Question: Can you explain what is Kabbalah in the simplest terms?

Answer: The science of Kabbalah is a science about everything. It answers all the essential questions:

- What is a human being?

- How were we created?

- How do we perceive the reality we live in?

- What is the purpose of our existence?

- How do we evolve, moving from one state of existence to another?

- How can we achieve perfection?

- How can we remove the borders of the visible reality and see what is beyond it?

- What awaits us after the death of the body?

- How do we control our destiny while we live and after we die?

This science talks about all the creatures and the Creator (the Upper Force that created them) and it also reveals how all creation is governed. The method of Kabbalah includes everything that exists, leaving nothing out of its scope.

Kabbalah reveals the Creator to man. It includes everything: time, space, events, and the force that governs them. Since all of this was created by the Creator, it is He whom Kabbalah reveals. Therefore, knowing the Creator and everything that exists is the same as learning the method of Kabbalah.

Thus, if we attain the wisdom of Kabbalah, we will know the entire universe. As a result, we will understand this world with all of its sciences and laws and we will gain control over everything that happens in it.

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Question: I know what “bitter versus sweet” feels like, but what is “true versus false”?

Answer: In our world truth doesn’t have any taste; we only feel bitter or sweet. It’s not the heart, but the mind that asserts what is true and what is a lie.

Lying is something that is disliked, but truth and falsehood are not really comprehended because we don’t have the instruments to discern them. We feel better telling the truth; however, it’s not really the truth, but merely a sweet sensation of telling it. Our “true versus false” discernment turns into a “sweet versus bitter” assessment by our ego.

This means we are using only one criteria of “sweet versus bitter” because even our mind works to accommodate our “belly.” In other words, a person’s mind is subordinate to his egoism. However, the falsehood and truth that Kabbalah speaks about can only be known through the quality of bestowal, which we don’t have yet. Only through this property can we realize that bestowal is the truth. It is not in any way connected to whatever is happening in our desire to receive pleasure, that is, whether it is filled or not.

Therefore, in order to rise above the animate body and break free from it, we need the Upper Force, the Light that Reforms. These forces don’t exist in our world, which operates solely on egoistic desire. If we want to be able to discern between evil and good, we have to rise to the degree of Adam HaRishon (the First Man), who was able to see good and evil when the serpent opened his eyes. On one hand it was “poison,” but on the other, we can use it as medicine.

Why did Adam HaRishon, the first spiritual degree revealed to the soul, immediately divide? There was one desire. Why did it split in two, man and woman, Adam and Hava, and why did it later break into more and more people until there are billions of them?

This is so because correction is impossible without breaking Adam into multiple souls. Each soul must have a small, precise, and special goal; it must carry out a certain mission like each cell of an organism that has a definite and specific function. For example, computers are operated through the binary system, which includes only “0” and “1.” This does not seem very complicated, but look at the extraordinary result that such a simple system produces!

This is why the souls were divided; otherwise we wouldn’t be able to carry out our correction. Even now, despite the fact that we’re broken into small particles and every person is carrying a special and specific mission, just look at how confused we are, unable to figure out what each of us is supposed to do.

From the 4th part of the Daily Kabbalah Lesson 7/18/2010, “Introduction to the Book, Panim Meirot uMasbirot”

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Question: The ARI was the “Messiah son of Joseph.” Who will be the second Messiah, the son of David, and when will he appear?

Answer: Baal HaSulam calls the dissemination of the wisdom of Kabbalah “the call of the Messiah’s horn” across all the nations. The Messiah is a force that corrects souls. Will it manifest through the actions of a certain individual or will it take place at the level of governing forces? Does it matter? The fact is that this whole process is called “Messiah ben David.”

Nowadays the knowledge of Kabbalah is spreading across the whole world and this is leading the world to the general correction. That is why this period of time can be called “the time of the Messiah.” It has already begun. The people of the world have to realize that all problems and catastrophes are caused by our lack of correction. The realization of the cause of the events that happen to us is by itself a revelation of evil inclinations, but it occurs under the influence of the Upper Light. Therefore, it is related to the time of Messiah.

Spiritual liberation (Geula) is in fact a revelation of the united force of bestowal. It is written that “the Messiah will lead the whole world to Jerusalem to teach the Torah.” “The Torah” is a force that releases the property of bestowal in us and “Jerusalem” is a desire through which we attain contact with the Creator. Revelation of the Light that corrects this desire is implemented through the Messiah’s power (unless we all achieve total liberation) through the power of the Light that progressively reveals itself.

However, the Messiah will not come until we achieve a certain level of dissemination of the wisdom of Kabbalah in the world. He cannot descend until the world as a whole fully understands the necessity of correction.

From the 4^th part of the Daily Kabbalah Lesson 8/4/10, “Introduction to the Book, Panim Meirot uMasbirot”

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The Creator created just one state: a desire full of Light called the World of Infinity. We are in Infinity, but do not feel our true state. This is because our desires were deliberately corrupted and now we feel this defect in us. In other words, we feel a corrupted World of Infinity whose entire huge desire has divided into an infinite number of parts and every part has divided into 613 more desires. The defect is that the intention to give has been replaced by an egoistic intention for one’s own sake, to fulfill and take care of oneself instead of uniting.

To correct these 613 particular desires means “to hear His instructions” and all “613 recommendations” on how to attain the corrected state. When we attain correction by replacing our current egoistic intention with the giving one, we will reveal the Light that fulfills our corrected desire in the World of Infinity. It’s as if we return to Infinity, come to consciousness again, and receive all the Light that fulfills our corrected desires where it has always been present as a hidden and secret deposit.

We come back to the good state in which we have always been, but did not notice the pleasure that had fulfilled us because it was the pleasure of giving. However, we were aimed at and tuned in to the wavelength of receiving. Because of this, we felt just a tiny, life-supporting force that was given to us to come back to the corrected state, instead of the entire huge pleasure.

Thus, we carry out the 613 recommendations to correct our 613 desires, receive the 613 Lights in them, and attain the End of Correction by this. However, this final state already exists and waits for us to feel it in our intentions of bestowal. This is why these 613 commandments are called “Pkudin” (from the word “Pikadon” which means deposit). It is the deposit that was deposited to our account by the Creator from the very beginning and awaits our correction.

From the 1st part of the Daily Kabbalah Lesson 7/12/10

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Question: Does every soul have the responsibility of becoming an active part of the collective system as do all Kabbalists?

Answer: Each soul must plug into work within this system since it is perfect. If perfection lacks even one part, it is not perfection any more; there is nothing! It’s as if one is drilling a hole in the boat and the boat sinks with everything and everyone on it. It doesn’t matter how big the boat was (it could have been massive), but it is a comprehensive structure where each part plays an essential role. Therefore, every person has equal value whether they are a sage or a simpleton. In the integral, closed system we are all equally important.

At the time of correction there are big and small souls within the process, and every person should be viewed according to his spiritual degree. The small ones should yield to the big ones and so on. However, at the end of the correction process, all souls are equal in perfection.

From the 4th part of the Daily Kabbalah Lesson 8/5/10, "Introduction to the Book, Panim Meirot uMasbirot"

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Dear Friends, please ask questions on the passages from the great Kabbalists. The commentaries in brackets are mine.

Following the Paths of Kabbalists

The RAMBAM said that if a thousand blind walk in a line along the way and at least one of them is able to see, then they are certain to take the right path and not fall into the pits or obstacles since it is the sighted one who leads them. But if the sighted person is missing, then they are certain to stumble over every hurdle along the way, and they all will fall into the pit. [The task of spiritual leaders is to lead the generations towards the Creator by the path of the Torah. It is the responsibility of the masses to follow their spiritually sighted leaders.]
- Baal HaSulam, “Introduction to The Book of Zohar,” Item 57

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Question: If spiritual Kelim have the form of bestowal, then how can “evil forces” cling to them?

Answer: There can be no shape without Klipot (evil forces). How can a shape exist if there is no restriction? It is impossible to draw a figure if it is not limited by boundaries. It has to extend to a specific point and no further.

But who or what is restricting us? It’s our desire for pleasure. If I go a little over the edge, it’s considered “for the sake of self-gratification,” and that’s where I stop. However, at this point I am still capable of giving, so I keep looking for the “direction” and the form of bestowal. This is how the shapes of the letters are formed.

You start with a point: “I have a desire to bestow.” What next? You can move up a little bit to the right or left and by using limitations you draw a letter (a spiritual vessel,) a Kli in which two forces of the Light connect – the Lights of Hassadim and Hochma. Only two components exist: the desire for pleasure and the intention “for the sake of bestowal.” A Kli is made of the desire for pleasure, but there is a screen above it with Reflected Light – the force of bestowal. That is how a figure emerges from a point.

From the 3^rd part of the Daily Kabbaah Lesson 7/21/10, Talmud Eser Sefirot

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The Zohar, Chapter “Lech Lecha” (Go Forth), Items 158-159: Nefesh is a low awakening that clings to the body (Guf), like candlelight, whose bottom light is black, clings to the wick, …it becomes a throne to the white light atop it, for it hovers over the black light. And that white light corresponds to the light of Ruach.

The white light becomes a throne to a hidden light, and it is not seen or known that it hovers over the white light. It corresponds to the light of Neshama, and then it is a complete light. Thus, there are three lights one atop the other in a candlelight: 1) The black light that clings to the wick, below all the others; 2) the white light over the black light; and 3) the hidden, unknown light over the white light.

Similarly, a man who is complete in everything has three lights one atop the other, NRN, as with the candlelight.

The Zohar teaches us how we can develop and enhance the connections between us after we attain the first spiritual contact. If we cling to the point of union, it awakens new properties and sensations in us by expanding and revealing itself even more. When this happens, it means we’re ascending spiritual steps. Nothing else changes. We simply go deeper into the connection between us and begin to sense that all organs and elements of the system are unified, that all souls are tied into one.

Everything is aimed at one goal which is bestowal to the Upper Force. Within this aspiration we sense that we receive from Him. This begins with the sensation of the connection between souls and is called Malchut of the World of Atzilut, which is one point. Later this point is unveiled through bestowal to the Upper Force (to the Creator, Zeir Anpin). However, without bestowal it remains just a point.

We have to reach this very first contact by connecting together in one black point (Malchut) and start to bestow to the Creator from there. Then Malchut receives the property of bestowal from the Creator and nine Sefirot are unveiled within it. The Creator (the spiritual reality) can be sensed only to the degree that we bestow to Him.

The revelation of Malchut (the system of our souls) to Zeir Anpin (the Creator) is all that The Zohar tells us about. The Zohar teaches us how to develop connections by adding new, emerging forces to the very first spiritual point called Abraham. This is how a person uncovers spiritual organs and reveals the forces of the Upper World within himself. Instead of dry narration, The Zohar becomes an entire world and its power is unmatched by our limited reality.

From the 2nd part of the Daily Kabbalah Lesson 7/27/10, The Zohar

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Question: What discernment should I demand from the group?

Answer: I must discern what bestowal is since I don’t have any idea about it yet and it is hidden within my connection with the friends. We must make efforts together to find bestowal between us. It isn’t somewhere out there in the clouds, but right here on earth (Aretz), in our desire (Ratzon).

We must turn this land or desire into “the land of Israel” (Eretz Isra-El, Yashar-Kel) so the desire revealed in our connection will be so correct, strong, and discerned that in it we will reveal the first “holy name,” the first revelation of the Creator. This should be our aspiration.

These discernments have to be made collectively and collaboratively, not individually. This type of discernment is made by the group depending on how much everyone desires to see it happen. Out of all these desires we build one universal, powerful desire to identify what is bestowal, which we wish to attain, and in what form it should be revealed. This happens inside the connection between us. The only question left is: How willing are we to unite as one man with one heart to reach this goal, to attain this desire?

All of our work is in order to form the inner need to receive the Torah, assistance from Above, the Light that Reforms. This is what the people received at Mount Sinai – the capacity to use the Upper Light’s assistance. As a result they experienced various obstacles and transgressions, the revelation of evil which is the vessel for revealing the names of the Creator.

Broken desires that need correction are constantly revealed in us, and inside them we reveal the holy name of the Creator, the quality of bestowal. Until we reveal this quality, however, we reveal its opposite, the egoistic quality of reception. In other words, we have to go from hatred to unity and oneness.

From the 1^st part of the Daily Kabbalah Lesson 08/11/10, “You Should Always Discern Between Torah and Work”

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If a person studies Kabbalah only in order to obtain knowledge, without the desire to correct himself, then it will be of no use because the purpose of studying is to draw the Light that Reforms. This is why Kabbalists hid their texts in previous centuries. At that time mankind did not feel the need for the Light of Correction so there was no reason to give people a Kabbalah book. They would see nothing but dead letters or empty cells in it. That is why Kabbalah was banned. If a person doesn’t have the correct desire, Kabbalah will do him no good. In fact, it will only harm him since he will be studying it mechanically and will remain in the same material dimension he has always known.

If so, why  then do we disseminate Kabbalah among the masses, including those who don’t yet have a spiritual desire, the “point in the heart”? The truth is, one’s desire includes all dimensions. The collective spiritual vessel includes all souls, all people, even those whose Reshimot for spiritual correction haven’t surfaced yet. The difference is that they can’t start the correction right away because they still don’t feel the need to attain a spiritual goal.

Nevertheless, everyone has a soul! All people are integral parts of Malchut of the World of Infinity. We are able to attach all of these souls to ourselves and thereby include them in our circle. Thus we will project upon them the Surrounding Light that we draw.

The Surrounding Light may not impact them as strongly as it does us. It influences our spiritual Reshimo directly, but their spiritual Reshimo hasn’t been revealed yet and therefore the Light influences it indirectly. Nevertheless, it draws them toward correction and integrates them in our collective spiritual organism.

Therefore, the work we are doing is not in vain. Baal HaSulam wrote that the dissemination of the science of Kabbalah among the masses is “the call of the Messiah’s horn.”

From the 4^th part of the Daily Kabbalah Lesson 8/11/10, “Introduction to the Book, Panim Meirot uMasbirot”

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