Local Meeting

"The Essence of the Wisdom of Kabbalah"

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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 continue "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 workshops on the topic of the "Tens Course".

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"The Essence of the Wisdom of Kabbalah"

Rav Yehuda Ashlag, Baal HaSulam

Two Conducts—from Above Downward and from Below Upward

This wisdom is generally divided into two parallel, equal, and identical orders, like two drops in a pond. The only difference between them is that the first order extends from above downward, to this world, and the second order begins in this world and traverses from below upward precisely by the same routes and make-ups imprinted at their root when they appeared from above downward.

The first order is called “the order of descent of the worlds, Partzufim, and Sefirot,” in all their occurrences, whether lasting or transient. The second order is called “attainments or degrees of prophecy and Holy spirit.” A person rewarded with it must follow the same trails and inlets, and gradually attain each detail and each degree, precisely by the same rules that were imprinted in them upon their emanation from above downward.

This is so because the matter of revelation of Godliness does not appear at once, as with the revelation of corporeal things, but gradually, over a period of time, depending on the cleansing of the one who attains, until one discovers all the degrees that are prearranged from above downward. Because they come in an order of attainment one after the other and one above the other, as do rungs of a ladder, they are called “degrees” [steps].

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Abstract Names

Many believe that all the words and the names in the wisdom of Kabbalah are a kind of abstract names, since it deals with Godliness and spirituality, which are above time and space, where even our imagination has no hold. For this reason, they have decided that all that is said about such matters is only abstract names, or even more sublime and exalted than abstract names, as they are completely and from the outset devoid of imaginary elements.

But this is not the case. On the contrary, Kabbalah uses only names and appellations that are concrete and real. It is an unbending law for all Kabbalists that “Anything we do not attain, we do not define by a name and a word.”

Here you must know that the word “attainment” [Heb: Hasagah] means the ultimate degree of understanding. It derives from the phrase, Ki Tasig Yadcha [“Your hand shall attain”]. That means that before something becomes utterly lucid, as though gripped in one’s hand, Kabbalists do not consider it attained, but by other names such as understanding, comprehension, and so on.

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The Actuality in the Wisdom of Kabbalah

Actual things are found even in the corporeal reality set before our eyes, although we have neither perception nor an image of their essence. Such are the electricity and the magnet, which are called “fluidum.”

Nevertheless, who can say that these names are not real, when we have completely satisfactory awareness of their actions, and we are utterly careless about the fact that we have no perception of the essence of the subject itself, namely electricity in itself.

This name is as tangible and as close to us as though it were entirely perceived by our senses. Even little children are familiar with the word “electricity,” as well as they are familiar with words such as “bread,” “sugar,” and so on.

Moreover, if you wish to exercise your tools of scrutiny, I shall tell you that as a whole, as there is no perception of the Creator whatsoever, so is it impossible to attain the essence of any of His creatures, even the tangible objects that we feel with our hands.

Thus, all we know about our friends and relatives in the world of action before us are nothing more than “acquaintance with actions.” These are prompted and born by the association of their encounter with our senses, which render us complete satisfaction although we have no perception whatsoever in the essence of the subject.

Furthermore, you have no perception or attainment whatsoever even in your own essence. Everything you know about your own essence is nothing more than a series of actions extending from your essence.

Now you can easily conclude that all the names and appellations that appear in books of Kabbalah are indeed real and factual, although we have no attainment in the subject matter whatsoever. This is so because those who engage in them have the complete satisfaction of inclusive perception in its ultimate wholeness, meaning also, merely perception of actions that are prompted and born from the association of the upper light and its perceivers.

However, it is quite sufficient, for this is the rule: “All that is measured and extends from His guidance so as to become a reality, the nature of creation, is completely satisfactory.” This is just as one will not wish for a sixth finger in his palm because the five fingers are quite sufficient.

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Open Discussion

In your own words, what is a person's role in spiritual development?

How would you describe the closeness a Kabbalist tries to share through their writings?

From this week’s lesson, what would you like to understand more deeply?

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Clips

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Tens Course - Lesson #11

The Principles of Connection in the Ten

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Workshop questions

1) What good experiences have you had with the preparations and set boundaries for our conversations?

2) In your own words, what is special about strengthening the spirit of the group in Kabbalah?

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See You Next Week!