Ask Anything

[Gil]

Ask any question and get an answer from a KabU instructor! (for tech questions see “Tech Support” Section)

[Troy Albright]

I recently received a “cross” necklace from my mother for my birthday. She knows I study Kabbalah but I doubt she knows exactly what it is. I feel obligated to wear it when I’m around her because it was a gift. Any instructor’s or friends have input regarding what Kabbalah says about this? Thank you in advance.

[Chris – KabU Instructor]

Hi Troy,

I think we would say just wear it if you know it’ll make her happy. No reason to have it become a cause for conflict or increase any kind of tension.

We all experience these kinds of situations, so that’s normal, but don’t think putting a cross necklace on your neck brings you closer or further from the path. Remember, the most important is the intention…”intention” for what? “to do good.”

Thanks!

[Brad]

Hi!

How would you reconcile these

Zohar says, “A mitzvah without aim is like a body whitout a soul”

but

My brother says

the Tanya teaches even if one is just mere praying, saying words, but not really connecting there is still a spark of holiness within the jew that has a connection to Hashem, and so even with mitzvots…… and when we do truly put our kavanah into our actions it’s like all of these actions were fulfilled fully. You have to have the body, even if one doesn’t understand the sod. You can’t have one without the other, and the shulcan aruch really gives us the sod along with the halacha, unlike the Rambam which is more straight to the observant point.

he leans more toward physical halachah then Kabbalah.

can we have one without  the other ?

like a body without a soul? The body does need the soul, so i guess both are needed. But can we say that if there is no intention, that even when the jew puts on teffilin it means nothing? 100%?

thx

#gamebreaker

[Troy Albright]

Thank you Chris!

[Chris – KabU Instructor]

Hey Brad,

If you’re referring to physical Mitzvot, then this certainly has now influence on the spiritual. The spiritual world is only affected by man’s intention. In our times, the physical actions which are important are only ones that cause greater connection between those who want to connect and reach the higher goal of revealing the Creator in this world. Matching those actions with one’s inner intention for that goal draws the greatest force of correction and advance a person the most towards attaining that goal.

Thanks!

Chris

[sj]

This may be a strange question, but I’m very interested in quantum mechanics and physics in general so I have a fun thought experiment about spacetime. Would it be correct to think that all of our prayers have already been answered? And that we’re simply experiencing the playing out of the soul’s development? Time is something we experience, but surely the Creator is not bound by spacetime as we are so for the Creator, all time and space are simultaneous. For the Creator, there is no “before” and “after” our prayer, because that would mean the Creator experiences time and/or causality. It’s only us down here, in corporeal bodies, that experience an answer at a specific point in time, yes?

Also, is the concept of dimensionality (I think the theoretical physicists are up to 10) something reflected in spirituality? Or are we just seeing alternate dimensions of our corporeal reality? (I’m thinking of the story of Elisha seeing the army of angels that are always there, but perhaps “hidden” in a different dimension, though I know all stories in the Torah are about spiritual things.)

Thanks!

[Chris – KabU Instructor]

Hey sj,

This is always a fascinating topic because it puts us “in our place” and forces us to consider the true reality in which we exist.

Kabbalah explains that from the Creator’s perspective, everything is already corrected and exists in that state of the final correction. The creature however, like you mentioned, needs to actualize that. The only difference is how we arrive at that state of final correction. If we are able to recognize the state we are in and what state we need to reach, more or less, then we are the only part in creation that can use the reigns of evolution to speed up this development and therefore not rely on the natural forces that would push us there naturally. We would use the method the Kabbalists left us in order to hasten that development where we would find our free choice and our true place as the creature in front of its Maker.

The “prayer” that you mentioned would be this “delta” that the creature would feel in a certain state where they realize there are not in a place they should be. Kabbalists call this the “existing” state and the “desirable” state. If the creature feels these two then that becomes a prayer and the upper system lifts them to that next state. That’s the same process that would happen naturally as well, but the difference would be if that awareness was attained by means of an environment projecting the values and the importance of that future state versus the pain and sorrow one would feel as a result of the natural “pushing” force in reality that is always felt as something negative to the created being as opposed to something that draws them forward.

Hope that helps, thanks!

Chris

[sj]

Thank you! Definitely gives me a lot to think about.

[Michael]

i don’t understand… where are those people who attained in the first temple, if when you attain you don’t perceive death (or something), so wouldn’t they still be around?  or something?

[Chris – KabU Instructor]

Hi Michael,

If you’re talking about attaining the spiritual reality and they reached their final correction then that soul does not reincarnate since it already reached all the corrections and that’s the only reason we appear in bodies.

Hope that was your question, thanks!

Chris

[Vince]

Is it true that people create their own problems in life via their subconscious mind via Binah? But how can this be so If the Creator is the one who operates all events?

It is confusing because I’ve seen(like deja vu) or known(dreamt about an event) things before they happen and have felt awful about them and they seem to happen badly like I had seen/felt they would.

So sometimes it feels like I’m creating bad things in my life via my thoughts and worries but then I remember That the Creator is the one running things via providence/forces of nature/compulsory

If I could have some guidance on this it would be appreciated It would help explain at least why Everyone has decided to alienate me out of no where it seems (the creator has designed me to be alone?)

[Chris – KabU Instructor]

Hey Michael,

As you’ve probably heard, there’s None Else besides Him. Any thought that there are other causes, is also Him. It’s set up this way for us to first, become despaired from our own forces in trying to attain a good life and second, to have a reason to turn to Him for everything finally. Coming out of this distorted perception where He is concealed from us isn’t something that is just “handed out”, some kind of freebie, but that process is where we build ourselves and obtain a desire for Him to rule is the purpose of the whole thought of creation. This process is where we gradually reveal Him. Until then, we will always fight with thinking someone or something else has a hand in managing our reality. Stick with it, find strength in the group and continue on!

Best of luck!

Chris

[Molly]

Hi Kabu ,

i have just completed the course The Emergent universe ( Loved it !) and i have a question ?
There is a statement from part 4 /hot spots :

“All forms of our world are spiritual imprints, albeit egoistic ones. Here we find the entire world, as well as stars and galaxies, because even in the spiritual world there are the exact same objects: “stars” and “heavens.” But in this world, we see only the reverse projection of a small part of the spiritual world while its major part is out of sight. The spiritual world is much richer in the quantity of components.”

I wonder if the section that is “out of sight” to man , is the dark matter and dark energy scientists search for today ?
The existence of this matter & energy in the spiritual universe …could overlay our current universe ( according to quantum theories about spacetime. superpositions, multiverses etc ) , occupying the same space time ??? as our lower universe ? This would account for the fact that scientists and their instruments know somethings there , can see its affects , …just not what it is ie this is why they call it dark ….

wiki : ( yes i know wiki is not optimal but still common knowledge ? )
Dark matter is a hypothetical form of matter thought to account for approximately 85% of the matter in the universe.[1] Dark matter is called “dark” because it does not appear to interact with the electromagnetic field, which means it does not absorb, reflect, or emit electromagnetic radiation and is, therefore, difficult to detect.
Dark Energy: the best current measurements indicate that dark energy contributes 68% of the total energy in the present-day observable universe.

This problem has bought current scientific endeavour in understanding our universe to a standstill. Quantum mechanics , Einstein’s laws, Newtons laws …none seem to illuminate this problem .
Maybe they all need to do Kabbalah!!!

What do you think ???
Thanks Molly M

[Ben]

The percentage of matter may be a equivalent form of bodily functions still attempting they desires pertaining to the hearts perspective of what is and the energy put forth in this direction maybe the potential reception of Light the Upper force can correct. Just saying?¿

[Chris – KabU Instructor]

Hey Molly,

The issue is it’s still an observation of the physical world. The spiritual world is perceived from within. Of course, there are phenomena in our world that are currently unexplainable and imperceptible like black holes and dark matter but looking for “spiritual forces” means searching for the quality of bestowal. The only “sense” that can perceive this force is the human who has built the receptors within to grasp this force’s influence on itself as well as in the world. This doesn’t mean that “dark matter” is the spiritual force that is hidden, it’s just another hidden force in our reality that operates in our physical world. There are many “roles” in nature’s sphere but they all operate towards the purpose of creation. Perceiving this force is attaining that “thought” of creation, understanding how it works towards that one purpose and participating with it.

Hope that helps!

Chris

[Molly]

Ok thank you

[Author]

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