Had my people heeded me in this generation, when heresy is increasing, they would have studied The Book of Zohar and contemplated it with nine-year-old children. … By this they would revoke all the harsh sentences and would extend abundance and Light.
– Rav Yitzhak Yehudah Yehiel of Komarno, Keeping Mercy, Chapter 4, Teaching 20

There are no limitations on studying The Zohar. Hafetz Chaim used to evoke everyone to study The Zohar, even unmarried men.
– Rabbi Yosef Ben Shlomo of Pojin, Yosef’s Building Supplements

The Book of Zohar does not say anything about this world, but speaks only of the Upper Worlds where there is no time as in the material world. Spiritual time is a change in qualities.
– The Book of Zohar, Chapter “VaYetze,” Item 62

The Book of Zohar (The Book of Radiance) was named thus because it radiates the Light of the highest Source. Those who study The Book of Zohar are influenced by this Light and receive revelation of the highest knowledge and the secrets of the Torah.
– Rav Moshe Cordovero (RAMAK), Know the God of Thy Father, Item 2

Prior to the coming of the Messiah, heresy and Epicureanism will increase in the world. The advice for it is to meticulously study The Zohar every day, even if one does not understand what one is saying, since studying The Zohar can cleanse the heart.
– The Light of the Upright, Clear Myrrh

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A question I received: When I read The Zohar I can’t help but materialize the images. What can I do about it?

My Answer: Those who start connecting with The Zohar feel its special power. However, a person needs to go through a period of preparation first. This is why we didn’t start studying The Zohar right away. We have gone through a lot and taken several years to prepare. This preparation helps us to have the right attitude toward The Zohar so it will influence us in a different manner. People who are just now joining our Zohar studies without this preparation need to connect to us and annul themselves better. Then, they will receive the same kind of preparation that we have gone through.

When reading The Zohar, people usually feel deeper inner examinations than they would when thinking about the corporal world of food, sex, family, money, power, and knowledge. The Zohar has a much stronger and deeper effect than that. However, some people simply lack a connection with us. Those who are really prepared can also experience the same disturbances. However, because they are already “sinners,” meaning that they revealed “sins” for the purpose of correction, they will be able to quickly deal with these disturbances.

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A question I received: Do we attract evil forces upon ourselves if we read about them in The Zohar?

My Answer: When a person reads about all the wicked people or forces described in the Torah, such as Haman and Amalek, he should understand that all of them are within him. When he corrects these qualities within himself, he also corrects their manifestations that seem to exist in the outside world.

Then, he won’t experience any problems, but on the contrary, he will attract the Light instead of having to be awakened by suffering. If a person aspires to correct himself by making efforts in uniting and studying, then he awakens the evil within him and corrects it, similar to how one catches a snake that has crawled out of hiding.

Our work is to remain in the right line and be ready for the awakening of the left line as much as possible in order to ascend by using it. If we don’t reveal the left line – the snake that has many names and shapes, then we won’t be able to advance.

You should cling to the right line with all your strength because then, regardless of how much the left line is revealed, it will be for your benefit. And the most important thing is not to be afraid of anything. You are treading a very narrow bridge — the revelation of the Light of Hassadim in the Light of Hochma. The bridge from Malchut to Bina is a very narrow line.

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A question I received: Why is the upcoming The Zohar Convention 2010 called “Zohar for the Nation?” It’s kind of a loud name, isn’t it?

My Answer: The Zohar is the greatest Light that comes to us from the system of Arich Anpin. It is the Light that corrects us. “For the Nation” means that we want to unite together. It is written, “I dwell inside my nation,” meaning, the Creator dwells inside those who unite into a single whole. The Creator is Light, Love, and Bestowal, and He is revealed inside this unification.

That is why the Congress is named accordingly. Like disconnected pieces, we are trying to draw closer and come together. The Light will change us and weld us together. Like glue, it will enter between us. Thus, the Light of The Zohar changes the nation and so the Congress is called “Zohar for the Nation.” There is nothing mystical about it.

The matter in question is the correction of man, of society, and of the world. I doubt anyone could put up an argument against this. Kabbalah only reveals the good and useful things for humankind.

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A question I received: Ever since we began studying The Zohar, I feel stronger than before. Could it be that The Zohar grants me strength?

My Answer: The Zohar grants you strength, confidence, and the sensation that you are engaged in the right study process. In addition, changes come quickly when you are studying The Zohar.

It gives you a different inner foundation. You begin to feel a connection to something great, exalted, above our world. The Zohar gives you that sensation, and this is the truth of the matter.

Therefore, we must not only try to read The Zohar as much as possible, but also discern the text within ourselves.

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Two questions I received on study of The Zohar:

Question: If I don’t understand some of the words written in The Zohar, should I look them up in the dictionary?

My Answer: Absolutely not! What for? What could the dictionary possibly tell you?

Question: Should I listen to The Zohar in the language I’m used to speaking?

My Answer: Yes, it’s best to listen to The Zohar in a language you understand. This makes it more difficult. If you are hearing a stream of unknown words, it’s no problem at all – you immediately think about the spiritual world. But this requires no effort on your part.

Suppose you read about the Pharaoh passing through a field of cows, meeting with Moses, and then walking together with him. Is it better to understand this story or not?

If you don’t understand it, you will immediately begin to try and delve into its inner meaning – what does it mean in the spiritual sense, which desires, Lights, screens, and Partzufim are being described, what is happening to them, and is it talking about actions of reception or bestowal?

On the other hand, if you understand the story, it confuses you, making you think you’re reading about occurrences in this world, whereas our task is to read about these occurrences and through them to try to see the spiritual picture. Overcoming the gap between these two pictures is the effort that brings us to spirituality.

A baby doesn’t know what his mother is saying or why the world looks the way it does. A baby doesn’t know what is expected of him, but his efforts to understand help him to grow and become an adult.

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The Book of Zohar – Selections, Chapter “Tazria (When A Woman Delivers),” Item 80
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You don’t know what stages you are going through while studying The Zohar, and there is no need to be concerned with this. Your only objective is to use The Zohar as “a miraculous tool.”

Whether you feel good or bad, whether this book attracts you or pushes you away, try to keep going. Patience and continuity on this path is what will bring you success.

The most important thing is to desire to attract the Light of Correction, which will affect you so you will begin feeling and seeing the connection between your study and this Light. It won’t be a miracle anymore, but will become a revealed system. Gradually you’ll understand how it acts and how you are structured; how the Light can affect you and change your desires, thoughts, and intentions.

Also, you’ll see how you affect the Upper System that shines upon you, as well as how your desires and intentions can evoke greater or smaller Light. You will begin to be aware of this system. Just like in any field of study, initially one studies only the external connections without knowing why things are the way they are. But then one penetrates deeper into the system, begins feeling it, and builds a model of it inside oneself. And thus, one begins living in that new world.

Therefore, we can understand spirituality only by building an equivalence to it inside ourselves. If I want to understand how any machine or system works, then it’s not enough to just study it from outside. I need to build its model inside me in order to feel and understand it though my mind. Then I will understand how it works.

However, when building the spiritual model, I have to acquire the forces and qualities first, and then use them to build a model of the spiritual system. In other words, I need to acquire spiritual properties and then the system will gradually emerge and become revealed in me.

Then I will no longer need to make efforts in order to force myself to study. I will understand the entire system of Partzufim, Sefirot, and worlds, and how to purposefully affect them.

This way I will enter the science of Kabbalah and understand what The Zohar is talking about. It will guide me and tell me, “Go there, turn here, and see how it works.” That is how I will learn.

I will feel this system and work with it and all the Partzufim, worlds, and Sefirot. I will begin to reveal its internal force, called the Creator.

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The Book of Zohar – Selections, Chapter “Tazria (When A Woman Delivers),” Item 42
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The Zohar, Chapter “Metzorah (The Leper),” Item 6: When the night grows dark and the gates close, the Nukva of the great abyss awakens and several armies of damagers are in the world.

This is an inner state that can come to a person on a sunny afternoon, where a person will feel that he is in the state of night, in the dark, and under the power of evil forces. It is good if a person realizes that it he is in the state of night; it is better than thinking that everything is ok and success awaits him.

At that time, the Creator puts all the people in the world (in a person) to sleep. He puts to sleep even all those who have awakening of life, meaning the righteous (in a person).

This describes a state where all the thoughts and desires through which I once united with others and aspired to reveal the Creator, wishing to be corrected from Above, also fade and vanish.

And the spirits roam the world and announce things to people in their dreams. Some of them are lies and some of them are true. And people become connected in their sleep.

If it was a pure lie, we would be able to immediately reveal it. Therefore, if a person wishes to pass off a lie for the truth, he needs to first say something that is true and then tell the lie. Then others will believe him.

Chapter “Metzora,” Item 7: And when the north wind awakens and the night divides, a flame bursts out and strikes under the wings of the rooster, and he calls. Then the Creator enters the Garden of Eden to play with the righteous.

The “rooster” indicates a person’s inner force of overcoming. This is the force that one uses during the work in the night, before sunrise.

And an announcer comes out and calls, and all the people in the world (in a person) awaken in their beds. And those with awakening of life rise up from their beds to the work of their Master, and engage in Torah and in praising the Creator until the morning comes.

This is how a person experiences the spiritual processes happening inside him.

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