Lesson 20. From Concealment to Revelation

"Bnei Baruch" Opens the Gates of the Wisdom of Kabbalah to the World

SLIDES 2-3

"…There is freedom for the will to initially choose such an environment, such books, and such guides that impart upon him good concepts. If one does not do this but is willing to enter any environment that appears before him and read any book that falls into his hands, [...] he will certainly be punished, not because of his evil thoughts or deeds, in which he has no choice, but because he did not choose to be in a good environment, for in this there is definitely a choice.

"Therefore, he who strives to continually choose a better environment is worthy of praise and reward. But here, too, it is not because of his good thoughts or deeds, which come to him without his choice, but because of his effort to acquire a good environment, which brings him these good thoughts and actions."

- Baal HaSulam “The Freedom”

SLIDE 4

"…We need an environment, meaning a group of people who are all of the view that they must achieve whole faith. This is the only thing that can save a person from the views of the collective. At that time, everyone strengthens everyone else to crave to achieve whole faith, that he can bestow contentment upon the Creator, and that this will be his only aspiration."

- Rabash, article N.37. 1985

SLIDE 5

"…The Creator Himself puts one’s hand on the good fate by giving him a life of pleasure and contentment within the corporeal life that is filled with torment and pain, and devoid of any content. One necessarily departs and escapes them when he sees, even if it seemingly appears amidst the cracks, a tranquil place to escape there from this life, which is harder than death. Indeed, there is no greater placement of one’s hand by Him than this.

And one’s choice refers only to the strengthening."

- Baal HaSulam “Introduction to The Study of the Ten Sefirot", p.4

SLIDE 6

Three Kinds of Concealment of the Wisdom

"There are three parts in the secrets of the Torah. Each part has its own reason for being concealed. They are called by the following names:

Unnecessary,
Impossible,
The counsel of the Lord is to those who fear Him.

There is not a single fraction of this wisdom where scrutinies of these three parts do not apply, and I will clarify them one at a time."

- Baal HaSulam “Disclosing a Portion, Covering Two”

SLIDE 7

Baal HaSulam, "The Teaching of the Kabbalah and Its Essence"

"I am glad that I have been born in such a generation when it is permitted to disclose the wisdom of truth. And should you ask how I know that it is permitted, I will reply that it is because I have been given permission to disclose. That is, until now, the ways by which it is possible to publicly engage and to fully explain each word have not been revealed to any sage."

SLIDE 8

Baal HaSulam, ”Introduction to the Book Panim Meirot u-Masbirot", No. 5

"It is the great expansion of the wisdom of truth … we need first, so we may merit receiving the benefit ... Consequently, the expansion of the wisdom and the coming of our Messiah are interdependent.

Therefore, we must establish seminaries and compose books to hasten the distribution of the wisdom throughout the nation."

SLIDE 9

Baal HaSulam “Introduction to The Study of the Ten Sefirot”, p. 30

"Not only are these secrets not forbidden to disclose, but on the contrary, it is a great Mitzva [commandment] to disclose them.

And one who knows how to disclose and discloses them, his reward is plentiful. This is because by disclosing these lights to many, particularly to the many, depends the coming of the Messiah, soon in our days, Amen."

SLIDES 10-11

Baal HaSulam “The Writings of the Last Generation”

"There is an allegory about friends who were lost in the desert, hungry and thirsty. One of them had found a settlement filled abundantly with every delight. He remembered his poor brothers …

What did he do? He began to shout out loud … perhaps his poor, hungry friends would hear his voice, approach him, and come to that settlement that is filled with every delight.

So is the matter before us: We have been lost in the terrible desert along with all of humanity, and now we have found a great, abundant treasure, namely the books of Kabbalah in the treasure. They satisfy our yearning souls and fill us abundantly with lushness and contentment; we are satiated and there is more.

Yet, we remember our friends, who were left hopeless in the terrible desert. There is a great distance between us, and words cannot bridge it. For this reason, we have set up this horn to blow out loud so that our brothers might hear and draw near and be as happy as we are."

SLIDES 12-13

Baal HaSulam “Peace in the World”

"…In our generation, when each person is aided for his happiness by all the countries in the world, it is necessary that to that extent, the individual becomes enslaved to the whole world, like a wheel in a machine.

Therefore, the possibility of making good, happy, and peaceful conducts in one state is inconceivable when it is not so in all the countries in the world, and vice versa. In our time, the countries are all linked in the satisfaction of their needs of life, as individuals were in their families in earlier times.

Therefore, we can no longer speak or deal with just conducts that guarantee the well-being of one country or one nation, but only with the well-being of the whole world, for the benefit or harm of each and every person in the world depends and is measured by the benefit of all the individuals the world over.

Although this is, in fact, known and felt, still the people in the world have not yet grasped it properly. Why? Because such is the conduct of development in nature: The act comes before the understanding, and only actions will prove and push humanity forward."

SLIDES 14-15

Baal HaSulam “Building the Future Society”

"There are three rudiments to the expansion of faith: 1) Satisfaction of Desires; 2) Proof; 3) Circulation.

Satisfaction of Desires: In every person, even secular, there is an unknown spark that demands unification with the Creator. When it sometimes awakens, it awakens one to know the Creator, or deny Him, which is the same…

If someone generates the satisfaction of this desire in that person, he will agree to everything. To that we must add regarding the immortality of the soul, the reward in the next world, the glory of the individual and the glory of the nation, meaning that one will be the nation’s pride.

Proof: There is no existence for the world without it, all the more so in a time of atom-bombs.

Circulation: If done diligently, can also replace proof. Hence, people must be hired to circulate the above words in the public. For purposes of expansion and circulation, the suffering, poverty, corruption and war must be mentioned, as well as the widows and the orphans in the world, seeking salvation…

In such a state people will not find it so hard to dedicate their entire life to it, to save them from ruin and dreadful pains. It is even more so with young people, whose hearts have not been stupefied by their own shortcomings. Those will certainly support it with their heart and soul."

SLIDE 16

Baal HaSulam, "The Writings of the Last Generation"

"Life’s direction is to attain adhesion with Him, strictly to benefit the Creator, or to reward the public with achieving adhesion with Him."