Two questions I received on efforts and desires:

Question: When your desire is “turned on” from above, then you make efforts, but they don’t count as yours. On the other hand, when you don’t have a desire, you understand that you don’t have it. But if you then attempt to make efforts, then they also aren’t perceived as yours, but like they’re being “switched on” from above. How can I distinguish between my efforts and help from above? What is the difference?

My Answer: Stop trying to sort this out, as it will only confuse you. What’s important is to constantly:

1. Feel the importance of the goal,
2. Feel your own weakness,
3. Be convinced that the true desire will receive immediate help.

See Baal HaSulam’s article: “Thou Hast Hemmed Me In Behind and Before“(Achor Ve Kedem Tzartani).

Question: I’m sick and tired of waiting to cross the Machsom. I don’t want anything anymore, I hate everything, and nobody can help me.

My Answer: This is exactly the state from which you can ascend to the Machsom, with the help of the study, the group and the Creator! Do you understand that the Machsom is the opportunity to connect with others like yourself in order to reveal the quality of unity? Is anyone preventing you from doing this? If yes, then why aren’t you asking for help to be able to love your friends? What are you waiting for? And what is it that you hate so much?

The concealment (Tzimtzum) was done only on the Light of Hochma (reception), but not on the Light of Chassadim (bestowal, love). So if this is exactly what you want, then you will reveal it. The concealment (Tzimtzum) is inside you, and no one is concealing anything from you! What you have to do is go from reception to bestowal inside yourself, and then you’ll discover the quality of bestowal, the spiritual quality, inside you. It’s not supposed to come to you from “somewhere out there,” and you’re not supposed to ascend somewhere to cross the Machsom. Rather, the passage of the Machsom is a change of qualities inside you!

Related Material:
Laitman.com Post: This Path Can Only Be Surmounted By Those Who Walk It
Laitman.com Post: Strive for the Goal, and Leave the Rest Up to the Creator
Shamati 174: “Concealment”
Article: “Finding the Creator Within”

Filed under: Spirituality - No Comments →

A question I received: I feel drawn to Kabbalah study. I feel great changes. I feel like I am hearing answers that speak to me for the first time in my life. I want to learn, grow and change.

I was unobservant for many years and then returned to observance, mostly to try and make my life make sense and because of guilt. My father is a Rabbi and is a wonderful, pious, accepting man. I thought that I was doing something for my father by returning, and this is how my actions were also perceived by my orthodox family.

I only found Kabbalah because I returned to observance and went into a Chabad house. From there my interests were peaked and I found you online.

I feel conflicted now when I learn from you about the difference between religion and Kabbalah. I understand what you are saying and want to continue to learn, but I feel like if I move toward you, I am being selfish and disloyal to my father. So to move toward Kabbalah might be a selfish act for me considering my circumstance. Is this just part of my work?

My Answer: The difference between religion and Kabbalah is man’s correction. The study of Kabbalah (when it’s done correctly and by the correct source texts) evokes the Upper Light, which corrects one’s egoism according to the rule, “I have created egoism and I have created the Torah for its correction, because the Light that’s in it returns one to the Source.”

We develop to the degree that the broken, egoistic desires are revealed us. When one’s desire for correction becomes revealed, one then begins to sense that our world and everything in it – even faith – are false and empty. However, people who don’t realize this yet are satisfied with faith – whether faith in themselves, the world, or God.

Only you can tell which desires are being revealed in you. At the end of our development all of us will feel the need to unite with the Creator. In our time, people’s desires for Him are beginning to surface. This is why Kabbalah – the method of revealing the Creator, is becoming more and more popular and necessary. Even religions are beginning to “dress” in it and to say that Kabbalah is part of them. This also benefits Kabbalah, because it will accelerate people’s realization that the Creator cannot be attained anywhere besides Kabbalah!

Related Material:
Laitman.com Post: The Light Will Dispel the Darkness
Laitman.com Post: Which Books Should One Read to Learn Kabbalah?
Article: “The Need for Learning Kabbalah”
Kabbalah Today Article: “Interview with Rav Michael Laitman, PhD”

Filed under: Religion - 1 Comment →

Two questions I received on how to tell whether Kabbalah is the right method:

Question: My question has two parts:

1. Besides Kabbalah there are many methods of revealing the Creator. I can agree that they don’t explain the structure of the Upper Worlds or the rules of governance, but why would a person who is united with the Creator need this anyway? And if the goal of creation is adhesion with Him, then why does Kabbalah deny all other methods of attaining this? Besides, someone studying Kabbalah is not guaranteed to attain the goal of creation – it doesn’t have the “guarantees” that other sciences provide.

2. Physically you look a lot like Osho (or Osho looks like you). Both of you interest me and have my respect. Forgetting the terminology for a minute, you bring Light to the people through the power of logic (physics), and Osho did it through the beauty of poetry (lyrics), but your content is the same. How can I know whether you have really tested your path? Without this verification, Kabbalah is no different than any other religion and requires blind faith.

My Answer: The answer is inside you. A question is the sensation of an empty desire, and its fulfillment is the proof.

Question: In a previous blog entry, you wrote: “The problem with amulets, spells, and mysticism is that they distract us, and we start being late with correcting ourselves. This causes an accumulation of evil that’s expressed as suffering.” But what if it’s too late by the time a person understands this?

My Answer: Nature treats us according to our similarity to it, and to the extent we realize how similar or dissimilar we are to it. It’s the same as how in this world, our judgment of someone who made a wrong action changes depending on whether the action was intentional or not. Suffering that comes from unintended dissimilarity to nature forces us to discover this dissimilarity, and hence it is a correcting signal of an “illness.”

Related Material:
Laitman.com Post: How Will We Know That the Revelation of the Upper World Is Not an Illusion?
Laitman.com Post: If There Is a Question, It Will Receive an Answer
Kabbalah Today Article: “To Understand Means to Feel”

Filed under: Spirituality - No Comments →

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

Related Material:
Download the Zohar

Filed under: Zohar - No Comments →

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

Related Material:
Laitman.com Post: Intricacies of the Hebrew Language

Filed under: Zohar - 1 Comment →

In a recent blog entry, I wrote that we have just published a new edition of the collected works of Rav Baruch Shalom Ashlag – the Rabash. Here I would like to offer some insight and history on the most precious text that Rabash left behind – the book Shamati:

Shamati is the most valuable book in the world, because it has the power to bring a person to the purpose of his life. Shamati is the main Kabbalistic source text. It contains all the foundations of man’s spiritual work. The articles contained in this book summarize everything one needs to enter the Upper World. They encompass the infinite depth of all 125 degrees that a person can and must go through in his spiritual path, whose summit is the goal of creation. This book is the most special book in the world, because no book in the entire history of mankind has gone deeper into man’s spiritual work.

Where did the book Shamati come from? Here’s a brief history. Among all the books and manuscripts that my teacher, Rav Baruch Shalom Ashlag, used for study, there was one special, personal notebook, whose cover held the inscription “Shamati” – Hebrew for “what I heard.” He never parted with this notebook and always made sure to take it along anywhere he went. He never stopped studying it, and used to read it over and over again.

One day, late at night, he suddenly gave it to me and said: “Take this notebook and use it.” I immediately understood that his path was soon to reach an end. And indeed, he passed away the very next morning. His pure soul ascended into the unknown heights as soon as the night was gone.

The notebook he gave me was rather thick, and its contents revealed lessons by my teacher’s father, the great Kabbalist Yehuda Ashlag – Baal HaSulam.

Baal HaSulam integrated all of the Kabbalistic knowledge that was previously passed down in secret, from teacher to student, from generation to generation, and thus for millennia. In doing so, Baal HaSulam prepared for us a method of mass spiritual ascension.

Rav Baruch Ashlag recorded his father’s lessons word for word, because he heard them directly from his father and Teacher. Hence, we have to follow these words just as they appear, and abide by the exact form that Baal HaSulam chose for his words. One should strive for his thoughts to go through the very same path as the text lays out, following Baal HaSulam’s thought. It’s more important to adhere to a great Kabbalist than to pay attention to the beauty of the linguistic nuances in the text. One should strive to see the inner beauty of the text, and then, as one will continue reading it, his understanding of the articles will undergo constant transformation, penetrating deeper and deeper.

In these articles Baal HaSulam often relies on quotes by other Kabbalists, written from the heights of their attainment. These quotes should give us an understanding of how profound the topic at hand is. They should also help us realize that we are receiving the method of adhesion with the Creator from the entire lineage of Kabbalists, and this method is being passed to us by the very last Kabbalist in this lineage – the great Baal HaSulam.

All of these texts should be regarded as one article, because they all speak about the same thing. They describe how the creature searches for its Creator and grows closer to Him, until it attains adhesion with Him. Essentially, these articles describe all the work that a person has to do in order to attain equivalence of form, adhesion and union with the Creator. In all of reality, there is no other reason for existence besides this one goal. According to this goal, man enables the entire reality, all the worlds and everything that inhabits them, to rise and incorporate in the Creator.

Hence, we have to understand that the entire universe, all the creatures, and all the worlds, are inside one person. Every person has to imagine that he is that person, and that he has freedom of choice and freedom of action. He, and only he, is standing opposite the Creator, and he has the responsibility and the privilege of doing the work necessary to attain equivalence of form, unification and adhesion with the Creator.

This is what all the articles in the book Shamati are about.

The clock has started ticking and time is flying by. In every part of the world there are people who are starting to feel an interest in spiritual ascent and to ask the question, “What is the meaning of my life?” In light of this, I understood the uniqueness and importance of the Shamati articles, and this is why I decided to publish this book and to reveal it to the world.

Related Material:
Laitman.com Post: The Greatest Thing You Can Do Is Attain the Greatest Thing That There Is
Shamati Articles
Purchase the book – Shamati

Filed under: Books, Spiritual Teacher - 1 Comment →

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 →

A question I received: Whenever I tell religious people that we are opposite to the Creator, they always quote the Biblical verse that we were created in the image of G-d. How can I respond to this? What is “image” in Kabbalah? Is the “image” really a “shadow,” which would mean that we’re exactly the opposite of the Creator?

My Answer: By telling a religious person that we are opposite to the Creator, that we are egoistic and He is Good, you deny their closeness to the Creator. So how could they agree with this, if they consider themselves corrected!? This is where they get their conviction that they are righteous and everyone else is obliged to them; that just by observing the religious prescriptions (which are allegedly G-d’s desires), they are freed from their corporeal responsibilities.

The conclusion to be made from this is: Don’t talk to them until they discover their egoism, their opposition to the Creator, on their own. You shouldn’t make people upset if they are not ready for correction yet. After all, this is exactly why religion was invented – to last until the time when humanity will be ready to attain the Creator.

Then the exile from spirituality, from the concealment of the Creator, will end. Baal HaSulam explains “What is Kabbalah” in the article “The Essence of the Wisdom of Kabbalah.” He writes:

“Kabbalah is the method of revealing the Creator to man in this world” – and by saying this, he immediately erases all of religion! It’s because this doesn’t leave any room for faith in something you were told. Instead of the unfounded tales, one suddenly receives the opportunity and responsibility of clear revelation and attainment of the Creator.

When one reveals this, then he does not just reveal something slightly bigger than our world, the way regular science widens the world for us. Rather, one reveals the Upper World, the Creator Himself! Moreover, Baal HaSulam adds that every person and all of humanity will have to reach this revelation, until all people will clearly feel the Creator just like a person feels his friend, and even closer!

So where is there any room left for belief, if you attain everything yourself and make your own conclusions!? In addition, this allows you to attain immortality, omniscience, and perfection, because revelation is only possible to the degree that you are equal to the Creator. In other words, revelation means that a person acquires the same state as the Creator Himself!

Related Material:
Laitman.com Post: Eventually, Everything Will Come Together In Peace and Correction
Laitman.com Post: Religion and Kabbalah are Opposite
Baal HaSulam Article: “The Essence of Religion and Its Purpose”
Kabbalah Today Article: “All’s Well That Ends Well”

Filed under: Religion - 1 Comment →

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 →

Two questions I received on women’s spiritual advancement:

Question: Dear Rav, when you talk about distinguishing between Factory and Group, then as a woman working in dissemination, does my intention change? Should I think of the two as different entities?

My Answer: For you as a woman, it doesn’t matter at all what is happening inside the group. You advance to the extent that you contribute to the common advancement, regardless of how correctly the men in the group realize the opportunities for unification given to them. You advance independently of the men’s state.

Question: I have been divorced for over 10 years now and raising two wonderful boys (ages 22 and 24). I am now steering them to study Kabbalah. I do not feel and have not felt the need to be with a man in years, and I am quite content. I am not willing to settle just because I have to be with a man. What I enjoy is being a mother, and my greatest joy is to see my sons actively participating in their own spiritual development through Kabbalah. Am I doing it right?

My Answer: A woman does not have to get married in order to become corrected. By participating in the common work of dissemination and studying with us at the lessons, you have everything you need for spiritual growth. Good luck!

Related Material:
Laitman.com Post: Women’s Spiritual Progress
Laitman.com Post: By Disseminating the Wisdom of Kabbalah, You Correct Your “Self”
Articles on “Kabbalah & Women”

Filed under: Women - 2 Comments →