Ask Anything

Hi Voldsom,

I would recommend not to draw comparisons between the teachings of the Kabbalists and actions of our world. Although such connections do exist, according to the law of root and branch, which indicates that every corporeal phenomenon has a spiritual root, still, this is beyond the scope of this course.

According to the source texts Adam is the one unified corrected and connected soul. And the kli is the spiritual vessel in which we receive the upper light. Stick to the definitions straight from the source texts and things will become clear. Eventually, we will also learn the connection between spiritual phenomena and our corporeal world.

Joseph

Hello,

An individual does not make connections between the sefirot. This is done by the upper force according to the desire in a person’s heart to achieve adhesion with the Creator through equivalence of form with the quality of bestowal.

Whatever a person wants on the path to spiritual attainment, one must simply ask. Our entire work is nothing more than formulating the correct request that will receive an answer. But this must be for the sake of others and not for myself.

Joseph

Hi Melissa,

Those who have not yet awakened to the work of the Creator, meaning those who have not yet been given the desire to connect with Him, are as babies in the arms of their loving mother. They are completely governed by the Creator and exist in absolute adhesion with Him.

Only those who have an independent desire for adhesion can be considered as separate from Him on the path to attaining Him. About those people we can talk about distance or closeness with the Creator, revelation and concealment, etc. For the rest of the world they exist in the perfect state, and one should primarily focus oneself on what inner changes one must undergo in order to see the perfection that exists outside of oneself, to see the world the way the Kabbalists describe it to us.

There are other aspects of this method that deal with how do we practically bring others closer to the end goal, but we will learn this at a later stage.

Joseph

Greetings Melissa.

As unchecked egoism and ignorance resolves itself people will procreate less recklessly. But whether it is 100 children or 100 million children, all are part of one (1) force called the ‘will to receive’.

Unperceived by whom? RE: “Do they still exist unpercieved?”

All humans are unaware of the collective soul (until they become aware), that’s the purpose of creation .. think of a seed in the dark unaware of the light until it gets there or a lion cub unaware of his status as lion king. All will get there eventually – that’s the design and purpose from the beginning. From reception to bestowal.

No creature is ‘unperceived’.

People who are not awake will eventually become awake – in this life or another – that is the entire purpose of disconnection in the first place – that is our starting point. We are involved in a process; each one of us.

The thought of creation is to ‘create a creature and bring it to complete fulfillment’ using the ‘force of development’ to reach ‘equivalence of form’.

A fruit seed needs in the beginning. In the end it gives. Even a vegetable reaches ‘equivalence of form’ in its own way – after a process of development.

Everything and everyone returns to the Creator eventually.

The Creator is responsible for the shattering (there is none else besides Him), but I think we humans (egoists) definitely play a role in the duration of our disconnection.

I am not a teacher. Maybe one will elaborate further?

Michael

Hi Roxanna, great questions. I will address your questions separately.

Is there a correct way to pray for someone else? 

Yes. A true prayer comes from the bottom of the heart. It’s written, the Creator hears the desire of the heart. It’s possible a person may say the right words and still not desire this from the bottom of ones heart. So the advice is to continue and work on strengthening the intensity of the prayer and the need for that which one is asking for.

Ultimately, we come to understand that the only desire that the Creator perceives as a prayer is the desire to be similar to Him, or to attain adhesion with Him. We learn from the sages that He doesn’t feel all the egoistic prayers people say, and the entire history of mankind shows this.

Is there such a thing as predetermined destiny? 

Yes, there is a predetermined destiny. However, this is only with respect to the final goal. The process the whole of humanity is going through to bring them to the realization of the purpose of creation, being adhesion with the Creator, is already in motion. Exactly how we arrive at this goal and what we experience on the way is according to our freedom of choice

If so, then is there any point to pray if the destiny of someone is already determined?

Kabbalists explain that there are two paths to reach the final goal. A short path and a long path. The short path is much more pleasant and easy then the long path. So our actions do matter very much. Every day, we have the opportunity to choose which path we wish to take. This is with respect to me.

Regarding other people, and specifically those who do not study Kabbalah with me, the Kabbalists explain that they are completely governed by the upper force and are already in complete adhesion with Him. It’s merely I who do not see this because my senses are not developed enough. So until we discover this, we make actions, such as prayer, that will bring our perception closer to the perfection that we learn about.

Can we change someone else’s destiny or suffering by praying?

No and yes. A persons destiny is to achieve adhesion with the Creator, to be similar to Him—to bestow and selflessly love. Our participation or lack of does not change the final result for others. Eventually, everyone will reach this.

We can however alleviate the suffering of others on the way to the goal. We exist in a single interconnected system together with the whole of humanity. This means that the actions of one part of the system influence every other part. We have the power to pull the entire world closer to the realization of it’s purpose, and as a result, to gain the understanding that every moment is purposeful and ultimately for our own good.

If we should ask for understanding of the good behind someone’s suffering, what could be possible good or blessing in someone’s slow and painful death and for the love ones witnessing that?

First of all, there are certain things that take place in this world that you will not be able to see as good or purposeful. And that’s ok. Kabbalists give the example of a mother birthing a baby. The process of birth causes great physical tension for both the mother and the baby, but this pressure is necessary in order to give birth to new life. You can also take the example of a sick man who desperately awaits surgery and for doctors to cut him open to remove the harmful substance from inside his body. In both cases they don’t mind the pains and discomforts of the body because they are focused on the end goal.

When we learn to focus on the end goal of our development, and we understand that we are all connected, moving together towards this ultimate perfection, we will gain the ability to appreciate every moment of our life knowing it is bringing us one step closer to our final purpose.

Joseph

Hi Henry,

The short answer is you can’t use the screen, not yet anyways. The intention to bestow, that all of ones actions will be in order to bring contentment to the Creator, to the one who gives the abundant pleasures we experience in life, is built gradually.

A person must operate under the guidance of a teacher who has already attained this, utilizing the authentic source texts which aim us to the correct goal, as well as working in an environment consisting of others who also aspire for that same goal.

These anchors are important because it’s very easy for a person to become confused and lost in a fantasy that they create in their minds without actually progressing towards acquiring the intention to bestow. This is because we do not have an example in this world of true bestowal. So a person has no pattern with which to work towards.

Only by following meticulously the advice of the sages can one build a screen. As we progress through the study we will delve deeper into the writings of the Kabbalists.

Joseph