Lev HaEven.

You have to study; otherwise you will remain a self-assured know-it-all, as it is written, “What should we do with children who have grown old?” (Ma Laasot Im Yeladim She Izkinu?). However, time will take care of whatever the mind doesn’t do. So have patience, and eventually egoism will force you to search instead of blindly believing.

Related Material:

Laitman.com Post: What Is Religion?
Laitman.com Post: Everything Comes From Kabbalah
Laitman.com Post: Religion and Kabbalah are Opposite
Laitman.com Post: Heaven and Hell in Kabbalah
Kabbalah Today Article: To Be or Not to Be?

Filed under: Spirituality - Comments Off on There Are No Fiery Ovens or Scorching Rods in Purgatory

A question I received: If the Creator is good and does good, there is a plan of creation, and everything is predetermined, then how do you explain suicide? What kind of correction should a soul perform in a body, if we don’t have freedom of choice and one’s suicide was predetermined in advance, from the root, since we are controlled by our root?

My Answer: Everything that has already happened was the Creator’s will. But as long as it hasn’t happened yet, it is up to a person. There is freedom of choice, otherwise we would be robots and there would be nothing to discuss – we would just have to exist! You have to understand the connection between the general governance and the private governance, HaVaYaH and Elokim. For more on this, see Baal HaSulam’s Letter from p. 61 – “If I Don’t Do It for Myself, Who Will Help Me?”

Related Material:
Laitman.com Post: To Feel the Harmony of Eternal Nature
Kabbalah Today Article: What’s Happening to Our Youth?

Filed under: Spirituality - 2 Comments →

Two questions I received on combining spiritual development with one’s day to day desires and responsibilities

Question: I’m seventeen years old and I have been studying Kabbalah for about three to four months. Sometimes I get disturbed by other desires, and then I forget about Kabbalah and try to latch on to these desires. Sometimes it even seems that they’re more important to me than my correction. What should I do? Is this problem caused only by my age, or are these Reshimot that I have to correct?

My Answer: Don’t pay attention to the disturbances and continue studying, and then the Upper Light will correct you. As you advance along the spiritual path, you will realize just how much your desires control you and that the only thing that can save you from yourself is help from above. Only patience will make you a Kabbalist.

Question: Do you seriously believe that we can attain the highest level in this lifetime, even if we don’t fully devote ourselves to the studies? How can this be possible in this life, considering all the responsibilities we have toward the people around us and society?

My Answer: I have no doubt that everyone is capable of it, and even if a person won’t reach the Machsom in this life cycle, he will have very little left to do to reach it the next time around. And after that, your soul will lead you along the steps of ascension!

Only the efforts we make to reach the Creator remain forever. Everything else disappears because it comes from above and isn’t considered to be something we did. So in any case, the best thing to do is to strive toward the goal, and leave the result up to the Creator!

Related Material:
Laitman.com Post: Corporeality Has No Effect On Spirituality
Laitman.com Post: Turning Anger Into Progress

Filed under: Spirituality - No Comments →

A question I received: In the last two lessons you gave on the article “The Peace,” you mentioned that people who isolate themselves from society cause harm. So could it be that society is wrong to imprison murderers, rapists, drug dealers, and so on, and should imprison monks and hermits instead?

My Answer: According to the Torah, there should be special asylums and courts for people who cause harm. You can familiarize yourself with these laws – they are harmonious with human nature and the Upper Governance, which forces man to sin in the first place (to murder, steal, and so on), and also controls judges and all kinds of circumstances. However, it wants man to consciously enter this system that governs him through reward and punishment.

We see that forceful imprisonment only increases the number of criminals, and moreover, they perfect their craft while in prison. But as society becomes corrected as a whole, people will start using other methods of punishing and educating. A person who desires correction should not isolate himself from society.

Related Material:
Laitman.com Post: More Severe Punishments Won’t Make Things Better
Kabbalah Today, Questions & Answers: What Are Reward and Punishment?

Filed under: Spirituality - 1 Comment →