[Albert – KabU Instructor]

Hi Phil,

If you have time to spare, then go for it. If not, I would recommend to prioritize this course since it’s a prerequisite for the graduate level courses in which you’ll begin to practically apply the wisdom of Kabbalah.

Albert @ KabU

[Albert – KabU Instructor]

Hi Loria, great questions!

1. We all have a point in the heart. This is our desire for spirituality. If this desire is ripe, it begins to push and pull us to the place where we can realize it. If it’s not yet ripe, then we agree to bury ourselves in all sorts of other engagements in life.

Check out this blog post from Rav Laitman for more details: https://laitman.com/2008/11/only-people-with-the-point-in-the-heart-can-feel-that-kabbalah-is-the-salvation/

2. Yes, the system of nature in which we exist is constantly influencing us, even if we’re unaware of it or not developed enough to recognize it. It’s just like the laws of nature in our world, if a person is unaware of these laws, it does not mean that they stop applying to that person. For example, if a child was to walk off a cliff or stick a knife into an electrical socket, gravity and electricity will still operate on them, even if they don’t understand how those things work.

As for the teachers being our guides, yes, you can say that. Essentially all the great Kabbalists that preceded us paved the way for us to also be able to attain what they attained.

Check out this blog post from Rav Laitman for more details: https://laitman.com/2015/11/the-great-kabbalists-and-their-works/

Albert @ KabU

[Albert – KabU Instructor]

Hi Jiao,

I’m not an expert in philosophy, so I cannot comment on that. In general, Kabbalah is not philosophy. See my reply 314540 to Phil below for more details:

314540

Albert @ KabU

[Albert – KabU Instructor]

Hi Phil,

Kabbalah is not philosophy. It’s a practical scientific method by which we can correct our egoistic nature. As a result of this correction, we become similar to the Creator. As a result of becoming similar to Him, we reveal Him in practice in our lives. This follows the law of equivalence of form.

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 Kabbalah’s relation to philosophy, essentially Kabbalah preceded philosophy. Before the destruction of the second temple, people from all over the world traveled to Israel to learn from the sages there. So the early philosophers learned directly from the Kabbalists during that time. Later on, they tried to copy the Kabbalistic method. From their unsuccessful attempt to copy it emerged philosophy.

Check out these blog posts from Rav Laitman for more details:

https://laitman.com/2011/01/kabbalah-and-other-sciences-philosophy-and-religion/

https://laitman.com/2012/12/philosophy-a-building-without-a-foundation/

Albert @ KabU

[Albert – KabU Instructor]

Hi Phil,

It’s closer to contemplation and reflection.

Keep in mind that in Kabbalah “it’s not the wise that learns”. Meaning we’re not learning this material simply to acquire knowledge, to store it in some box in our brains. After all, If knowledge was the path to spirituality, then a supercomputer loaded with all of the Kabbalistic texts would be the most spiritual being in the world. Obviously this is not the case.

So why do we spend so much time studying if not to gain knowledge? Because through the study, we draw the force of the light. This force is what makes all the internal changes, clarifications, corrections that need to be made. After we extract enough light and correct ourselves to a certain degree, then we won’t just intellectually philosophize about spirituality, but we will begin to feel it in practice. And only out of that feeling will we begin to truly understand it.

Check out this blog post from Rav Laitman for more details: https://laitman.com/2013/02/sunbathing-in-the-rays-of-the-reforming-light/

Albert @ KabU

[Albert – KabU Instructor]

Hi Daniel,

Kabbalah looks at everything through the lens of the desire. Our process of development starts with a raw desire to receive pleasure. This desire evolves into a purely egoistic desire, which derives pleasure from using and hating others. We then correct this desire to work in the direction of bestowal and love of others.

Heaven is that corrected state, when we tune ourselves in the direction of love and bestowal. While hell is the opposite, when there is mutual hatred between us.

Check out this blog post from Rav Laitman for more details: https://laitman.com/2015/01/the-magic-of-egoism-and-bestowal/

Albert @ KabU

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