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Hello, I have another question please.
Concerning Kabbalah, Then and Now (this weeks reading),
Johannes Reuchlin, a humanist, classics scholar, and expert in ancient languages and traditions, writes in his book, De Arte Cabbalistica:
“My teacher, Pythagoras, the father of philosophy, took his teaching from Kabbalists … He was the first to translate the word, Kabbalah, unknown to his contemporaries, to the Greek word philosophy… Kabbalah does not let us live our lives in the dust, but elevates our mind to the height of knowledge.”Interesting to learn that Pythagoras translated Kabbalah as “Philosophy” in the Greek, which I had learned was broken down like this; Philios or Love and Sophia or wisdom, hence the word philosophy is, Love of Wisdom. Kabbalah translates as “to Receive” so I wonder just what Pythagoras was thinking, because it seems to me to be entirely different. However, personally I like the thought of studying Kabbalah, being motivated by philosophy.
Also since I personally have an interest in words and what they are, what they mean and what power they have my question then is, “is it incorrect to think of Kabbalah as Philosophy?, or is the translation of Pythagoras correct?
Thank you
Phil Wallace
Hi Phil,
Kabbalah is not philosophy. It’s a practical scientific method by which we can correct our egoistic nature. As a result of this correction, we become similar to the Creator. As a result of becoming similar to Him, we reveal Him in practice in our lives. This follows the law of equivalence of form.
Check out this blog post from Rav Laitman for more details: https://laitman.com/2013/04/everything-is-attained-by-the-equivalence-of-form/
As for Kabbalah’s relation to philosophy, essentially Kabbalah preceded philosophy. Before the destruction of the second temple, people from all over the world traveled to Israel to learn from the sages there. So the early philosophers learned directly from the Kabbalists during that time. Later on, they tried to copy the Kabbalistic method. From their unsuccessful attempt to copy it emerged philosophy.
Check out these blog posts from Rav Laitman for more details:
https://laitman.com/2011/01/kabbalah-and-other-sciences-philosophy-and-religion/
https://laitman.com/2012/12/philosophy-a-building-without-a-foundation/
Albert @ KabU
Kabbalah is the Scientific method to become like “the creator?” With no defined creator identity except a “me” That is also not a religion? This is completely opposite to the physical history of the Kabbalah where is Kabbalah not defined in Judiasm history? Never mind the label be it mystery, what about the history?
Hi Jessica,
We’re still in the fundamentals of this course, so it’s possible that you still did not encounter all of the definitions for these terms. But there are clear definitions and explanations for all of these things: What is the Creator, how do we research Him, why is Kabbalah a science and not a religion, what is the relationship between Kabbalah and Judaism, etc.
Kabbalah is a science because it uses a scientific approach to research reality. It’s not based on someone’s thoughts or philosophies but simply on the research of the Kabbalists. Furthermore, this research is not based on faith, it’s not something we verify after we die, but rather something that we can replicate and reproduce in our lives.
How did the Kabbalists research the Creator?
Kabbalah divides our research of the Creator into two parts:
The first is His essence (atzmuto in Hebrew). This is He Himself, His point of view, the Creator as an entity separate from the Created beings. We’re incapable of researching this part of the Creator because our research tools are not built in such a way that we can grasp such things. Perhaps after we finish the process of correction, we’ll discover additional research tools through which we’ll be able to research these things, but until then we limit ourselves and don’t talk about this part of the Creator because we cannot properly research it.
The other part of the Creator is called Bo-Re (Hebrew for Come (Bo) and See (Re)). This is the part of the Creator that we can research and reveal. How do we research this? Through the desire. When we take a part of our desire to receive and correct it in the direction of bestowal, in that corrected desire, we reveal a certain phenomenon, we call this phenomenon the Creator. This is why there are many names for the Creator (in Hebrew), since every time we correct a different part of the desire, we reveal a different aspect of this thing called the Creator.
So all of our understanding of this thing called the Creator (and any spiritual phenomena) is based on what we reveal within the corrected desire. But whatever exists outside of the corrected desire, whatever we don’t grasp, perceive or attain within the desire, whatever is beyond our tools of research, we don’t talk about. We need to keep these limits in mind in order to stay within the realm of science and not venture off into religion or philosophy.
Check out these blog posts from Rav Laitman for more details:
https://laitman.com/2017/11/the-concept-of-god-in-kabbalah/
As for the relationship between Kabbalah and Judaism, see my reply #314866 to Sarah.
Albert @ KabU
Hello. A question about the language of the branches; what significence if any, do or will, the 22 letters of the Jewish Alphabet, have upon understanding the language of the branches?
Thank you
Phil Wallace.
Hi Phil,
There is a connection, every single Hebrew letter and shape of the letter is a code for a spiritual state.
Check out this article for more details: http://www.kabbalah.info/eng/content/view/frame/60270?/eng/content/view/full/60270&main
Albert @ KabU
I have a question, I was going to hold on to it, but I’ll ask now (since continuation is a week away) which heaven is this referring to? An unseen sort of higher dimensional one, or the one here on earth that’s hidden away with wealthy moral people (their description)
Hi Daniel,
Kabbalah looks at everything through the lens of the desire. Our process of development starts with a raw desire to receive pleasure. This desire evolves into a purely egoistic desire, which derives pleasure from using and hating others. We then correct this desire to work in the direction of bestowal and love of others.
Heaven is that corrected state, when we tune ourselves in the direction of love and bestowal. While hell is the opposite, when there is mutual hatred between us.
Check out this blog post from Rav Laitman for more details: https://laitman.com/2015/01/the-magic-of-egoism-and-bestowal/
Albert @ KabU
I have a few questions and I hope I don’t waste anyones time 🙂
1. How do we know that the language of branches is correct? It requires a portion of trust in past kabbalist does it not?
2. How can we be certain that past masters of kabbalah did actually reach spiritual high peak so to say? Or how can we know kabbalah is the right way?
3. Does kabbalah recocnise other ways to enter the spiritual world, other than thrue it’s own teachings? Or is it the only way?And some more practical questions:
1. how does one maintain the correct intentions in daily life, while doing physical things? how to hold on to intentions?
2. With the limit to our 5 sences how can one make sure that the feeling of a new sence is not just ones imagination?
3. 125 steps, 5 worlds .. how can it be so precise?Hi Peter, great questions!
1 & 2) Kabbalah is a science. The Kabbalists are the scientists of Kabbalah. Everything we know is based on their research. This is similar to how other sciences work. The Kabbalists are those researchers that have performed a certain experiment and reached a certain result: the correction of our nature, the revelation of the Creator, the force of bestowal, etc. So if we are to replicate their experiment, to follow their procedures we should reach the same results.
But if a person is not yet on the degree of a Kabbalist, how does he relate to everything he’s learning? Like to any other science. For example, when I read a physics textbook, I see different formulas and experiments that research our reality. If I’m reading this textbook in 8th grade, then I have no choice but to accept the things written there since they come from a credible source. If I’m reading this textbook in college, I’m already given some tools with which I can measure and verify some of these things for myself. And yet there are some concepts that are so advanced, that I have no way to verify them until I become a physicist myself and get access to all the tools that will help me research these things.
Same with us here. There are some things I can verify for myself even when I’m just starting in the fundamentals of this wisdom, and then there are things that I can verify only when I myself have reached attainment.
For now, the main tool that we can use to examine this wisdom is our point in the heart. When a person’s point in the heart awakens, it naturally pulls him to a place where he can fulfill it. So on our current level, to check what we’re learning is to see how much these things resonate with our point in the heart. If they don’t resonate, it could be that a person is not yet ripe for this wisdom and will search elsewhere. This follows the rule that “one studies only where his heart desires”. Later on, once a person reaches spiritual attainment, he will discover additional means by which he can examine all these things.
3) Kabbalah does not hold the monopoly over spirituality. It’s not claiming to be the one and only method. The Wisdom of Kabbalah is the accumulation of thousands of years of experience from people practically trying to reach spirituality, what worked, what didn’t, etc. It’s not a must to use it, but as you can imagine, it’s a lot faster and easier with it.
_____________
1. Spirituality is against our nature. So it’s impossible to do real spiritual work by ourselves. We simply don’t have the strength to do it. Where do we get this strength? From the spiritual environment. The spiritual environment is like a support group which gives us the strength to do something we’re naturally incapable of doing. It’s just like with the example of exercising. If I don’t feel like going to the gym and exercising, but if I have friends who do enjoy this and want to do this, if I value these friends, by this I’ll receive their strength to overcome my resistance and will also go to the gym and exercise.
Likewise with our spiritual work. We don’t need to be superheroes in strength or will power. We only need to build for ourselves a good spiritual environment which will influence us and help us to think the right thoughts and overcome all of the natural resistances. We’ll learn how to do this practically in the more advanced semesters.
2. If you reveal the Creator in practice, then you know. Check out this blog post from Rav Laitman for more details: https://laitman.com/2012/04/when-all-doubts-will-dissipate/
3. It’s precise because Kabbalah is a science.
Albert @ KabU
I’m interested in your statement that we can’t find our spirituality alone as it is against our nature. I live in an isolated place and yearn for a community of students and seekers which cannot be found within hundreds of miles. Can an online group such as this one be enough support to constitute a spiritual environment where growth can occur?
Hi Katharine,
Yes, an online group is enough. In the more advanced phases of KabU, everyone will receive their own virtual Kabbalah group with whom they can put all these things into practice.
We also host one or two physical KabU retreats throughout the year. It’s good to supplement the virtual connection with such retreats.
Albert @ KabU
Thank you so much for your reply.
I now feel closer to grasping the beginning of this science. It is as if the words used in kabbalah need to resonate with different meaning in my brain, before I can grasp it. And then when I have it, I suddenly lose it again for a while. Its quite funny actually.
Thank you again, my journey continues further into this science
Hi,
How will a person with altruistic desires appears to us?
If we consider that we can not do anything outside of our egoism, in a situation that giving your life may save other people for example, it is natural if someone do that. That person might do that from personal values or strong sense of sympathy like stop others suffering because feels their pain in itself.
But what does a person who is developing in spiritual levels do or how would they act?
Does altruism have anything to do with what we do in our world?
Hi,
True altruism does not exist on the level of our world. Bestowal is the Creator’s nature. While our nature is that of pure reception. So it’s impossible for us to truly bestow. At best we can perform more and more covert actions of reception. For example, I go to the store and I give them my money, but obviously I want something in return. It’s the same with all of our actions of bestowal in corporeality. Either I do it to receive pleasure directly or indirectly from fame, honor, money, or even the pride of knowing that no one knows about this action, or even avoiding pain or guilt is also part of this same calculation.
So real bestowal, above any calculations for receiving for oneself, does not exist in our world. Real bestowal is purely the Creator’s quality. If we want to acquire such a quality, we first need to correct our nature. This is done by the force of the light we evoke through the Kabbalistic studies. This light begins to work on us, even if we don’t have the true desire to bestow. Even if we’re just like little kids, pretending to be spiritual grown ups. It takes this aspiration of ours and corrects it little by little, building in us a true desire for spirituality, for the spiritual qualities of love and bestowal.
Check out this blog post from Rav Laitman for more details: http://laitman.com/2013/02/sunbathing-in-the-rays-of-the-reforming-light/
Albert @ KabU
We can’t act outside of our ego toward anyone.
If we do we get used like a tool by people and may end up dead… My main question is what is the act out of altruism?
Hi,
Thanks for the videos. We have started at very basic level and I am happy that the course is designed for a novice like me. However, I still am finding it difficult to relate to some words & names as they are new to me. Is there any authentic Kabbalah Dictionary or Ready Reckoner which I can quickly refer to and get brief definition/ description of the words and brief lineage of Kabbalah teachers so that I don’t have to watch the entire video again?
Hi Prashant,
There is a good glossary in the back of Kabbalah for the Student. But in truth, you would benefit much more if you created your own personal Kabbalah dictionary. Every time you hear a new word, you can just write it down with its definition in a notebook or a spreadsheet of your own. In this gradual way, you’ll pick up all the basic terms throughout the course.
Albert @ KabU
KFS Glossary: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1tL9BiL7s58tof9M4on_aDZTLS6iw8xe1/view?usp=sharing
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