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You say that there are 613 desires that we must fulfill. When these numbers are added together, the result is ten. Does this have anything to do with the ten Sefirot?
Hi Domagoj,
The numbers all have their own significance. When a person attains spirituality, he begins to research it, and discovers all these numbers from his research. But what exactly is he researching, what is spirituality?
Essentially we’re always talking about a desire. Our current reality is based on our current nature, the desire to receive. Spirituality on the other hand operates according to a different desire, that of pure bestowal. The different numbers are just a different way to divide up that spiritual desire. This desire can be divided into 613 parts, or 620 parts, or 600,000 pieces, or 125 degrees, or even 10 sefirot.
It’s just like how we can study a person based on his behavior, or based on his anatomy, or based on his external appearance, or his internal chemistry. Ultimately we’re studying the same person, but from different angles. Same with these different divisions, they are all talking about the same spiritual desire but from different angles or a different scale.
So if we are describing the desire as 620 parts, then we’re talking about the number of corrections that need to be placed over the desire. This number is further divided into 248 desires of bestowing in order to bestow, 365 desires that operate on receiving in order to bestow, and 7 additional desires that are corrected only in the final correction. We’ll learn about this in detail in the more advanced lessons on KabU that deal with the structure of the upper worlds.
Albert @ KabU
What specific activities can one undertake in this life in order to stay in the path of light? What does it entails? And if one doesn’t do these activities would it mean that he or she automatically falls back into the path of suffering/pain which was his or her earlier state? Please explain.
Please explain in terms of the qualities also that one has to develop in order to stay in the path of light.
Hi Manas,
In theory we want to be on the path of light 100% of the time, but in practice, that’s not how it works. In practice we weave back and forth between these two paths. And that’s ok. We fall and rise many times on the spiritual path. The main thing is to keep going. Keep placing yourself under the influence of the light, and it’ll balance everything out.
The best way to do this is to just set aside some time to regularly return to the Kabbalistic writings, weekly lessons, videos, books, etc. Such a habit of regularly returning to the source of the light will help you throughout your entire spiritual development.
Check out these blog posts from Rav Laitman for more details:
https://laitman.com/2013/02/sunbathing-in-the-rays-of-the-reforming-light/
https://laitman.com/2011/01/lets-go-with-the-light/
Albert @ KabU
How did we determine the 125 steps, and 600,000 pieces and 613 desires. Where do these numbers come from, and what are they?
Hi Lori,
The numbers all have their own significance. When a person attains spirituality, he begins to research it, and discovers all these numbers from his research. But what exactly is he researching, what is spirituality?
Essentially we’re always talking about a desire. Our current reality is based on our current nature, the desire to receive. Spirituality on the other hand operates according to a different desire, that of pure bestowal. The different numbers are just a different way to divide up that spiritual desire. This desire can be divided into 613 parts, or 620 parts, or 600,000 pieces, or 125 degrees, or even 10 sefirot.
It’s just like how we can study a person based on his behavior, or based on his anatomy, or based on his external appearance, or his internal chemistry. Ultimately we’re studying the same person, but from different angles. Same with these different divisions, they are all talking about the same spiritual desire but from different angles or a different scale.
So if we are describing the desire as 620 parts, then we’re talking about the number of corrections that need to be placed over the desire. This number is further divided into 248 desires of bestowing in order to bestow, 365 desires that operate on receiving in order to bestow, and 7 additional desires that are corrected only in the final correction. We’ll learn about this in detail in the more advanced lessons on KabU that deal with the structure of the upper worlds.
Regarding the 125 steps, the number 125 comes from the structure of the upper worlds. This structure is just a division of the spiritual desire that we need to correct into sefirot, partzufim, and worlds.
The most basic division of the desire is 1 Sefira. 5 Sefirot compose 1 partzuf. 5 Partzufim compose 1 world. There are 5 worlds in total. So 5 worlds each with 5 partzufim each with 5 sefirot equals 125 (5x5x5) steps on the spiritual ladder. This number symbolizes the gap, the delta, between our nature and the Creator’s nature.
Check out this blog post from Rav Laitman for more details: https://laitman.com/2010/11/numbers-indicate-quality-not-quantity/
Regarding 600,000, this is less of a quantitative number and more of a qualitative number. It represents the strength of the spiritual desire after it’s been fully corrected.
Check out this blog post from Rav Laitman to see how this number is derived: https://laitman.com/2010/09/love-and-hatred-of-600000-souls/
Albert @ KabU
When will a person experiencing the light of the creator? Again how could a person experiencing the shift to the spirituality world?
Hi Michael,
Experiencing spirituality works according to the law of equivalence of form. Meaning that to feel the spirituality, we need to become similar to it, to the qualities of love and bestowal that reside there. This is just like how a radio can pick up an external wave, when we tune the internal frequency of the radio to that wave.
We’ll learn how to do this in practice in the more advanced semesters.
Check out this blog post from Rav Laitman for more details: https://laitman.com/2013/04/everything-is-attained-by-the-equivalence-of-form/
Albert @ KabU
I am going to try to explain what I understood. Please correct me in any way if I misunderstood. Left rejects is suffering because of our egoistic way of life in this world; within our five senses. However, suffering is correction and this Force is from the Creator. I am Jewish and I was taught and had my book on the 613 commandments. It was difficult for me to truly understand, not knowing about Kabbalah, that the 613 commandments were a “Force of Development” to reach a “perfect and eternal state.” I feel that I am understanding the “why” of suffering that is slowly leading me to understand the cause of suffering. I believe that once I will be able to seek inside the cause of suffering; seeking the point in my heart, I will then begin the beautiful path to bestow back to the Creator to again be aligned with the Creator.
Hi Elisheva,
I cannot comment on your personal understanding. In general, our perception and understanding is not something fixed, rather it will constantly change. This is because every new spiritual degree comes with a completely different set of values and way of thinking. What was valid on the previous degree, becomes false on the current one. What we used to value previously, becomes worthless. This is called “what is waste for the upper is nourishment for the lower”.
Check out this blog post from Rav Laitman for more details: https://laitman.com/2017/01/rising-to-a-new-degree/
Albert @ KabU
I’m having trouble understanding the 613 desires or mitzvot that require correction. I looked up the what they were specifically using a few different sources. Is this what we are talking about? Please tell me I’m missing something!!
http://www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org/the-613-mitzvot-commandments
Albert, at first, your reply did not make sense to me. I missed using the link you gave me. I just watched it. Now your reply makes sense to me. We move from one state of being to another. Hence, the state before no longer counts. It is of no value. We need to keep moving forward by continuing to learn more about Kabbalah, The Creator, and ourselves; how we fit in this world through our five senses. It is an upward changing in understanding to perceive outside the box we live in. Once needs to achieve that six sense, or unknown sense that is hidden from us because we have not learned yet how to be outside the box. I might not be explaining this correctly. However, I do believe I understand your response and the Dr. Laitman’s explanation. Thank you.
Hi JD,
There are 613 desires that we need to correct. Corresponding to each desire, there is a law or commandment. These are the INTERNAL processes by which we correct that specific desire. In other words, Kabbalists don’t look at the 613 commandments as physical actions to be performed by our hands and feet, but rather as allegories to the internal process of correcting our desires.
Check out this blog post from Rav Laitman for more details: https://laitman.com/2016/02/mitzvot-commandments-the-correction-of-desires/
Keep in mind that these 613 desires that we are learning about are spiritual desires, meaning desires that we don’t yet have. This is similar to how a single cell in a body only has some basic desires. But when that cell is part of a greater body, it reveals there higher desires which are impossible for the individual cell to have: desires for money, honor, power, etc. Same with us, until we integrate with the general body of Adam HaRishon, we don’t reveal or understand these 613 spiritual desires. We’ll learn how to do this practically in the more advanced lessons.
Check out this blog post from Rav Laitman for more details: https://laitman.com/2008/12/all-you-need-to-know-about-the-613-desires/
Albert @ KabU
Thanks for your reply. I’m really trying to understand. So each of the Mitzvot aren’t to be taken literally, but seen as a metaphor or allegory for a thing that we can’t truly understand until we begin our spiritual ascent? I think I get that as a concept. But help me understand the ones that say , for instance, “not to have homosexual relations” and “not to have relations with menstrually impure women”. What could that be a metaphor for? Is it possible to even know?? I want so much to be able to connect and stay open but reading that made me really sad. How can that be reframed?
Hi JD,
Each commandment is an allegory for us correcting our egoistic desires. It’s possible to explain each commandment in Kabbalistic terms, but that’s beyond the scope of this semester.
If you want to read up on it by yourself, check out the book Disclosing a Portion.
Albert @ KabU
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