- This topic has 1,553 replies, 601 voices, and was last updated 3 hours, 46 minutes ago by
.
- Replies
From the readings in Week One of Course One, please further elucidate:
Mitzvah, particularly as a requirement.
Also, the frequent mention of the “Principle of Reward and Punishment” which I don’t think is the same as good and bad?
Thank you.
Hi Aleta,
There are 613 desires that we need to correct. Corresponding to each desire, there is a mitzvah (commandment). These are the INTERNAL processes by which we correct that specific desire. In other words, Kabbalists don’t look at the 613 mitzvot 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/
2. Regarding reward and punishment, in the context of upper providence, when providence is revealed to a person in the form of reward and punishment, it’s like a direct correlation: when we do good, we get rewarded, when we do bad, we get punished.
Although reward and punishment is a very high spiritual degree, it’s still an incomplete state. There is an even higher level where providence is revealed as completely good, regardless of our actions. It’s like a mother that loves her child no matter how the child acts.
See page 31 of Attaining the Worlds Beyond for more details and this blog post from Rav Laitman: https://laitman.com/2017/06/reward-and-punishment-in-our-lives-part-3/
Albert @ KabU
couple of more questions.
My understanding is that the creator is infinite and so is the spiritual world. So, why are there only 5 “worlds”.
So, let’s say most of us disparate parts of the whole sole figure out we are one and start working to reunite with the creator. If just one piece doesn’t join does this mean all of us won’t join with the creator because we won’t be a complete collective soul? Does that create world number 6 and we start over again?
Hi Melissa,
The 5 spiritual worlds are not place like we think, but rather levels of concealment. World (Olam in Hebrew) comes from the word Concealment (ha-alama). So the 5 worlds are 5 levels of concealment between us, the desire to receive, and the Creator the general force of love and bestowal. To the extent that we correct our own opposite, egoistic nature, for it to also operate in the direction of bestowal, to that extent we reveal these worlds, these higher qualities.
As to where the number 5 comes from, there is a pattern in nature that stems from the 4 phases of direct light, we’ll learn about it in depth in the upcoming lessons.
Check out this blog post from Rav Laitman for more details: https://laitman.com/2013/04/everything-is-attained-by-the-equivalence-of-form/
2. There is a personal final correction and there is a general final correction. The personal final correction is when I correct myself relative to my place in the general system. The general final correction is when EVERYONE corrects themselves relative to their place in the general system. If I complete my personal correction then I work on helping others complete their correction until we reach the general final correction.
Check out this blog post from Rav Laitman for more details: https://laitman.com/2010/11/everyone-is-a-point-everyone-is-infinity/
Albert @ KabU
Hi, you mentioned the lineage of teachers for yourself is Michael Laitman Rabbi Baruch Ashlag, then Rabbi Yehuda Ashlag (Baal HaSulam) as “Authentic Kabbalah” that teaches from the perspective of practitioners of Kabbalah (Kabbahlists) and not scholars. So, is Authentic Kabbalah a category/group, and Theoretical (scholar) another category/group of Kabbalah? What are the different categories of Kabbalah and who are their lineage of teachers for each? How do the different groups work together toward a common goal? Thank you.
Hi Melissa,
I’m not an expert in how others teach Kabbalah, so I cannot comment on them. In general, a Kabbalist is someone that has practically attained spirituality and then goes on to teach others how to reach spiritual attainment as well.
While scholars on the other hand write about spirituality without actually attaining it. It’s like a blind person that spent years researching colors and then shares his research with others.
Authentic Kabbalah completely negates this approach. Which is why it makes this differentiation between the Kabbalistic approach vs the scholarly approach.
Check out this blog post from Rav Laitman for more details: https://laitman.com/2015/11/the-great-kabbalists-and-their-works/
Albert @ KabU
- You must be logged in to reply to this topic.