A question I received: I’ve studied the Torah, speak five languages, listen to your lessons, and have become more or less familiar with the Kabbalistic terminology. Typically when a person studies a language and learns the words, reading something in that language is enough to understand it. Yet when the lesson is on The Study of the Ten Sefirot, I read the text and don’t understand a thing even though I know all the terms. It might as well be Chinese to me. What’s going on?

My Answer: You need to continue learning this language. The word “language” originates from the notion of a “weighing scale” with the measurement pointer located directly in the middle. As you continue to attain spiritual concepts, your language will continue to take shape, in between good and evil.

When we build the middle line within ourselves, we begin to understand and feel the different gradations of qualities. Until we attain a sensation of the spiritual, we never retain anything from the study, no matter how long we keep at it. It’s as useless as repeatedly explaining the taste of a dish to a person who has never tasted it.

Each and every one of our perceptions is a taste. From the Light that entered the desire (Toch Kli) with the intention to bestow, the Kabbalists have “tasted” (Taamim) every concept existing in The Study of the Ten Sefirot, in accordance with the law of equivalence of form.

The First Restriction is at work, preventing us from receiving the Light since we have no similarity to it. Without the screen, the intention to bestow, we cannot sense the Light. Therefore, as long as we are missing the screen, it is impossible to understand the text, for everything is attained via sensation. Hence it is written: “Taste and see that the Creator is good” (Psalm 34:8). We have to “taste” Him, and this attainment takes place within.

This is why it is a genuine problem. No matter how long we study here, this language invariably escapes us. Yet on the other hand, it prepares us to start sensing it. Subsequently, these sensations begin to appear within us and we begin to understand the text. Eventually we will no longer need to study, and will suddenly know the names for everything even without reading about it in the books. We’ll know the name of a spiritual phenomenon simply by feeling it. How, who will teach it to us? No one.

As the Light clothes our desires, it transfers its impression to them in four phases, Taamim (tastes), Nekudot (vowels, dots accompanying the letters), Tagin (crowns above the letters), and Otiot (letters), building a Gematria within us (the numerical value of words).

This Gematria then turns into a word. We “read” and suddenly realize that one desire is called “tree,” another desire is called “sun,” and so on. Moreover, we come to know this for a fact, regardless of where we live in the world or whether or not we speak the language. Thus, we begin to understand it.

From the 2nd part of the Daily Kabbalah Lesson 4/16/10, Preface to the Wisdom of Kabbalah

Related Material:
Laitman.com Post: The Perturbing Language Of Partzufim And Sefirot
Laitman.com Post: “Those Who Seek Me, Find Me”
A Guide to the Hidden Wisdom of Kabbalah: “The Ties between Letters, Words, and Numbers”

Filed under: Daily Kabbalah Lesson - 2 Comments →

How can we achieve eternity and perfection? It’s achieved according to the law of equivalence of form. If the Light and the desire are opposite to one another, then the Light annuls the desire. However, if they’re equal, they support one another, and we feel that they both exist. That’s what we call eternal life. Achieving it is precisely the purpose of the science of Kabbalah.

In order to bring us to the state similar to that of the Creator, to the ability to live forever and perceive our true reality, we must undergo a process of corrections. All these corrections come down to making the desire to receive pleasure similar to the Light and to begin observing the law of equivalence of form.

Herein lies the entire correction. Either we are opposite to the Creator as we were originally created, or we gradually achieve equivalence with Him. We correct ourselves until the Light and the desire join together. At that moment, we are born into the spiritual world.

This method of correction is called the science of Kabbalah (in Hebrew, the word “Kabbalah” means reception). It’s the science of receiving the Light into the desire so that it won’t disappear and we would feel true, everlasting reality. Indeed, this wisdom is great and not at all simple. We really don’t understand how this can be achieved. Yet, although we don’t realize it, this is our innermost desire and the purpose of our existence. Subconsciously, we’re always searching for it.

There’s a phase when we first make contact with the Light and perceive it in our desire. The Light remains within us, and we begin to feel life as eternal, and don’t part with the Light within us. This phase or spiritual birth is called the exodus from Egypt.

Before then, we must remain in Egyptian exile, in the preparatory phase to the spiritual birth or redemption. That’s why we devote so much attention to studying the phases which we must undergo while in the Egyptian exile. We want to realize our exodus as soon as possible using all the means prepared for us by Kabbalists throughout history.

Related Material:
Laitman.com Post: Building An Instrument To Tune Into The Light
Laitman.com Post: The Miracle Of Exiting Egypt
The Law of Equivalence of Form [04:09]

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

It is written that the language of The Zohar can do anything. What does that mean, exactly?

We exist inside a system. This system is comprised of individual souls that separated one from another after the breaking from Above. In the space between us, which is outside our points in the heart, we’re building a Kli (vessel) to sense the spiritual world. This vessel is necessary in order for the Creator to be revealed to the creature. This is the goal of the science of Kabbalah as well as the goal of our entire existence.

Our intention should be aimed at making the connection between us powerful enough for this vessel to become similar to the Light and to become a vessel of bestowal. The moment this vessel becomes similar to the Light on the most minimal level, the Light will be revealed in accordance with the law of equivalence of form. All of our meetings and Congresses and our entire work is intended only for us to create this common vessel of bestowal.

In the creation of this common vessel lies a very interesting phenomenon. Naturally, we must all think only of the connection between us, of the partnership, the mutual guarantee, and the unification “as one man with one heart.” This is the condition for creating this vessel and the Creator revealing Himself in it. Otherwise, He will not be revealed.

At the same time, it cannot be that I labor with great effort while others are still impeding the creation of this common vessel. By not exerting the degree of effort requisite for its revelation, others are stifling the whole process. It is possible for me to labor greatly and have the vessel reach its full power while I don’t yet feel this state nor the results of my efforts.

After all, in this common vessel of the soul, everyone depends on everyone else. This is called the mutual guarantee. Every person is responsible for everyone else for better or for worse. It’s for better in that everyone could support, encourage, and assist one another in the work. This is called the positive mutual guarantee.

The negative mutual guarantee is when everybody is connected to one another whether they want it or not. This is because the system has already been formed in the first state (state Aleph) of Infinity. However, everyone also affects others in a negative way if they are lazy and careless. This causes others to also feel a lack of a desire to advance and the goal becomes vague.

Yet, as the Kabbalists say, the language of The Zohar can do anything. Our entire advancement is recorded, remains, and exists in the system. Even if it isn’t revealed, none of our efforts disappear in the spiritual world. Rather, all of our efforts remain and are saved in the system.

As soon as our common vessel is ready on the most minimal level to be like the Light (bestowal), the Light will be revealed. We’re talking about both the quantity of friends as well as their unity as a whole to form a common vessel for sensing the spiritual world.

Therefore, we must approach the study of The Book of Zohar with the right intention, with the feeling that everything is built in the connection between us and everyone must care for his friend.

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

The Zohar, Chapter “Miketz (At the End),” Item 101: “And all her paths are peace.” Her paths are the trails that emerge from Above, from Aba Ve Ima (AVI), the lock that serves in AVI, of which the writing says, “And Your path in the great waters.” They are called so because they are not open to every person but only to a few. And all are held by the covenant alone, meaning Yesod, who is called, “peace”—peace at home. And he brings them into the great sea, when he is in power, and then he gives him peace. This is the meaning of, “And all her paths are peace.” Joseph was the covenant of peace, he was rewarded with those paths, and he was a king in Egypt and the ruler of the land.

The goal is for all the qualities to unite with the help of Yesod and by virtue of the work of Malchut. There is no need Above for the correction and the unification of Sefirot. All of this is the work of Malchut, which tries to understand and do the same way a child does when he plays and learns. If he succeeds in putting together the Lego pieces, he thereby learns how to do it correctly. However, this does not mean that the game itself is broken. It is purposely made this way for a child so that he would learn how to put it together.

In the same way, there are no limitations or small states in the Upper Partzufim. Only Malchut, which is called a “photograph of the Creator,” feels all these phenomena and decides that Zeir Anpin treats it this way, judging it according to its own limitations.

Yesod is called “everything” because it includes all the qualities, states, and forces that exist above it. According to the law of equivalence of form, we need to become similar to it. This is possible only if we all desire to unite into one point that will be similar to Yesod – one against the other.

When the souls unite within Malchut and are willing to cancel themselves in order to merge into one point in relation to Yesod, which is also one point – one against another, then we can receive the Light of Correction and the Light of Fulfillment from Yesod. Therefore, the only thing we need to do in order to receive the Light from Yesod is to unite into one point, as one man with one heart. This is the condition for becoming similar to it.

That is when the first contact with the Light will occur, and this contact is called the reception of the Torah.

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

A question I received: You said that when we study The Book of Zohar, it is necessary to follow two conditions:

1. I have to think about wishing to unite with other souls,
2. I should desire to see myself participating in all the actions described in this book.

How does Malchut of the World of Atzilut establish a connection with Zeir Anpin of the World of Atzilut? Do these two conditions also apply to it?

My Answer: Malchut does not exist unless we tune into it under the above conditions. Nothing exists except Infinity; there are no degrees and no worlds. But as soon as I perform an action that has equivalence of form with the Creator, or stated differently, as soon as I become similar to the Creator in the slightest measure, matching Him with the smallest ten Sefirot, this action immediately builds a ladder of degrees. This ladder is a relationship between me – the point comprised of ten Sefirot, and the Creator – the World of Infinity. [Read more →]

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

People often complain that time is slipping away, life is passing them by and they don’t feel that they’re advancing. We exist in an unconscious state without being aware of it, and we can’t help it.

And all of this is because we don’t make use of the means that are at our disposal. We are like a sick person who suffers but won’t seek medical help.

It has been brought to our attention that there is something above this earthly existence, and we have also been given the method to attain it. Yet, we are still trying to enter the Upper World with our usual approach and the means of our world. We are sitting around and waiting, thinking that somehow we’ll succeed.

We just don’t understand that the only way to enter the spiritual domain is to conform to the law of equivalence of form. We’ve been given the teacher, the books and the group in order to help us. All we have to do is let go of the old methods, approaches, and views, and follow the advice of Kabbalists in order to change our perception of reality.

The stumbling block is that we are trying to enter a new life with our old baggage – our desires for food, family, money, power and knowledge. But it’s impossible to advance spiritually without raising the priority of spirituality above all the material things and in everything we do.

You are already holding all the means for entering the next level of existence. Now, you just have to finally decide – where do you want to be!? Don’t just keep on standing there with one leg in the material world and one leg in the spiritual; that is how the years will go by wasted.

Filed under: Daily Kabbalah Lesson - No Comments →

A question I received: How can I overcome feelings of hate and confusion along the spiritual path?

My Answer: During our spiritual development, we feel a great deal of hate and envy, as well as the desires to rule and to destroy anything we don’t like. The spiritual Kli is built above these material passions, including love for power and envy.

The only way to do this is by giving more importance to the Creator and the connection with Him, even if that connection is one-sided (from your end) and it seems like He doesn’t even know you exist. This has to be enough for you to rise above all the pleasures of power and fame.

This point of connection is called the point in the heart. A person doesn’t need anything besides this contact with the Giver, which he attains by virtue of the other desires he has.

Many people had been given the opportunity to have this point of contact with the Creator, yet they let it go by and did not acquire that connection. If you’re starting out on the spiritual path, you should be afraid and careful for the same thing not to happen to you.

Even though the whole world has become global and the spiritual path is open to everyone today, there are no compromises when it comes to spiritual attainment and revelation. It is operated by the law of equivalence of form between the desire and the Light, and therefore it’s impossible to neglect any condition in order to ascend to the level of revelation.

It’s true that time is becoming “denser,” but nevertheless, every person will have to go through the correction he is due.

Filed under: Daily Kabbalah Lesson - No Comments →