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I am interested in practical use of the wisdom from Kabbalah. I think its not enough only to intellectualize it, but to feel the fruits as well. How i can understand that my desires are good or bad? If i understand that certain desire in me is egoistic, how can i work on that to correct it? Can you describe Kabbalistic approach on example with addiction. Lets say a person is alcoholic (addiction and egoistic will to receive). Can you in a few steps describe how Kabbalah is dealing with egoistic desires or addictions? With examples if possible (like that one with a host on a dinner when we change intention)
Hi David,
You are correct that it’s not enough to intellectualize it, it needs to be felt.
Regarding our egoistic desires, first of all, what are egoistic desires? The fact that I like to eat and drink, this is not considered egoism. In Kabbalah, egoism is a spiritual quality which stands in the way of our connection with the Creator. By default, no one has such a quality. It’s only after we start to do some serious spiritual work, do we reveal this quality within us called egoism.
Check out this blog post from Rav Laitman for more details:Â https://laitman.com/2010/10/true-evil/
As for correcting egoism, we don’t do this with our own strength, but only through the force of the light. Essentially, our entire work boils down to extracting more and more of this force, especially during the Kabbalistic studies, and it performs all of the corrections upon us.
Check out this blog post from Rav Laitman for more details:Â http://laitman.com/2013/02/sunbathing-in-the-rays-of-the-reforming-light/
Albert @ KabU
OK so last night I had a very strange dream about my son I don’t want to really put it out there a lot but it was so real that when I woke up I could not stop thinking about it and when I tried to go to sleep the dream keeped going until the end it was like a warning. Now with you saying that we are all like shattered souls and we are all one would that be the creator trying to worn me about something? Like could the sixth sense be communicating with the creator in my sleep?
Hi Craig,
Kabbalists typically don’t attribute much importance to dreams or the state of dreaming. They see it simply as a state where the brain summarizes/organizes the daily experiences. Similar to how some computers go through the process of defragmentation.
Check out this blog post from Rav Laitman for more details:Â https://laitman.com/2016/02/new-life-496-where-do-dreams-come-from/
Albert @ KabU
What is there in Kabbalah that makes it different from all that has been said, such as mysticism, religion, and so on?
What can convince me to abandon other methods of meditation or meditation and choose Kabbalah? In fact, can Kabbalah show me that in practice it brings me closer to the true Creator of the universe? Or are his claims only theoretical?Hi Michael, great questions!
Kabbalah is a science. So when we make the distinction that Kabbalah is not mysticism, by this we mean to say that it’s not something airy or detached from nature, rather it’s very much so grounded into nature, into researching and applying the laws of nature. And when we make the distinction that Kabbalah is not a religion, by this we mean to say that it’s not based on blind faith or belief, but rather on the empirical research of the Kabbalists. Furthermore, if we follow this method, try to replicate it, we should reach the same results that they did, meaning the correction of our egoistic nature and as a result the revelation of the Creator in our lives.
Check out this blog post from Rav Laitman for more details:Â https://laitman.com/2011/01/kabbalah-and-other-sciences-philosophy-and-religion/
As for convincing you to follow this method, we don’t do such things here. This follows the rule that “there is no coercion in spirituality”. So no one can tell you if this method is for you or not, you need to feel it for yourself.
Albert @ KabU
Shalom,
Anthony Kosinec told that Kabbalah is the science to acknowledge realities of this world and the five worlds remaining beyond or perceptions. Did Adam and Eve attain those five worlds before their fall?
Hi Muhammad,
Yes, you can say that. But keep in mind that Kabbalah does not relate to the stories in the Torah as literal stories since the Torah is written entirely in a type of code called the language of roots and branches. Meaning it uses words of our world to describe spiritual phenomena. As such, not a single word in the Torah is speaking about our world, history, etc.
Check out this blog post from Rav Laitman for more details:Â https://laitman.com/2016/05/dispelling-myths-about-kabbalah-part-4/
Albert @ KabU
I got a tad confused on one part of the lesson. Was Tony saying that one of tge misconceptions is that we had to master preliminary wisdom before coming to kabbalah, or was he saying that if we have not mastered them or understood them that we will not understand kabbala?
Are the preliminary wisdoms a requirement in order to understand the wisdom of kabbalah?
Hi Katie,
He’s saying that this is a misconception, that there are no preliminary requirements. Baal HaSulam wrote about it in one of his letters:
“I shall tell you that in the past, it was necessary to obtain all seven secular teachings and undergo terrible self-torments prior to attaining the Creator. Yet, not many were rewarded with the Creator’s favor. But since we have been rewarded with the teachings of the Ari and the work of the Baal Shem Tov, it is truly within everyone’s reach, and no further preparation is required.”Â
In other words, in our days, there is no need for any preliminary wisdoms. The only condition to studying Kabbalah in our days is the desire to do so. If a person has such a desire, called the point in the heart, then this entire wisdom is open before them. If not, then no. This follows the rule that “there is no coercion in spirituality”.
Albert @ KabU
Hi Yile,
The seven secular teachings is like a broad knowledge of the world. It includes not just sciences like physics and chemistry but also things like music, dance, arts, and etc. In our days it’s like getting a liberal arts degree in college.
Keep in mind that these preliminary teachings are not necessary in our days.
Check out this blog post from Rav Laitman for more details: http://laitman.com/2012/01/like-water-seeping-through-sand/
Albert @ KabU
Many traditions pray for the dead. How is this viewed from a Kabbalistic point of view? Put another way, do prayers for the dead help the deceased soul?
Hi Beth,
Kabbalists view life and death in a completely different way. Check out this blog post from Rav Laitman for an example: https://laitman.com/2013/06/life-and-death-in-the-eyes-of-a-kabbalist/
But regardless of how Kabbalah views these things, don’t think that Kabbalists are against us following our traditions. Quite the opposite. Kabbalists write that even after the full spiritual correction, a person can keep their religious customs and traditions.
In other words, it’s encouraged to maintain your traditions even while studying Kabbalah. So if there are certain customs and traditions that your family is used to doing, if these things are not harmful to others, then by all means, keep doing them.
As for the spiritual corrections that we talk about in Kabbalah, these things have nothing to do with the actions we perform with our hands and feet, but rather these are internal corrections, corrections of our intention. We’ll learn more about this in the upcoming lessons.
Albert @ KabU
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