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I thought I understood what the light of Hassadim was, but after reading this week’s recommended readings, I am again confused. The light of Hassadim comes into play in behina bet.
1. Is this the light that the creature bestows? Meaning that it is not direct light from the creator, but the light that the creature reflects/bestows?
2. If yes, than it means that in behina Gimel, when the creature receives the light of Hassadim, it receives the light that she herself reflected/bestowed during behina bet. Is this a correct way of putting it?
Julia,
Reflected Light is the attitude of bestowal of the creation towards the Creator.
Regarding question 2, you are mostly correct, however, there is no reception without the Light of Hochma. Any Hasadim that is received must have in it at least a small amount of the Light of Hochma. After all, no one has anything to actually give to anyone, or to the Creator for that matter. Everything comes from Him. If I’m going to bestow something, I need to get it from Him and pass it on.
Seth@KabU
Do the four phases of the direct light correspond to four spiritual worlds? Meaning that Atzilut is Behina Aleph, Briah is Bet, Yetzira is Gimel, and Assiah is Dalet? I am very confused by this, because from the videos on the Kabbalah YouTube channel, I understood that the four phases of the direct light PRECEDE the formation of the worlds, but the recommended readings from this week state that they are essentially THE SAME, meaning that there is a one-to-one correspondence between them. I would appreciate your help.
Julia,
Here is an excerpt from one of the very important articles The Preface to the Wisdom of Kabbalah by Baal HaSulam, that we will study together later about the structure of reality.
Seth@KabUI think this will help with your question:
<<The above-mentioned order of cascading [HE IS REFERRING HERE TO THE FOUR PHASES OF DIRECT LIGHT THAT YOU ASKED ABOUT], which brings the will to receive to its final form in this world, follows a sequence of four phases that exist in the four-letter-name [HaVaYaH (Yod-Hey-Vav-Hey)]. This is because the four letters, HaVaYaH, in His name contain the whole of reality, without any exception.
In general, they are described in the ten Sefirot, Hochma, Bina, Tifferet, Malchut, and their root. They are ten Sefirot because the Sefira [sing. of Sefirot] Tifferet contains six internal Sefirot, called HGT NHY [Hesed–Gevura–Tifferet Netzah–Hod–Yesod], and the root is called Keter. Yet, in essence, they are called HB TM [Hochma-Bina Tifferet-Malchut].
These are four worlds called Atzilut, Beria, Yetzira, and Assiya. The world of Assiya contains this world within it. Thus, there is not a creature in this world that is not initiated in Ein Sof, in the thought of creation to delight His creations. Hence, it is innately comprised of light and vessel, meaning a certain measure of abundance with the will to receive that abundance.
The measure of abundance extends existence from existence from His self, and the will to receive the abundance is initiated existence from absence.
But for that will to receive to acquire its final quality, it must cascade along with the abundance within it through the four worlds—Atzilut, Beria, Yetzira, Assiya. This completes creation in light and vessel, called “body,” and the “light of life” within it.
Could you kindly provide some examples from real life (not metaphors … but actual examples) of a will to receive that is equivalent to the will to bestow
(1)-My understanding is that here, in the corporeal world, we experience the feeling of pleasure (of our egoistic desires) only at the juncture where the Light meets the desire. After that we cannot feel the Light and the desire (and pleasure) disappear. We then feel a “new” lack (desire) that needs to be filled. A vicious cycle… Easy to experience when eating a favorite food.
But what about (egoistic) activities like playing a favorite sport. When I was younger I could play Tennis all day long! Loved the sport and would even structure my days so I could play as often as possible! It wasn’t so much about winning, more about the joy of playing the game and improving. I would only stop playing because of time constraints, or because of physical exhaustion– it’s hot in Florida! Clearly I was playing Tennis to receive pleasure for self alone..no real thought of desiring to receive for the sake of sharing or for the sake of the creator.
(2)- Wondering if it would be possible to participate in a corporeal activity like playing tennis and perhaps change the intention to a more “altruistic” one by:
(a) Perhaps realizing that all Light (pleasure) is coming to me from the Creator, who only wishes to delight the creature (Adam ha Rishon), and like “the guest and the host” I can bring contentment to the Creator by enjoying what he has provided for me! A bit of a “stretch” I admit…
(b) Perhaps thinking of sharing (with all of the Shechinah) the feelings of joy and gratitude (for the Creator’s gifts) I experience while playing Tennis. Of course, at best this can only be Lo Lishma, but possibly a useful scrutiny and discernment (?)
Garry,
You are onto something.
The goal is that regardless of what we are doing with our bodies, our hearts and minds will be connected to the Creator.The more we study the more we will see where our goal is. It sounds like you are already starting to feel that it’s not some action one performs with his hands but it’s some inner state of connection.
Even when you’re playing tennis.
Seth@KabU
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