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Hi Rachel, great questions!
The Creator has many names. But they are not naming the Creator Himself, which we don’t attain, but rather how WE experience this thing called the Creator. In other words, we are naming OUR perceptions of Him, we’re not naming Him Himself.
For example, why do we call Him Creator? Because we come to feel that this is the force that created us.
For more details, see my reply 54291 to Chris below, as well as this blog post from Rav Laitman: https://laitman.com/2017/11/the-concept-of-god-in-kabbalah/
Albert @ KabU
Dear Albert,
Since the Creator doesn’t have a name, and the Tree of Life has both male and female parts to it, would it be reasonable to ask you to refer to the Creator using a blended third person pronoun such as “s/he”? Or is there some incontrovertible evidence that the Creator is a He? I am asking because for me personally I find it adds a 126th step to get over the idea of the Creator as being exclusively male, when “It” is likely either a reflection of both or beyond gender entirely. I say this as someone who has barely dipped my toe into the readings so far, so please take it with a grain of salt, but I am a secular/spiritual female with a Haredi brother. So this is my perspective.
ThanksSharon
Hi Sharon,
It’s a valid concern. Let’s put it into perspective so we can understand it. In spirituality, the force of bestowal is a male force while the force of receiving is a female force. This is why we call the Creator Him. But these are just technical terms, similar to how in electronics we call the plug the male part while the socket is the female part.
Interestingly enough, because our nature is the desire to receive, all of humanity is considered a female in relation to the Creator who is the bestower.
Check out this blog post from Rav Laitman for more details: https://laitman.com/2018/06/man-and-woman-in-kabbalistic-terms/
Albert @ KabU
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: 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: 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: 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: 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: 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.”
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
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