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Chris – KabU Instructor.
- July 20, 2020 at 1:14 pm EDT #33838
GilKeymasterAsk any question and get an answer from a KabU instructor! (for tech questions see “Tech Support” Section)
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- August 3, 2021 at 4:02 am EDT #58967RoxanaParticipant
Hello,
What is Kabbalist’s view of near death experiences ( NDE)? It seams there are more of these experiences in our era because of more advanced medical interventions .Also they have similarities ( such as going to the light, seeing the deceased loved ones, etc) and scientists have been trying to find an explanation about the NDEs.
Also what’s view of Kabbalist about coma and those who remain comatose for years?
thank you in advance!
- August 11, 2021 at 2:27 pm EDT #59569Joseph – KabU InstructorModerator
Hi Roxana,
Kabbalists do not pay any special attention to near death experiences or to other states such as those in a coma. Although it is technically possible for a person to have some minor glimpse into spirituality through great suffering in this world, this is only temporary and does not grant a person true permanent access to the spiritual world. This is not the path the Creator intended for us. A person should achieve spirituality through a longing of love and not through physical pain.
Joseph
- August 6, 2021 at 3:21 pm EDT #59150JurgisParticipant
Hello, Roxana,
I think Kabbalah is in no mysticism, fantasies, hallucinations, wishful thinking, imagination, philosophy, dreams, etc.
It is hard work in a group with others to use your ego as a step in ladder to move closer to Creator.
No shortcuts, no tricks, no other options, just really hard work.
- July 22, 2021 at 8:05 am EDT #58080SlomoParticipant
Shalom,so I am wondering how correction ov our desires correlate to the individual sephirot,and the development ov our soul?and how does one achieve equivalence ov form to accomplish this correction
- July 22, 2021 at 2:09 pm EDT #58090Joseph – KabU InstructorModerator
Hi Slomo,
Correcting our desires, to be in order to bestow instead of in order to receive, is the means by which we develop our soul. The soul is the connected corrected ten sefirot, which for the moment is shattered and must be reassembled. We achieve this by becoming similar to the Creator. The main tools we have for this are the teacher, the books, and the environment. These aim a person correctly and allow one to follow the method laid out for us by the Kabbalists which bring one to the realization of the soul.
Joseph
- July 23, 2021 at 5:15 pm EDT #58144SlomoParticipant
thank you yusuf,so do we have different desires to correct for each sefitoth? I was aware this morning that all that exists is love and desire everything seems to revolve around desire.
- July 28, 2021 at 12:06 am EDT #58525Joseph – KabU InstructorModerator
Slomo,
The Creator created the desire to receive. This is the matter of creation. This desire operates with the intention to receive, according to self benefit, which is an evolutionary necessity until a certain point. The purpose of creation is achieved by inverting our intention to receive to be an intention to bestow. All that changes is the intention. You can’t correct the desire.
The ten sefirot are a complete spiritual structure and we can’t make such comparison between this world and the spiritual world. It doesn’t work that way. All will be clarified with time, and the effort to make ones intention similar to the Creator grants one knowledge from above. It’s written there are 620 desires that one must correct to be in order to bestow. We will learn what these numbers mean. It’s all a matter of quality. In spirituality there is only more bestowal or less bestowal.
Joseph
- July 21, 2021 at 4:26 pm EDT #58067humehr garivaniParticipant
Hi, Does love for others cause karmic bonding and loss of energy?
- July 22, 2021 at 2:02 pm EDT #58088Joseph – KabU InstructorModerator
Hi Humehr,
Love for others causes adhesion with the Creator through equivalence of form with His property of bestowal.
Joseph
- July 15, 2021 at 4:11 pm EDT #57501HingParticipant
Hello dear instructor,
I asked a question in #57500. This is to clarify my question. My current thinking process is this: My teacher, books, and friends are great because the Creator is great. So the cause is the attribute of the Creator, the effect is the attribute of environment. But this statement is opposite: “Faith in the greatness of the Creator depends on the environment.” — environment is the cause.
Again, thank you very much, instructor.
- July 15, 2021 at 3:56 pm EDT #57500HingParticipant
Hello dear instructor,
“Faith in the greatness of the Creator depends on the environment.” Please help my mind understand this statement.
(I just finished Kabbalah Revealed 2, so my understanding about the definition of the word “environment” could be incorrect.) In my understanding, the environment consists of 3 parts: a teacher/guide, books, and friends.
How “Faith in the greatness of the Creator depends on” the teacher/guide?
How “Faith in the greatness of the Creator depends on” the books?
How “Faith in the greatness of the Creator depends on” the friends?
Thank you very much! Blessings,
- July 19, 2021 at 12:24 am EDT #57804Joseph – KabU InstructorModerator
Hi Hing,
How “Faith in the greatness of the Creator depends on” the teacher/guide?
When Kabbalists refer to the greatness of the Creator, we have to understand that have no connection to this concept. There are no examples we can learn from in this world. So in order to continue without deviation towards the goal we must learn from one who has already attained higher degrees. It’s like being in Italy for the first time. In order to know my way around I might follow a tour guide, and in this way I learn for myself what the guide too knows.
How “Faith in the greatness of the Creator depends on” the books?
The wisdom of Kabbalah is the method of attaining the Creator while living in this world. This method can only be passed directly from teacher to student. This is why Kabbalists wrote their books. They wish to guide us to attain what they attained. Their books, the authentic source texts, primarily the writings of Baal HaSulam and the Rabash, act as a method that a person can come to know the Creator—like steps of a ladder a person climbs rung by rung on the path of adhesion with the Creator. But without the books a person would have no idea how to format themselves properly to be suitable for a conscious connection with the Creator. This is similar to a person in Italy who uses a map to get from point A to point B.
How “Faith in the greatness of the Creator depends on” the friends?
The path we undergo towards attainment of the Creator eventually leads a person to a state where he must choose it in spite of not having a desire for it. The Creator removes the desire from a persons heart in order to build a stronger and more true one—one that will ultimately lead a person to the desired goal. This is assuming that one learns how to work through these states. For this, a person needs a group of friends who also aspire towards the same goal. Together, they help each other, reminding one another about what they once found to be so important. By correctly incorporating oneself in the environment, including the friends, one is capable of renewing their desire for spirituality every day and continue developing in the fastest and most comfortable way. This is similar to a person who travels to Italy, and loses contact with their guide, and then they lose their map. So what does one do? Asks directions from those nearby him. And eventually he finds his way.
Joseph
- July 10, 2021 at 10:40 am EDT #56911Permal OrlyParticipant
Hello,
To be able to grasp a better understanding of what is written in the book of Shamati (an amazing book by the way), I realised that I have to understand some key words that are constantly repeating themselves in this book and even in the videos that you make. For instance, I would sincerely appreciate your help in that matter to get a proper understanding while studying or get a solid base 🙂
“It is written, “there is none else besides Him.” This means that there is no other force in the world that has the ability to do anything against Him. And what man sees, that there are things in the world that deny the Higher Household, the reason is that this is His will.”
“Things in the world that deny the Higher Household” – I understand that it must mean that there are situations/events/results that push us to believe that there is a conflict of forces (for example a war between good and evil) when in reality, this is not the case (correct me if I’m wrong here).
However, I have three main questions for that paragraph :
1. What does the term “Higher Household” mean here?
2. What exactly is “His will”? How can we really know “His will”?
3. How can we be sure that it is “His will”, and not fall in the illusion of thinking that it is “His will” when actually it is our will? Because as human we often fall prey to this deception, if you see what I mean.“And it is deemed a correction, called “the left rejects and the right adducts,” meaning that which the left rejects is considered correction. This means that there are things in the world, which, to begin with, aim to divert a person from the right way, and by which he is rejected from Sanctity.”
4. It is the correction of what?
5. What is the meaning of “left” and “right”? Why choosing those specific words?
6. Why is it that the “left” rejects and the “right” adducts? Why not the “right” rejects and the “left” adducts? Is there a pecularity to the “left” and “right”?
7. What does it reject and adduct?
8. What is the “right way”? Is there a “wrong way”?
9. What is the meaning of “Sanctity” here? I do understand generally speaking that sanctity is the state or quality of being holy or sacred (that is being put apart for a specific purpose). So I want to know if it has the same definition in this context. Does “Rejected from Sanctity” mean being “rejected from our purpose”?“And the benefit from the rejections is that through them a person receives a need and a complete desire for the Creator to help him, since he sees that otherwise he is lost. Not only does he not progress in his work, but he sees that he regresses, that is, he lacks the strength to observe Torah and Mitzvot even in Lo Lishma (not for Her Name). That only by genuinely overcoming all the obstacles, above reason, can he observe the Torah and Mitzvot. But he does not always have the strength to overcome above reason; otherwise, he is forced to deviate, God forbid, from the way of the Creator, even from Lo Lishma.”
Correct me if my comprehension is not correct please : Here I understand that the “rejections” of the “left” (which I don’t know what it represent or mean) develop a “need and a desire” in a person, and this need/desire is “for the Creator to help him”.
10. Does it mean that we receive help from the Creator to achieve equivallence of form with Him?
11. What is ” Lo Lishma (not for Her Name)? What does it mean?
12. Does “above reason” in all those writings means “contrary to one’s nature (that is the will to receive, hence will mean the will to bestow)”?I know that there are a lot of questions and it is very long. But I sincerely try to understand it and apply all that knowledge in my life. And I could not see any other place where someone could give me those answers.
Thank very much for your time, patience and kindness.
Orly
- July 15, 2021 at 1:36 am EDT #57352Joseph – KabU InstructorModerator
Hi Orly,
1. What does the term “Higher Household” mean here?
The thought of the Creator which is to create a creature and fill it with pleasure.
2. What exactly is “His will”? How can we really know “His will”?
The Kabbalists tell us that His will is to bring us to a state of perfection and fulfillment. Initially we do not know this and have not revealed it. So in the beginning, we must follow those who have traversed this path before us. Eventually, we must also reach this same discovery for ourselves. When we acquire the quality of bestowal, we become similar to Him, and then we begin to understand “His will.”
3. How can we be sure that it is “His will”, and not fall in the illusion of thinking that it is “His will” when actually it is our will? Because as human we often fall prey to this deception, if you see what I mean.
Without the guidance of the teacher it is certain that a student will fall into illusion. That is why this wisdom can only be passed from teacher to student. The measurement is to what extent I undergo self change—from receiving to bestowal.
4. It is the correction of what?
The correction is over our intention. We were created with the intention to receive, but this causes separation from the Creator. Accordingly, in order to achieve connection with Him, we must correct our intention to be in order to bestow.
5. What is the meaning of “left” and “right”? Why choosing those specific words?
Left and right refer to the two forms of development we undergo, both of which complement each other. From the left we feel that the Creator is not as the Kabbalists describe Him, “The Good that does Good,” and “There is None Else Besides Him.” We feel there are many forces working in the world and we can develop in any of several ways besides adhesion with Him. Reality is split into many disconnected pieces. On the right our purpose is clear, we understand why things happen in our life, and we arrange ourselves according to our ultimate spiritual goal because we understand that everything in this world ultimately serves that purpose.
6. Why is it that the “left” rejects and the “right” adducts? Why not the “right” rejects and the “left” adducts? Is there a pecularity to the “left” and “right”?
7. What does it reject and adduct?
The left rejects because this is a time when the Creator moves away from a person giving them the freedom to make efforts to draw nearer. This is a time of prayer as it’s felt that the Creator is distant. Hence, a person is rejected from spirituality. The right is a time when a person feels the Creator has drawn closer. Through an increased equivalence of form a person feels a certain degree of adhesion with His quality.
8. What is the “right way”? Is there a “wrong way”?
The right way is to strive to see that everything comes from the Creator and that it is all for a persons benefit in order to bring one closer to Him. At times, a person is unable to make this effort. Any thought that goes against this perception is considered the wrong way, but even this is also sent from the Creator. A person later realizes these difficulties were specifically given to Him to further strengthen one’s desire to attain spirituality.
9. What is the meaning of “Sanctity” here? I do understand generally speaking that sanctity is the state or quality of being holy or sacred (that is being put apart for a specific purpose). So I want to know if it has the same definition in this context. Does “Rejected from Sanctity” mean being “rejected from our purpose”?
Sanctity is bestowal. To be rejected from sanctity means that we reach a state where we no longer wish to achieve adhesion with the Creator.
<b>10. Does it mean that we receive help from the Creator to achieve equivalence of form with Him?</b>
Yes. The rejections give birth to a true desire.
11. What is ” Lo Lishma (not for Her Name)? What does it mean?
Lo Lishma means that a person still does not work for the sake of bestowal, but for self reception.
12. Does “above reason” in all those writings means “contrary to one’s nature (that is the will to receive, hence will mean the will to bestow)”?
Yes, well said. Sometimes the actions we are instructed to do by the Kabbalists do not make sense to our will to receive, which does not agree to change to be in order to bestow. In those moments, one should try to rise above their egoistic reason, which is preventing them from making the correct efforts, and act according to a higher reason—the advice of the Kabbalists, the influence of the environment, and the will of the Creator.
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