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*I thught i already asked about this but i think i dint so no need to make 2 responses if youve seen this question already*
There was a qoute about being in equivalance of form and that part of this is to not think of yoursefl, (exept your basic survival and living needs) how does this relate to our human relations, family, friends, spouse, etc emotional attatchments with people, i am a person that fears loss of connection with people, i struggle with fear of being walked away from and seen as not good enough or not a good friend or partner etc…I hate dissapointing people and it feels scary when they seem like theyre gonna leave…but im not supposed to think about myself…at all? should i even try to preserve or maintain my relationships in life, especially when they are about to change or disconnect? I want to know what mindset is right to have in such matters
Hi Yeabsera,
We need to find a good balance between our corporeal lives and our spiritual aspirations. Without a good balance in our corporeal lives, we won’t be able to advance in spirituality either. This is called “no flour, no Torah – no Torah, no flour”.
Meaning a Kabbalist continues to exist on the level of this world throughout the entire spiritual ladder. So I cannot just turn into a monk and disconnect from this life and only focus on spirituality. On the other hand, if I only focus on corporeality, then I’m no different than an animal.
So the important thing is to find the right balance between the two: to take care of all of one’s normal necessities: to work, take care of the family, health, etc (this is called flour) and to set aside some time on a regular basis to focus on spirituality (this is called Torah).
And in the more advanced stages of our development, we will see how our day to day life helps us with our spiritual development.
Albert @ KabU
Two quotes i´d like to understand more baout, when they mention correction in the first qoute, are they talking about tikkun?
“Every time we decide that we do not want to use
this or that desire egoistically, the Reshimo of that state is
considered to have completed its task, and moves on to
make room for the next. This is the only correction we
are required to make”“There is a discernment of “mind” and a discernment of “heart” in the
above-mentioned equivalence of form. The engagement in Torah and Mitzvot
in order to bestow contentment upon one’s Maker is equivalence of form in the
mind. This is because the Creator does not think of Himself—whether He exists
or whether He watches over His creations, and other such doubts. Similarly, one
who wishes to achieve equivalence of form must not think of these things, as
well, when it is clear that the Creator does not think of them, since there is no
greater disparity of form than that. Hence, anyone who thinks of such matters is
certainly separated from Him, and will never achieve equivalence of form”Here i dont understand how wnating to make creator content is as if the creator was thinking of himself wich he dosent becuase hes perfect? and when they say mind what is that meant as compared o equivalance in heart. Thank you!
Hi Yeabsera,
1. I’m not sure what you mean. Tikun is Hebrew for the word correction.
2. If we act with the intention to bestow to the Creator, then we’re not thinking about ourselves. By that we become similar to the Creator, who too does not think about Himself.
3. Mind refers to our thoughts and heart refers to our desires.
Albert @ KabU
Passover is approaching; shall we celebrate our spiritual liberation in accordance with the Haggadah?
Hi Alice,
Kabbalists primarily relate to the internality of the Haggadah. That this story symbolizes how our point in the heart (symbolized by Moses) help us come out of our egoistic nature (symbolized by Egypt/Pharaoh) and acquire the Creator’s qualities of love and bestowal (symbolized by the land of Israel). This should be our main aspiration.
As for carrying out the Haggadah physically in the Passover meal, that’s up to you. It’s not something that is mandated, but it is beneficial if done with the right intention. If not with the right intention, then like the Kabbalists tell us “a commandment without the intention is like a body without a soul”.
Check out this article for more details: https://www.kabbalah.info/bb/passover-meaning/
Albert @ KabU
Hi. I have a few questions about this week’s content. In the related material, I learned about the language of roots and branches. According to this, and what is clarified in the book ” Kabbalah for Students”, as long as we are in the world of branches, we never attain the spiritual meaning of their roots. The roots are the means by which Kabbalists exchange and discuss spiritual concepts among themselves. There is no way to understand the hidden meaning no matter how hard you try. You’ll understand, apparently, only with help from above and the attainment process. So, why is it emphasized, many times, that reading the authentic Kabbalah books, which are only understood by us in their corporeal form, will help with attainment? Is it like magic (Kabbalah is not magic) or by dedicating your time and commitment to reading something you won’t understand until the creator considers me worthy and give me something out of pity or as a reward for my desire?
Second question is about the groups of ten. As we are hard wired to receive, every attempt made to get beyond the Masach, is based on the will to receive. The intention is originally receiving the “will to bestow” and being equivalent to the Creator in form. Every attempt we make in this journey is to become or “receive” the creator’s form. The intention is to receive in order to give. The fact that we will give doesn’t eliminate the very first intention that is “to receive” that quality. How does it work and how this paradox can be explained?
Hi Farzin,
1. It’s not magic. It’s not out of pity. These are simple spiritual mechanics. The system is built in such a way that “there is no light without a Kli”. Meaning that you cannot be given something spiritual if you don’t build the desire for it. And the second you build the desire for it, all of spirituality opens up for you.
Why then do we read the Kabbalistic texts? Because it helps us build the right desire for spirituality. Baal HaSulam explains this in item 155 of the Introduction to The Study of the Ten Sefirot. Here’s an excerpt
155) Therefore, we must ask, Why then did the Kabbalists obligate every person to study the wisdom of Kabbalah? Indeed, there is a great thing about it, which should be publicized: There is a wonderful, invaluable remedy to those who engage in the wisdom of Kabbalah. Although they do not understand what they are learning, through the yearning and the great desire to understand what they are learning, they awaken upon themselves the lights that surround their souls.
… Hence, even when he does not have the vessels, when he engages in this wisdom, mentioning the names of the lights and the vessels related to his soul, they immediately illuminate upon him to a certain extent. However, they illuminate for him without clothing the interior of his soul, for lack of vessels able to receive them. Yet, the illumination one receives time after time during the engagement draws upon him grace from above, and imparts him with abundance of sanctity and purity, which bring him much closer to achieving his wholeness.
In other words, we’re studying these texts because through this process, we evoke the light to influence us. It’s the light that ultimately builds the right desire in us. Our job is only to extract it more and more, and it does all the rest.
Check out this blog post from Rav Laitman for more details: https://laitman.com/2013/02/sunbathing-in-the-rays-of-the-reforming-light/
2. Our very nature is egoistic. So naturally it’s impossible for us to do anything against this nature. Meaning that even us studying Kabbalah is done for egoistic reasons. And that’s okay. No one is demanding of us to be saints. No one is demanding of us to have superhuman strength and to conquer our ego.
All that we need to do, and all that we’re capable of doing actually, is just to try. That’s it. We just need to try to be above the ego. We don’t need to succeed, we just need to try. Such efforts are enough to extract the reforming light which turns this aspiration into something real.
Check out this blog post from Rav Laitman for more details: https://laitman.com/2012/03/building-blocks-of-the-first-spiritual-degree/
Albert @ KabU
Thanks for the response. I read what you said in Rav Laitman, too:
“Similarly, we need to clarify the conditions under which we will be able to pull the maximum Light that Reforms. And we need not just to place ourselves under its influence, but to pull it to ourselves. After all, here everything depends on how strongly I want the Light to come and affect me.
And one needs to think about this all day: How can I hold myself in the correct thought and desire; what needs to control my heart and mind in order to invite the influence of the Light?”
One more clarification, please: the cause and effect in this case doesn’t follow the corporeal laws. Does it? For example, just thinking and dreaming about being rich every minute has never made anyone rich. You may dream all you want, but you also need to take some form of action to gradually get there. Starting to receive the Light by reading Kabbalistic texts because there is a desire to receive the Light is like starting to get rich through a burning desire and reading different books, such as “Think and Grow Rich”, etc., without any action. So, what’s the verdict here? Are the cause-and-effect laws in Kabbalah different, or are they similar to corporeality and require some action? If so, what’s the action? I hope I could get the message across.
Hi Farzin,
Yes, actions are definitely required. But the action should be secondary. 90% of the work is in finding the right intention, and 10% is in carrying out that intention in action.
The basic actions are studying from the Kabbalistic sources and connecting with other points in the heart in the Kabbalistic group. This will be more relevant in the advanced semesters where everyone will receive their own virtual Kabbalah group to practice with.
Albert @ KabU
Hi Kabu Instructors, reposting on the right question: I am still a bit unclear on what Job reaction should’ve been upon each calamity – did he needed to ask the creator the purpose of his suffering? And what could’ve he done to prevent more suffering ?
youtube.com/playlist?list=PLVz2cfPpsbe7uhPudZSNAJJzw86UBuI2E&si=W6zZNzyz-rJSpa2Y
Hi Daniel,
This was answered in your previous post about it here.
For the future, general questions not related to the weekly materials should be asked in the ask anything forum.
Albert @ KabU
Considering the importance of group study for Kabbalists I regret that I’ve missed many study group calls and faq because I’ve been traveling and the time zone conversion is impacting my availability to join. Is it possible to send a google meeting invitation instead of a zoom link in what’s app? Google meet automatically converts the time. Alternatively if the meeting times are consistent and the link doesn’t change for each type of meeting we could create calendar reminders ourselves. Id love to know if others are struggling with this aspect of the course as I am.
Hi Ellema,
This forum is for questions related to week 5 materials. For technical support, you can use the blue help button in the bottom right, or the contact page.
Albert @ KabU
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