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In the article “Peace in the World”, Baal HaSulam says that Kabbalists free themselves from the chains of time and greatly accelerate time. Please speak more of his meaning as it relates to time acceleration.
Hi Zachary,
Time in Kabbalah is not defined by the passage of seconds, but rather by the changes that take place within the desire. It’s possible that within one lifetime, we didn’t make any efforts to correct our egoistic desires. So spirituality, it’s as if time has not passed at all. And it’s possible that in our lifetime our desires went through many corrections. So spirituality, time was accelerated, and it’s as if we lived out multiple lifetimes.
Check out this blog post from Rav Laitman for more details: https://laitman.com/2014/06/what-is-time/
Albert @ KabU
How did sages of the past discover the number 600,000, specifically as the number of pieces the creature was divided into? Is this number a metaphor to describe the notion of “countlessness”?
Hi Zachary,
Spirituality works according to the law of equivalence of form. Meaning that in order to reveal it, we need to become similar to it. So everything that the Kabbalists discovered, they did so by correcting their egoistic nature and thereby becoming similar to the spiritual qualities of love and bestowal. As a result of that correction, they revealed spirituality it in practice. As a result of that revelation, they were able to discover all of these different measurements.
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 600,000, keep in mind that it is less of a quantitative number and more of a qualitative number. It represents the strength of the spiritual desire after it’s been fully corrected. So essentially all of humanity is included in this number.
Check out this blog post to see how this number is derived: https://laitman.com/2010/09/love-and-hatred-of-600000-souls/
Albert @ KabU
if we were created already experiencing unbounded fulfillment, eternity and perfection. what’s the point to descend, then try to climb back? what’s the purpose of this journey/circle?
thanks
Helen
Hi Helen,
We were indeed created in the state of perfection, in complete adhesion with the Creator. (Baal HaSulam describes this in the article Introduction to the book of Zohar). But this was an unconscious state, like a baby in its mother’s womb. So we necessarily had to come to the complete opposite state, to lose that state of perfection, in order to once again reach it, but this time consciously.
And the fact that we had to lose this state is not something bad, but it’s a necessary part of our development. It’s just like with kids. We don’t just give them a completed jigsaw puzzle. On the contrary we take it and break it down into many pieces. Then in the process of them putting it together, they grow and develop. Same with us, this process of losing that state is a necessary part of our further growth and development.
This process also adds to us a certain level of freedom, without which, we would be no different than machines, or robots, that were programmed to act a certain way and they just carry out this inner script. Instead, we were programmed one way, and we rise above this inner programming, become independent of it, and then develop our own desire to advance towards this goal.
Check out this blog post from Rav Laitman for more details: https://laitman.com/2014/01/from-perfection-to-perfection/
Albert @ KabU
how, if at all, does the 2 paths relate to the concept of negative and positive polarization. the Idea being that one can evolve on a service to self path (negative polarization, and a service to others path (positive). how do these tow concepts relate, the way I understand it, one can consciously be involved in a service to self orientation
Hi Terry,
I’m not an expert in other methods, so I cannot comment on that. In general, there are two path of development: the path of light and the path of suffering. The path of light means that we develop consciously under the influence of the light.
Whereas the path of suffering is an inactive form of development, where we wait for sufferings to accumulate until we start to move. It’s like a child that refuses to go to school, so the parents put more and more pressures on him until he agrees to go. Keep in mind that we don’t really advance on the path of suffering. Since pressuring and punishing a child is not the same as educating him. So after all of the pressures and punishments they put on him, he will still have to go to school and get his education.
Check out these blog posts from Rav Laitman for more details
https://laitman.com/2011/01/lets-go-with-the-light/
https://laitman.com/2015/05/we-wont-follow-the-path-of-suffering-forever/
Albert @ KabU
I’m sure is a question you’ve been asked many times. I don’t recall hearing/seeing an answer so I hope you won’t mind answering it again. I realize Kabbalah is a science and not a religion, but it is so closely related to scriptures which are also the basis of religion, therefore, how does the concept of Messiah fit in with Kabbalah? Thank you.
Jonah
Hi Jonah,
Kabbalah is the scientific method by which we can correct our egoistic nature. As a result of this correction, we become similar to the Creator, to the general force of love and bestowal. As a result of becoming similar to Him, we reveal Him in practice, in our lives. This follows the law of equivalence of form and this is what Kabbalah helps us to achieve.
As for the Messiah, in Kabbalah, the Messiah is not a person but a force. Messiah (Mashiach in Hebrew) comes from the verb “to pull” (Moshech in Hebrew). This is the force that has the ability “to pull” us out of our egoistic nature into the Creator’s nature of love and bestowal.
Check out this blog post from Rav Laitman for more details: https://laitman.com/2013/02/what-do-they-expect-from-a-messiah/
Albert @ KabU
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