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I always get lots out of reading the recommended articles for each course week, I can go back and read the same article again and take something different from it each time.
One thing is when reading ‘Kabbalah for the student’ I feel like because I have no knowledge of the Torah or the Mitzvot , that I may be missing something. Is it possible to reach these higher reality’s’ without knowledge of the Torah ?
Hi Shaun,
Torah comes from the word ohr (light). So when Kabbalists use the word Torah, they are not referring to the physical book, but rather to the light. This is a special force that we can extract, especially through the Kabbalistic studies, in order to correct our egoistic nature.
And when Kabbalists use the word Mitzvot they are not referring to corporeal Mitzvot that a religious person performs with his hands and feet. But rather the Mitzvot are the internal processes by which we draw the light and correct the egoistic desires.
So knowledge of the Torah is not necessary in order to study Kabbalah and perform these spiritual corrections.
Check out this blog post from Rav Laitman for more details: https://laitman.com/2010/11/spice-up-your-desire/
Albert @ KabU
Hi Yvon,
The focus there is not on someone being rich or poor, the focus is on how our perception of reality completely changes as we develop spiritually.
Baal HaSulam describes this in the article: Concealment and Revelation of the Face of the Creator. He describes there 4 levels and on every level our perception of the world is completely different. I can look at the same person in one state and he appears to me as suffering, poor, completely egoistic and when I look at the same person in a different state I see him as wealthy, without any troubles in life, a righteous individual. How can it be that I can look at the same person in two different states (and the difference between spiritual states could be a few seconds) and see a completely opposite picture?
This is because my perception of the world is subjective. I see the world through the lens of my own egoism. So as I correct my egoism more and more, I can then look at the same person and see him completely differently. It’s like I have these dirty glasses through which I see the whole world as dirty. The moment I clean my own glasses, I then look at the same world, but now it’s clean and perfect.
Check out this blog post from Rav Laitman for more details: https://laitman.com/2014/04/in-neutral-gear/
Albert @ KabU
I tend to read first all of the questions and comments to observe the similarity between them and my own. The question of Yana about how come when it feels that you want most of the Creator; it feels further away. It makes a lot of sense the answer that Albert provided “This is done to help us to grow and develop” and the example of -when we teach our kids to walk-.
When I desire for Him more, I feel desperation and lost like I cannot see clearly. It is like fear of leaving behind what is known, what is familiar, the ways of my past survival.
<p style=”text-align: left;”>Hola Albert</p>
<p style=”text-align: left;”>Según anotación de Tony, es en el estado de doble ocultamiento dónde “la persona siente un completo rechazo de lo Alto y una perdida de fe, y es el periodo en el que una persona reencarna”. No tengo claro con respecto a la reencarnación, si esta ocurre con la muerte de la persona para regresar renacido a continuar su camino espiritual; además, por qué es en esta etapa en la que ocurre dicha reencarnación?</p>google translation of Henry’s question:
According to Tony’s annotation, it is in the state of double concealment where “the person feels a complete rejection of the High and a loss of faith, and it is the period in which a person reincarnates”. I am not clear about reincarnation, if it occurs with the death of the person to return reborn to continue their spiritual path; furthermore, why is it at this stage that said reincarnation occurs?
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Hi Henry,
When Kabbalists talk about reincarnation, they are not talking about bodies, rather they are talking on the level of desire. Reincarnation is the process by which our desire are constantly changing and renewing.
Check out this blog post from Rav Laitman for more details: https://laitman.com/2018/08/reincarnation-in-spiritual-space/#gsc.tab=0
Albert @ KabU
Hi Albert,
I have a question, but for that I need to write an intro of a few bullet points:
1 – I feel our material world of today as absolute rot. We learned in the course that this is my own incorrect perception of reality. I still ‘doubt’ that what goes on around us in the corporeal world is pure bestowal, but I also know that my inability of bestowing could be to blame (not yet 100% convinced – but I admit that the sages of Kabbalah know better).
2 – During work, which consumes most of my time, I constantly deal exclusively with material and business interests and desires (of myself and others). More and more I feel this as irrelevant, not only in the context of our studies, but also on the ever-present ‘rot’ presented in point 1.
3 – But as you have written before ‘no flour, no Torah’ (and vice-versa). So I have to work and do so everyday. Whereas before I had a flare for it, now I feel like a husk dragging myself. Still I work.
Which takes me to the question. The Tip of the Week fits perfectly with this mood: “Make sure you aren’t leaving your corporeal life unattended, and carry on as usual.” So I will do! But how is it that I can feel purpose in it? I mean, it is bad for my clients, my family and ultimately myself that I have totally lost interest in this! Surely there is a form of bestowal in this? Any insights?
Hi Francisco,
Losing interest in corporeal life is a temporary state. It’s a present from the Creator to give us the opportunity to plant our point in the heart in a good spiritual environment. But after that, in order to actually develop spiritually, we need resistance. Just like a bodybuilder needs resistance to grow his muscles, we need resistance in order to grow spiritually. This resistance comes to us from corporeality, from leading a normal life, working, taking care of our family, health, etc. It’s thanks to this resistance that we can reach higher levels of spiritual attainment.
In other words, there is no spirituality in corporeality itself. Spirituality is when we rise above corporeality. But if we’re not immersed in corporeality, then we have nothing over which to rise above and thereby no spirituality to achieve.
See my reply 222713 to Joseph in the Week 2 questions forum for more details: https://kabuconnect.com/forums/topic/ask-anything-about-week-2-lesson-and-materials-and-get-an-answer-from-a-senior-kabbalah-instructor-2/#post-222713
Albert @ KabU
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