Local Meeting

"The Essence of the Wisdom of Kabbalah"

This week we continue on both the "Tens Course" and reading from Baal HaSulam's clarifications around "The Essence of the Wisdom of Kabbalah" article.

As we've mentioned before, Baal HaSulam wrote extensively in order to assist students attain the purpose of creation - reaching equivalence of form with the qualities of the Creator (love and bestowal). This week we start on "The Essence of the Wisdom of Kabbalah" article.

In the local meeting, we will read some excerpts from the article and then try to understand what is going on in the text, followed by another reading and discussions on the topics together.

We also have extra clips from Rav Dr. Michael Laitman as important clarifications of the article.

In addition, we will do a workshops on the topic of the "Tens Course".

"The Essence of the Wisdom of Kabbalah"

Rav Yehuda Ashlag, Baal HaSulam

Before I go about elucidating the history of the wisdom of Kabbalah, conversed about by many, I find it necessary to begin with a thorough clarification of the essence of this wisdom, which I believe so few know. Naturally, it is impossible to speak of the history of something before we know the thing itself.

Although this knowledge is wider and deeper than the sea, I will exert with all the strength and knowledge I have acquired in this field to clarify and illuminate it from all sides, enough for any person to draw the right conclusions, as they truly are, leaving no room for error, as is often the case in such matters.

What the Wisdom Is About

This question comes to the mind of every right-minded person. To properly address it, I will provide a reliable and lasting definition: This wisdom is no more and no less than a sequence of roots that hang down by way of cause and consequence, following fixed, determined laws that interweave into a single, exalted goal described as “the revelation of His Godliness to His creatures in this world.”

And here there is a conduct of general and particular:

General—the whole of humanity, obligated to eventually come to this immense development, as it is written, “For the earth shall be full of the knowledge of the Lord, as water covers the sea” (Isaiah 11, 9). “And they shall teach no more every man his neighbor, and every man his brother, saying, know the Lord, for they shall all know Me, from the least of them to the greatest of them” (Jeremiah 31, 33), and he says, “Your Teacher will no longer hide Himself, and your eyes will behold your Teacher” (Isaiah 30).

Particular—that even before the perfection of the whole of humanity, this rule is implemented in a chosen few individuals in every generation. These are the ones who are endowed, in each generation, with certain degrees of revelation of His Godliness. These are the prophets and the men of God, and as our sages said, “There is no generation without such that are as Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob” (Midrash Rabbah, Beresheet, Portion 74). Thus, you see that the revelation of His Godliness is implemented in each generation, as our sages, whom we find trustworthy, proclaim.

The Abundance of Partzufim, Sefirot, and Worlds

According to the above, a question arises: Since this wisdom has but one, special, and clear role, why is there an abundance of Partzufim, Sefirot, and interchangeable connections, which are so prevalent in the books of Kabbalah?

Indeed, if you take the body of a small animal, whose only task is to nourish itself so it may exist in this world long enough to procreate and carry on its species, you will find in it a complex structure of millions of fibers and tendons, as physiologists and anatomists have found, and there is much more there that humans have yet to discover. From the above, you can conclude the vast variety of issues and channels that need to connect in order to fashion and reveal this sublime goal.

Open Discussion

In your own words, what is the wisdom of Kabbalah about?

What makes Baal HaSulam’s method unique, and how do his explanations help us connect to the wisdom of Kabbalah in a practical way?

Clips

Tens Course - Lesson #10

Preparation for Connection in the Ten

Workshop questions

1) From what we’ve studied, why is the group of ten important?

2) What else would you like to learn about tens during this preparation period?

See You Next Week!