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Hi Lisa, good question!
Above and below is referring to the root and branch or to cause and consequence. We learn that our world is on the level of branches. In order to make any change here, we need do so on the root level.
It’s like watching TV. Let’s say I’m watching a TV show and want to change something in the show. I can start yelling at the show or even turn it off, or go to sleep or make a thousand other actions, but ultimately it will not change the show itself. In order to make any change, I would need to go to the source. In this case maybe to contact the director or something.
This is how our world works. That we’re on the level of branches, like that end result of a TV show that was already made. And in order to make any change here, we need to go to the roots.
We’ll learn more about this in the upcoming lessons, in the meantime, check out this blog post from Rav Laitman for more details: https://laitman.com/2009/09/the-law-of-roots-and-branches-the-most-imporant-law-in-kabbalah/
Albert @ KabU
Hi Dave, good question!
Yes, to some extent we will be deciphering the Torah and the Talmud. Keep in mind that although these are indeed Kabbalistic books, in our days we usually don’t study them directly. This is because egoism grows from generation to generation, so Kabbalah, the method for its correction, needs to get adapted in each generation for that level of egoism. For example it’s like in medicine, if a person has a headache he can just drink a tylenol and that’s enough to fix him. But if it’s not just a little headache but something cancerous, then that tylenol won’t do anything for him but he needs a completely different regime to heal himself.
This is why Kabbalah gets adapted in each generation to the level of egoism that is currently found in that generation. So although there were many different Kabbalists and Kabbalistic books throughout the generations, nowadays we mainly learn from the writings of Baal HaSulam and Rabash, since their writings contains the light that is most suitable to correct the egoism that is found in our generation.
Check out these blog posts from Rav Laitman for more details:
If you’re interesting in learning how to properly decipher the Torah, check out the books: Disclosing a Portion or The Secrets of the Eternal Book.
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
Hi Yvon,
The Creator created us with the nature of the desire to receive. This is our operating system. “Defying His will” means that we rise above that initial egoistic operating system within which we were created and instead work in order to bestow.
Albert @ KabU
Hi Brian, good question!
The light has multiple connotations. When we use the word light, we’re not referring to colors or waves but rather that this is the force that is opposite the desire. All that was created was the desire to receive pleasure. The force that created this desire and fulfills it is the light. So the light is the Creator, the pure quality of bestowal. We can also say that light = pleasure, since this is what fulfills that desire.
Check out this blog post from Rav Laitman for more details: http://laitman.com/2014/12/what-is-the-light/
Albert @ KabU
Hi Karen,
Yes, you can say that. Essentially the process of learning about higher spiritual states and yearning to be in them is already bringing us closer to them. This is because through the study we extract the light, a special force that gradually corrects us and adapts us to the pure spiritual qualities of love and bestowal. This is why a big part of the method is simply to regularly return to the study, to the source of the light, which makes all the changes on us.
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
