The Book of Zohar. Chapter “The Sixth Commandment” (abridged)

219. The sixth Commandment (general correction) is to procreate and multiply (to correct new desires though the intention to bestow), for he who does so turns the stream (of Light with regard to Malchut), called Yesod de ZA (of the world of Atzilut), into an inexhaustible fountain (of Light into Malchut). And the sea, Malchut, shall be filled (with the Light from ZA) from all directions (in all of its corrected desires), and new souls shall come forth (will be born, will develop) from that tree (ZA, the source of Light), and a multitude of forces shall appear together with those souls, to guard them (so that they won’t yield to their yet uncorrected desires). Hence, it is written: “LET THE WATERS SWARM (Malchut will develop in the qualities of Bina) WITH SWARMS OF LIVING CREATURES.” This is the mark of the holy Covenant (ZA and Malchut, the Creator and Creature). The stream (of Light from ZA) grows stronger, turns into a river (because Malchut continues to correct itself more and more), and thus brings more and more new souls to life (bestowal).

220. A number of birds (angels) that soar above the whole world (qualities of Bina in Malchut) enter Malchut along with those souls. When a soul comes into this world (into the spiritual world), the bird that came from that tree (system of Sefirot) along with that soul accompanies it. How many angels leave with each soul (onto the next degree)? Two: one on the right (the force of bestowal, the Light), and one on the left (the force of reception, desires). If one so merits (if the soul merits its correction), then these angels guard him (they act together), as it is written: “FOR HE WILL GIVE HIS ANGELS CHARGE OVER YOU” (in the ascent, along the degrees of the ladder). Yet, if he does not merit (to correct himself), they report and accuse him (of this, and turn against him, compelling him to become corrected). Rabbi Pinchas said: “There are three angels that guard man, if he so merits, as it is written, ‘IF THERE BE AN ANGEL OVER HIM, A DEFENDER, ONE AMONG A THOUSAND THAT WARNS MAN.’ ‘If there be an ANGEL’ – is the first; ‘A DEFENDER’—is the second; ‘one among a thousand THAT WARNS man’ – is the third (this refers to the soul’s correction according to the method of the three lines – Gimel Kavim).

221. Rabbi Shimon said: “In all, there are five angels (the forces of man’s soul), for the verse continues: ‘there is one after the giver and two more, so in all there are five.’” He replied: “This is not so. ‘The giver’ refers solely to the Creator Himself, and not to an angel, for only the Creator is permitted to give, but no one else.”

222. And he who abstains from procreating and multiplying (correcting his soul) as though belittles the form that includes all other forms, the form of man, causes the waters (forces of Bina) of that stream, Yesod of ZA, to dry out, and harms the holy Covenant (Yesod of ZA) from all sides. It is written of such a man, “Go forth and look upon the corpses of the people (uncorrected desires) that have transgressed against the Creator.” Of course, those who transgress against Me. This is said about the body (desires), as the soul never even enters the screen, i.e., the Creator’s domain. And such a man shall be banished from the (spiritual) world (into our world).

Related Material:
“Introduction to the Book of Zohar.” Items 6-12

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Questions I received on different colored Light, Kabbalistic prophets, whether physical qualities can give one an advantage in spiritual development, and more:

Question: Right now I am studying the “Preface to the Book of Zohar,” where it talks about green Light, red Light, and so on. Is this talking about my impressions of the white Light?

My Answer: Yes.

Question: Why doesn’t Kabbalah have its own prophet?

My Answer: Any Kabbalist who has attained the level of communication with the Creator is a prophet.

Question: Who is the source of information?

My Answer: The Creator, the Light.

Question: Can one’s ability to feel the desires of his neighbor through body language help him feel the spiritual desires of his neighbor? Wouldn’t this mean that these abilities give him an additional skill and prowess in being able to realize himself spiritually?

My Answer: No! There are no physical qualities that can give you an advantage in spiritual development.

Question: Is it possible to create a search of “groups by region” on your website?

My Answer: You can find the contact information of groups all over the world here.

Question: How do I identify my true “I”?

My Answer: In relation to the Creator.

Question: How do I know that I am not lying to myself?

My Answer: In relation to the group.

Question: What’s the difference between the animate and the spiritual “I?”

My Answer: “For your own sake” or “for the sake of others.”

Related Material:
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Attaining the Worlds Beyond: Chapter 3 – “Receiving for the Sake of Giving”

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The Book of Zohar. Chapter “The Fifth Commandment” (abridged)

215. The fifth Commandment. It is written: “LET THE WATERS SWARM WITH SWARMS OF LIVING CREATURES.” This verse contains three Commandments. The first is to study the Torah (as it is written, “I have created egoism and the Torah for its correction,” which is achieved only through the study of Kabbalah, which attracts Ohr Makif – the Surrounding Light), the second is to procreate and multiply (spiritually; that is to say, to develop the point in the heart to its full capacity – the soul), and the third is to remove the foreskin on the eighth day (to make the corrections under the condition of complete bestowal, cutting off from oneself the work in desires that are impossible to correct – “Lev haEven” – the heart of stone, Zivug in Sefira Yesod, and not Malchut). And it is necessary to study the Torah on all the days, at all times, in order to correct one’s soul and spirit (to search within oneself for the Creator and for a dialogue with Him every minute of one’s life).

216. Because man labors in the study of the Torah, he corrects the other holy soul, as it is written, SWARMS OF LIVING CREATURES, referring to the life-giving holy soul, Malchut. For when man does not study the Torah (the method of correction), he lacks the holy (loving and bestowing) soul and the (quality of) holiness that descends from Above (from the Creator). Yet, when he does study the Torah, he merits its Light (correction and fulfillment), just like the holy angels (he merits full equivalence to the Creator, just like the angels; the only difference is that they are mechanical creatures, whereas man attains equivalence consciously, with his desire and efforts).

217. It is written, “Angels of the Creator (people who have attained the level of the Creator Himself, and who are hence called ‘angels’) shall bless Him.” This refers to those who study the Torah (correct themselves), as they are called His angels on earth (those who have corrected their desire, while in and of themselves the angels are qualities of Bina, the Creator, bestowal). It is also written, “BIRDS SOARING OVER THE EARTH.” This refers to this world. However, in the world to come, as it is said, the Creator will make them (those who correct themselves) wings like those of an eagle so they may soar (with their corrected desires of love and bestowal) over the whole world (over their whole egoism).

218. It is written in this regard: LET BIRDS SOAR OVER THE EARTH, for the Torah, called “THE WATERS” (the quality of Bina, love and bestowal) will SWARM WITH SWARMS OF LIVING CREATURES (will be filled with the corrected souls of people) from its place of life (the desires that feel themselves, their lack of correction), called Malchut (all the created desires), and all will descend down below (the intentions “for one’s own sake” will disappear and only the pure intentions – “for the sake of others” – will remain). This is what King David referred to when he said, “THE CREATOR CREATED IN ME A PURE HEART” to study The Torah (correct oneself), and “A HOLY SPIRIT (of love and bestowal) WAS RENEWED WITHIN ME (what was contained in the Thought of Creation now became my conscious aspiration, to fulfill myself).”

Related Material:
Article – “Introduction to the Book of Zohar. Items 1-5”

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Questions I received on tears and crying:

Question: I’ve never seen you answer a question about tears on this blog. What is the spiritual root of this phenomenon?

My Answer: In spirituality, tears are the expression of a passive participation in correction. They’re a sign that a person (a Partzuf or soul) is spiritually weak and in the state of Katnut. This is a small state where one has a small screen. That is to say – a screen that only protects one from egoism but doesn’t enable one to work with egoism directly, to bestow.

It is written that the Creator sheds tears into the Great Ocean because He cannot make the correction for the person (see the chapter “The Vision of Rabbi Chiya” in The Book of Zohar). A person has to want to be corrected, but he doesn’t want it. And the Creator is more pained by this than the person, and He sheds tears (Light) into the Great Ocean – the desire He created, and because of that the toughest part of the desire – Malchut de Malchut – is corrected.

Question: When we cry, are we crying for ourselves?

My Answer: Our tears are the ego’s way of expressing itself when it can’t have something it wants or when it feels “compassion” for someone else, which means that we imagine ourselves in someone else’s shoes and are afraid that the same thing will happen to us.

Question: Do such tears indicate spiritual closeness with the Creator?

My Answer: Never!

Question: Then why does one feel “lighter” after crying?

My Answer: Because the animate organism becomes psychologically more relaxed after a nervous stress.

Related Material:
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The Book of Zohar. Chapter “The Fourth Commandment” (abridged)

208. The fourth Commandment (the basis of the universe) is to know (to attain in one’s corrected properties) that HaVaYaH (the One who created you and your desires, inside which you are now attaining the Light) is Elokim (the One who loves and bestows, the properties of Bina), as it is written: KNOW THIS DAY (in your mind) AND LAY IT IN YOUR HEART (in all of your desires) THAT HaVaYaH (your Kli, the soul’s body) IS ELOKIM (Bina, love and bestowal). That is, the name Elokim is included in the name of the HaVaYaH, and there is no distinction between them. HaVaYaH is ZA, and Elokim is Nukva. It is essential to unite ZA with Nukva by making their properties similar, so there is no distinction between them. Thus, the name Elokim of Nukva will be included in the name HaVaYaH of ZA, so that Nukva (man) herself will become as HaVaYaH (the Creator).

209. Hence, it is written, “Let the stars in Heaven shine upon the earth.” This means that both stars, the two names, HaVaYaH and ELOKIM, are as one. This way, Malchut (Elokim) should merge with the name HaVaYaH (ZA). The black Light (Malchut) with the white Light (ZA), as one, without distinction. The white cloud by day (ZA) with the pillar of fire by night (Malchut); the property of day (ZA) merged with the property of night (Malchut), so they shine as one star.

210. This is the sin of the primeval serpent that unites below but separates Above; hence, it caused what it caused to the world. What should be united Above, should be separated below. The black Light, which is Malchut, should be united Above with ZA into a single whole and then separate it from the “evil side.”

211. Nevertheless, one should know that Elokim and HaVaYaH are one, without distinction. HaVaYaH is Elokim. If man knows that all is one and does not cause any separation, then even the opposite, impure forces disappear from the world, instead of descending below.

212. The secret behind the word Me’orot, which consists of the words Mavet (death) and Ohr (Light), is that the impure forces follow knowledge, understanding, and thought. And this is Light, which is the opposite of death – Mavet, for the Light (Ohr) is inside death – Mavet (spelled as Me’ot) in the word ME’ohrOT. This alludes to the fact that Light separates death, but when Light disappears, the letters unite and form the word “death.”

213. Chava started with these letters, and brought evil into the world. As it is written, the woman SAW that it was good to bring the letters of the word Me’ohrot back. From there she took the letters Vav–Tav–Reish–Aleph, leaving only the letters Mem and Vav. And they took with them the letter Tav, thus forming the word Mem–Vav–Tav (Mavet – death). And they brought death into the world.

214. And look: Rabbi Elazar said, “My father, I have learned that after Chava had removed the letters VeTiR’E from the word Me’ohrot, the letters Mem and Vav did not remain. Only the letter Mem remained, for the letter Vav, which is the letter of life, turned into death. This occurred because it attached the letter Tav to itself, thus forming the word MaVeT.” He replied: “Blessed are you, my son!”

Related Material:
Article: From the “Preface to the Book of Zohar”

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A question I received: Does Kabbalah see the Jewish nation as the chosen people of G-d?

My Answer: The chosen people are a group of people who may have any earthly features or qualities. The important thing is that they have “points in the heart” – an aspiration for the goal of creation: adhesion with the Creator through equivalence of form. This group must also have a sense of its mission: to master the method of correction and to teach it to the whole world.

The group is called Israel (from the words Isra – straight and El – the Creator) because it is directed “straight to the Creator” – to bestowal and love for one’s neighbor. Anyone in this condition is named Israel, and is “chosen.”

We all came from the ancient civilization in Babylon – one nation. Some of the people in ancient Babylon accepted the method of correction that Abraham offered to everyone, and because of their intention, this group was named Israel.

Today, we – the whole of mankind, are recognizing that we’ve reached a dead end of the egoistic development, which has lasted for 4500 years, since the times of ancient Babylon. This recognition will compel us to rise above our egoism, and together to reach the Creator’s level. This is Nature’s plan.

Those who feel and recognize this call have the task of leading all of humanity, all of Babylon. That’s what makes them chosen. Here is what Baal HaSulam writes in item 19 of his article “The Arvut (Mutual Guarantee)”:

Rabbi Elazar, the son of Rabbi Shimon, author of The Book of Zohar, clarifies this concept even further by saying that it is not enough that all of Israel be responsible for one another, but that the whole world must be included in that bond… The end of the world’s correction will come when all the nations of the world join together in their aspiration for the Creator. He will then reveal Himself to all, as the sages said: “And the Lord shall be king over all the earth. On that day the Lord shall be one and His name one. And the earth shall be full of the knowledge of the Lord, and all the nations shall flow unto Him.”

The role of Israel toward the world is that they are obliged to ascend spiritually and to prepare all of humanity to accept the exalted work of “love for one’s neighbor,” which is a means, a ladder leading to the goal of creation – adhesion with the Creator.

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The Book of Zohar. Chapter “The Third Commandment” (abridged)

204. The third Commandment is to attain, investigate and know that there is an Almighty Lord who governs the world, and to unite this every day (the revelation of the Upper Light in the soul) in the six Supernal limbs: HGT NHY of Zeir Anpin (parts of the soul), and to unify them in the six words of the prayer “Hear O Israel” (“Hear” is the property of Bina, Israel is the aspiration toward the Creator) and through this prayer to direct our desires upwards (toward acquiring the property of bestowal). Therefore, we must prolong the word ONE in the six words: “Hear, O Israel, the Lord is our Creator, the Lord is O-O-O-NE” (a sign of the aspiration upward).

205. It is therefore written, “Let the waters under the Heavens be gathered together onto one place.” This means that all the degrees under the Heavens will gather onto one place, to become perfect in the six ends (properties of ZA). Therewith, fear must be attached to the unity of the words: “Hear, O Israel,” which is done by prolonging the pronunciation of the letter Dalet in the word ECHAD. This is why the letter Dalet in the word echaD is written larger than the other letters. It is written, “Let the dry land appear” – let the letter Dalet (designating dry land) be attached to that unity.

207. It is written, AND THE CREATOR CALLED THE DRY LAND EARTH. This refers to the same unity below, by the words, BLESSED BE HIS GREAT NAME FOR EVER AND EVER, when the earth, called “desire,” became what it should be. For the word “earth” (Eretz) means desire (Ratzon). Hence, the expression “IT WAS GOOD” appears twice on the third day of creation: once for the Upper unity and once for the lower. For Malchut merges with both sides of ZA – with VAK de ZA and with her own VAK. Henceforth, the earth brings forth grass, for it has been corrected to yield fruit.

Related Material:
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A question I received: Today the wisdom of Kabbalah isn’t passed down the way it was in the past, from a Rav to a student. Instead, it is implemented in a big group. Spirituality is attained in a group, where all 600,000 people reach attainment together like at Mount Sinai. Is it true that there are no more individuals who can attain spirituality by the old method? Is this the reason why the mutual guarantee, “love your neighbor as yourself” in a group is now the method for attaining equivalence with the Creator?

My Answer: Kabbalah was revealed by Abraham in ancient Babylon. It’s a method of correcting the egoism of the whole civilization, bringing it to equivalence with the Creator – eternal and perfect existence. However, since the people of Babylon did not want to correct their egoism, but wanted to develop egoistically, we have now reached the dead end of such development, just like The Book of Zohar predicted.

Today that entire Babylonian civilization has spread around the whole planet, and it is reaching the conclusion that it’s necessary to implement the method of egoism’s correction. There is simply no other way to go, as otherwise we will destroy ourselves. The way to implement the method of correction is for everyone to unite into one soul, to “love your neighbor as yourself.” In the Torah, this is explained as the condition of the Creator’s revelation at Mount Sinai.

Throughout the past 4000 years the method was preserved and adjusted to fit the times. This was done by a lineage of individual Kabbalists who lived in every generation. Today it is presented to us through the compositions of Baal HaSulam in a form that’s ready to use. I am a faithful student of Baal HaSulam’s oldest son, Rabash (as stated in Rabash’s obituary in the newspaper “HaModia” on September 15, 1991) and my role is to help people understand these materials.

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A question I received: I cannot focus on studying The Book of Zohar, even though it is my greatest desire to understand this book. The most prevalent commandment in Christianity is, “Thou shalt not take vengeance, nor bear any grudge against the children of thy people; but thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself: I am Jehovah” (Leviticus 19:18). Jesus taught that we have to love those who hate us and pray for those who haunt us. Isn’t this also a principle in Kabbalah?

My Answer: Every religion puts itself above other religions and teachings, and this is because all religions emerged from man’s egoism. This is the reason for the hatred between different religions and nations. Even within one religion, there is hatred between its different branches.

The commandment “Thou shalt not take vengeance, nor bear any grudge against the children of thy people; but thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself” is incomplete. Kabbalah teaches us to love not only our own people, but all the people in the world. Looking back at history, we won’t find anyone who loved those who hated and haunted them. On the contrary, history is full of hatred and violence, which are spawned by religion to this day. Religion has always divided and separated different nations from each other, instigating them one against the other and imposing itself on the people by fire and sword.

All religions will die out because they arose from egoism after the destruction of the Temple. This was when the people of Israel fell from the level of “love for one’s neighbor” to the level of “unfounded hatred for one’s neighbor” – and they are still on this level, along with everyone else. Kabbalah is above religion; it appeals to everyone in the world because it teaches that we are all part of the common soul of Adam, without any difference between us. Every person is equally necessary in order for everyone to attain the full correction. If even one person is missing, then it is less than perfect!

Kabbalah appeared in ancient Babylon when the whole civilization was falling apart from the growing egoism. Kabbalah, represented by Abraham, pleaded with people to unite. And now, after our entire bitter history, Kabbalah is telling all of us the same thing again: “Unite, otherwise you’ll destroy yourselves!” And to this day, the religions are still preaching separation – and that is because they were produced by egoism. The religions appeared when the nation of Israel fell from love for one’s neighbor to hatred, from the spiritual level to the corporeal, egoistic one. That is when Judaism appeared, then Christianity, and then Islam.

Baal HaSulam writes that religions will remain as the cultural traditions of the nations. The religions will have to take their proper place and stop engaging in something that is beyond them – the soul and its correction. They don’t have a connection with the Light and the Creator in order to engage in this, and this is what we are witnessing today by the results of religion’s impact on people.

The period of the Light’s concealment from man is over, and hence the period of religious domination over people is also over. The Light is becoming revealed, and religion is becoming substituted by Kabbalah. Religion will then remain as a cultural tradition.

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The Book of Zohar. Chapter “The Second Commandment” (abridged)

198. The second Commandment is inseparably connected with the Commandment of fear, and it is the Commandment of love – for man to love his Creator with absolute (perfect) love. What is perfect love? It is a great love, as it is written, “He walks before the Creator in complete sincerity and perfection.” And this signifies perfection in love. Thus, it is written, “And the Creator said, ‘Let there be Light’” – this is perfect love, called “great love.” This is precisely how man should love his Creator.

200. Therefore, there is he who loves the Creator in order to gain riches, live a long life, have many healthy children, and rule over his enemies – he receives everything he wants, and this is why he loves the Creator. However, should he receive the opposite, should the Creator lead him through a wheel of suffering, he will come to hate the Creator, and will feel no love toward Him whatsoever. Therefore, such (egoistic) love lacks the necessary foundation (for spiritual adhesion).

201. Love is considered perfect if it exists on both sides – on the side of judgment (suffering) and the side of mercy (success in life). As we already mentioned, when one loves the Creator, even if He were to take away his soul, this love would remain perfect on both sides: mercy and judgment.

Therefore, the Light of the First Act of Creation was revealed and then concealed. And because of this concealment, strict judgment appeared in the world, and both sides, mercy and judgment, united to form perfection. And this is the desired love.

202. Rabbi Shimon kissed (united with) him. Rabbi Pinchas approached (his degree), kissed (united with) and blessed him. He said, “It is clear that the Creator has sent me here. This is the tiny ray of Light that was said to be shining in my house, and would later light up the whole world.” Rabbi Elazar said, “Certainly, fear must not be forgotten from all the Commandments; especially in this Commandment, the Commandment of love, fear must be attached to this Commandment at all times. How is it attached? Love is good when it brings goodness, health, sustenance, and life from the Beloved One. And it is here that fear of sinning must be revived, so that the wheel does not turn against him, as it is written, “Happy is the man who always fears,” for his fear is contained in his love.

203. This is how fear should be evoked from the perspective of strict judgment (restriction of egoism), for once man realizes that strict judgment hovers over him, he must evoke within him fear of his Master. Thus, his heart will not be hardened, of which it is written, “He that hardens his heart shall fall into evil,” into the other side (his egoism). This is called evil. Therefore, fear unites with both sides – with goodness and love, as well as with strict judgment, and consists of both. And if fear is united with the good side and love, as well as with the strictness of judgment, such a love is perfect.

Related Material:
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