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The reading assignment in Kabbalah Revealed for Week 5 is the same as what we read in Week 2. Are we being asked to re-read this chapter, or is there an error? Thank you!
Hi Miryam,
It’s not an error, we reread the study materials all the time, because as we change, we discover new discernments in these articles.
Some general advice outside of the topical weekly recommended readings: you can read through the books Kabbalah Revealed and Attaining the Worlds Beyond from beginning to end. This will give you a solid foundation. Kabbalah for the Student on the other hand is a textbook of primary sources. It can be very challenging. So it’s better for now to just stick with reading the recommended reading materials in that one. After you get a good foundation, you can read through that one as well.
Albert @ KabU
Thank you, Albert. And yes, I found as I was re-reading that in many ways it was like reading the material for the first time, yet, not exactly, because I also kept noticing a juxtaposition between earlier impressions and the present ones. Because I am actually reviewing these first 4 courses (I stepped away from KABU for over a year) this is also something I’ve noticed repeatedly as I re-discover the material this time. So much to appreciate and look forward to!
I also appreciate your suggestion to read Kabbalah Revealed and Attaining The Worlds Beyond in their entirety, as well as your advice to not do so, at this time, with Kabbalah For The Student. All sound advice that I am taking to heart, and will follow through with.
Thank You.
Tony speaks about the 613 Laws, and the 613 Desires. Are these written down? What book can we find them?
Thank you,
JamesHi James,
The 613 laws are the 613 commandments that the Torah speaks about in an allegorical way. Keep in mind that:
1) Although they are written in an allegorical way, it only speaks about corrections performed on our desires. So we don’t need to carry these things out physically, but only on the level of our desires.
Check out this blog post from Rav Laitman for more details: https://laitman.com/2016/02/mitzvot-commandments-the-correction-of-desires/
2. In practice, we don’t work according to some kind of list, but simply with whatever is being awakened in the moment.
Check out this blog post from Rav Laitman for more details: https://laitman.com/2015/09/compliance-with-the-613-mitzvot-commandments/
3. The 613 desires are spiritual desires that we don’t yet have. Similar to how a single cell in a body only has some basic desires. But when that cell is part of a greater body, it reveals there higher desires which are impossible for the individual cell to have: desires for money, honor, power, etc. Same with us, until we integrate with the general body of Adam HaRishon, we don’t reveal or understand these 613 spiritual desires.
Check out this blog post from Rav Laitman for more details: https://laitman.com/2008/12/all-you-need-to-know-about-the-613-desires/
Albert @ KabU
Hi Albert, I still have it difficult to understand what bestowal is all about can you explain it in a simpler way please?
Hi Prescilia,
In simpler terms, bestowal means giving. But why is it so difficult for us to understand bestowal? It’s because true bestowal 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 a 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
Hello,
” The screen that has to be built is the spiritual screen over the Will To Receive”. This is what one of the lessons says. It says that it all starts with the screen. Before the screen we live in darkness.
Now that I know that, that I lack the screen, I don’t want to live in the darkness anymore. How to build the spiritual screen? Do you have to keep studying Kabballah…and the screen will form itself with time? Or ….is there a faster process…let’s say you have to change your everyday actions, habits etc.
Kabbalah says spiritual things have nothing to do with our physical body. How to build the screen then? Are we stuck. When I study Kabbalah I feel like I’m doing something without purpose (figuratively speaking). All the things Baal Sulam, Ari, Mr. Laitman say..it all exists (if I understand it right) after a person gets the screen.
So how do I proceed?
Thank you! 🙂
Also what if you don’t finish the correction. You’ll have to reincarnate. Change the body like a jacket. Who determines the speed (how fast one can achieve the final tikun)? The Creator? Or it is in the hands of creation and creation can choose how fast it can go? I don’t want to waste time of my life doing stupid unnecessary things and get behind on the process of correction. Are all of the things in our life in the world except for studying Kabbalah useless??
Hi Aaron,
1. It’s the light that builds the screen. Our job is only to extract more and more of the force of the light, especially during the Kabbalistic studies, and it does all the rest.
Check out this blog post from Rav Laitman for more details: https://laitman.com/2013/02/sunbathing-in-the-rays-of-the-reforming-light/
2. The end goal is preset but we determine the pace at which we get there. Check out this blog post from Rav Laitman for more details: https://laitman.com/2011/01/lets-go-with-the-light/
3. Although you are correct that we shouldn’t waste our time on unnecessary things, we still need to find a good balance between our corporeal lives and our spiritual aspirations. Without a good balance in our corporeal lives, we won’t be able to advance in spirituality either. This is called “no flour, no Torah – no Torah, no flour”. Meaning a Kabbalist continues to exist on the level of this world throughout the entire spiritual ladder. So I cannot just turn into a monk and disconnect from this life and only focus on spirituality. On the other hand, if I only focus on corporeality, then I’m no different than an animal. So the important thing is to find the right balance between the two: to take care of all of one’s normal necessities: to work, take care of the family, health, etc (this is called flour) and to set aside some time on a regular basis to focus on spirituality (this is called Torah).
Albert @ KabU
Hello,
I have two questions
Question 1
To achieve this equivalence of form what or how should be my attitude in my day to day life?
Suppose I have some terrible events happening in my life right now, like, separation from a loved one, an accident or a deep financial crisis. Should I take these events as a gifts from the creator or a natural plan of the nature created just for me, for my evolvement and giving me an opportunity to achieve equivalence of form through these difficult situations?
Question 2
How does Kabbalah view the external pleasures of the worlds? Not the hedonistic lifestyle but normal pleasures like having a coffee, a drink or falling in love or sex or buying a new car. Will pursuing these pleasures affect the pursuing of equivalence of form?
Can you please explain. Thank you.
Hi Sudhi,
1. Internally we should try to see how everything in life comes to us from a single benevolent force. This is called “there is none else besides Him” and that He is the “good that does good”. But this is our internal work. It does not cancel out any of the work we need to do in life in order to take care of all of our problems in the normal way that we would go about taking care of them. Meaning that if I’m sick, I still must go to a doctor. If I lose my job, I need to go job hunting. If someone is hurting me, I need to call the police, etc. Externally we need to take care of all of our problems in the normal way.
We’ll learn more about this in the upcoming semester. In the meantime, check out this blog post from Rav Laitman: https://laitman.com/2017/12/there-is-none-else-besides-him/
2. We learn that “necessities are neither praised nor condemned”. Meaning that taking care of our necessities to live a normal life is not considered egoistic. It’s perfectly fine to do that.
Albert @ KabU
Thank you so much KabU Team, it was an eye opening and awakening ride through the Week 1 courses.
My question is related to the current event of Tisha B’Av – 9th of Av, that is supposedly tomorrow Shabbat. Now since the Kabbalist speaks only the language of root and branches as i learnt and understand through this program, is the 9th of Av a language of the the branches too and what is its representation in relation to us please.
Thank you!
Hi Katel,
Yes you can say that. We learn that we, as the created beings, can only experience reality out of opposites: hot/cold, up/down, love/hate, bestowal/reception, etc. The 9th of Av represents the revelation of the most opposite state to the Creator. Although this state is not very pleasant, it’s a necessary part of our spiritual development. Without revealing this opposite form to the fullest, we will not be able to fully correct it and thereby reach the final correction.
For more details, check out this clip from the lesson Rav Laitman gave on this topic yesterday: https://kabbalahmedia.info/lessons/cu/exvvR4Vr?sstart=35s&send=5m7s&mediaType=video&shareLang=en
Albert @ KabU
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