Hevruta - Following Lesson 24- The structure of the upper worlds
Hevruta - Following Lesson 24
The structure of the upper worlds
Before we start let's read from Baal HaSulam Introduction to the Study of the 10 Sefirot why we learn what we learn:
There is a wonderful, invaluable remedy to those who engage in the wisdom of Kabbalah. Although they do not understand what they are learning, through the yearning and the great desire to understand what they are learning, they awaken upon themselves the lights that surround their souls.
This means that every person is guaranteed to finally attain all the wonderful attainments with which the Creator contemplated in the thought of creation to delight every creature. And one who has not been awarded in this life will be granted in the next life, etc., until one is awarded completing His thought, which He had planned for him, as it is written in The Zohar.
And while one has not attained perfection, the lights that are destined to reach him are considered surrounding lights. This means that they stand ready for him but are waiting for him to purify his vessels of reception, and then these lights will clothe the able vessels.
Hence, even when he does not have the vessels, when he engages in this wisdom, mentioning the names of the lights and the vessels related to his soul, they immediately illuminate upon him to a certain extent. However, they illuminate for him without clothing the interior of his soul, for lack of vessels able to receive them. Yet, the illumination one receives time after time during the engagement draws upon him grace from above, and imparts him with abundance of sanctity and purity, which bring him much closer to achieving his wholeness.
In the same introduction, Baal HaSulam speak about the importance of the definitions:
I began to write the “explanation of the words” according to the alphabet, relating to all the words appearing in the books of Kabbalah and that require explanation. On one hand, I collected the commentaries of the ARI and the rest of the first Kabbalists concerning all that they said about that word. On the other hand, I explained the essence from all those interpretations and compiled a solid definition to explain that word in a way that suffices for the reader to understand it in each and every place he meets that word in all the real books of Kabbalah, from the first to the last. This is what I did with all the words used in the wisdom of Kabbalah.
I have already printed the words beginning with the letter Aleph [A], and some from the letter Bet [B], but only on one side. This is already close to one thousand pages. Alas, for lack of money, I stopped the work in its beginning and for nearly a year now I have not continued this important work, and the Creator knows if I will ever come to it, for there are many expenses and at the moment, no support.
For this reason, I have taken on a different path, as in “Better a sparrow in the hand…” and this is the book Talmud Eser Sefirot [The Study of the Ten Sefirot] related to the ARI. There I collect from the books of the ARI—and especially from his book Tree of Life—all the principal essays concerning the explanation of the ten Sefirot. I positioned them at the top of each page and made a broad explanation about it called Ohr Pnimi [Inner Light], and another explanation called Histaklut Pnimit [Inward Observation]. These explain each word and issue presented in the words of the ARI at the top of the page as simply and as easily as I could.
I divided the book into sixteen parts so that each part will be a specific lesson about a specific topic in the ten Sefirot. The Ohr Pnimi mainly clarifies the words of the ARI presented in that lesson, and the Histaklut Pnimit mainly clarifies the matter in general. On top of them, I set up a Table of Questions and a Table of Answers for all the words and matters presented in that part.
Once the reader finishes that part, he should test himself to see if he can answer correctly every question presented in the Table of Questions. After he answers, he should look at the answer relating to that question in the Table of Answers, to see if he has answered correctly. Even if he can answer the questions well by memory, he should repeat the questions many times until it is as though they are placed in a box. At that time, he will remember every word when he needs it, or at least he will remember its place in order to look for it, “and the will of God will succeed through him.”
Since we can see the importance the definition have for Baal HaSulam, let's read it again:
1. Light (Part 1, Inner Observation, 18)
Everything in the worlds that exists as “existence from existence,” which is everything but the substance of the Kelim (see items 2 and 24).
2. Light and Kli (Part 1, Chap 1, Inner Light, 6)
The will to receive in the emanated being is called vessel; and the abundance that he receives is called light.
5. Light of Hochma (Part 1, Chap 1, Inner Light, 50)
A light that extends to the emanated being in the first expansion, being the general vitality and self of the emanated being.
6. Light of Hassadim (Part 1, Chap 1, Inner Light, 5)
A light that clothes the light of Hochma and extends to the emanated being at the first intensification.
11. Creator (Part 1, Inner Observation, 18)
The name Creator relates solely to the actual innovation, meaning the “existence from absence,” which is the substance of the Kelim, defined as the “will to receive” in every essence. It was necessarily absent from Himself prior to creation
16. Time (Part 1, Inner Observation, 34)
It is a certain sum of phases that cascade from one another and are mingled with one another by an order of cause and consequence, such as days, months and years.
17. Darkness (Part 1, Inner Observation, 24)
Phase four in the desire, which does not receive the upper light inside her by the power of the restriction, is regarded as the root of the darkness.
40. What is “restriction” TzimTzum (Part 1, Chap. 1, Inner Light, 40)
One who conquers one’s desire. In other words, one who restrains oneself and does not receive despite one’s great desire to receive, is regarded as restricting oneself.
79. What is reflected light (Ohr Hozer) (Part Two, Inner Observation, 79)
It is the light that is not received in phase four. It is the light that is designated to fill phase four, and which she does not receive because of the screen that detains it and pushes it back. This operation is called "zivug de-akaa" [“coupling by striking”] (Part Two, Inner Observation, 22). All the vessels of reception in the Partzufim [pl. of Partzuf] from the restriction onward, are extended from that reflected light, which serves them instead of phase four in Ein Sof.
43. Screen (Massach) (Part Three, Item 2)
A screen is the force of restriction that awakens in the emanated being toward the upper light, to stop it from descending to phase four. This means that as soon as it reaches and touches phase four, that force promptly awakens, strikes it, and pushes it back. That force is called a “screen.” You must understand the difference between the screen and the restriction in the emanated being, which are two completely separate matters. The force of restriction that was made on phase four is aimed toward the vessel in the emanated being, which is a yearning to receive. This means that because of the desire to equalize the form with the Emanator, he detained himself from receiving while yearning to receive, since the yearning in him, called “phase four,” is an upper force that the emanated being cannot revoke or diminish even a little. Rather, he can detain himself from wanting to receive despite the great yearning.
This force of detainment is always placed on phase four in the emanated being, except when he draws a new light. In that event, he must necessarily revoke the force of detainment, meaning the restriction in him, and a yearning for the upper light appears in him. That gives him the power to draw the light to himself. Here begins the operation of a screen in the emanated being, since any yearning draws the upper light in completeness, as it was in Ein Sof, since it is an upper force, which the lower one has no power to diminish. Hence, the light comes down in order to fill phase four.
However, the moment the light touches phase four, the screen promptly awakens, strikes the light, and pushes it back. It follows that he receives only the light of three phases, and phase four does not receive it. You therefore see that the screen operates only when the light comes, after the restriction is temporarily revoked, in order to drew a new light, as was explained. However, the act of restriction is permanent, restraining himself from drawing light. Thus, the restriction and the screen are two completely separate states, and know that the screen is a result of the restriction.
To understand the key concept of screen and reflected light (Masach and Orh Hozer) we have the following example by Baal HaSulam:
Indeed, we should understand this reflected light and how it became a vessel of reception, since initially it was but a light that was rejected from reception. Thus, it now serves in an opposite role from its own essence.
I shall explain that with an allegory from life. Man’s nature is to cherish and favor the quality of bestowal, and to despise and loathe reception from one’s friend. Hence, when one comes to one’s friend’s house and he [the host] invites him for a meal, he [the guest] will decline even if he is very hungry, since in his eyes it is humiliating to receive a gift from his friend.
Yet, when his friend sufficiently implores him until it is clear that he would do his friend a big favor by eating, he agrees to eat as he no longer feels that he is receiving a gift and that his friend is the giver. On the contrary, he [the guest] is the giver, doing his friend a favor by receiving this good from him.
Thus, you find that although hunger and appetite are vessels of reception designated for eating, and that person had sufficient hunger and appetite to receive his friend’s meal, he still could not taste a thing due to the shame. Yet, as his friend implored him and he rejected him, new vessels for eating began to form in him, since the power of his friend’s pleading and the power of his own rejection, as they accumulated, finally added up to a sufficient amount that turned the measure of reception into a measure of bestowal.
In the end, he saw that by eating, he would do a big favor and bring great contentment to his friend. In that state, new vessels of reception to receive his friend’s meal were born in him. Now it is considered that his power of rejection has become the essential vessel in which to receive the meal, and not the hunger and appetite, although they are actually the usual vessels of reception.
Explanation of the Host and the Guest by Rav Dr. Michael Laitman:
The Kli that was created from above, in the first degree, second, third, fourth, which received everything and is called the world of “Ein Sof.” Afterwards, it made a Tzimtzum, expelled everything, this is the first Tzimtzum, and afterwards remained empty. And it decided that it works only by means of a Masach, that as much as it can, it will receive inside, and as much as not, it will not receive. All these decisions, after which the world of Adam Kadmon begins to be born for us. From all these states, Reshimot remain in all these stages, information about each and every stage. That is, every next stage, let’s say stage number two, it includes within it stage number one, and upon it is created two. The third, that is, it has one and two, and from the outside three, and so on, until we reach the last state and it turns out that here in the last state, it contains within it all the previous states. And when it decides, it decides based on all the previous states it has passed through. And then what does it think? It thinks as usual, as we spoke, I have a Kli, let’s draw the Kli in such a way, from above to below. That is, all the size of this Kli we will draw in height. Yes? That is, what we have in the size of the Kli, we will draw it here like this in height. And what is in the Rosh, that it wants to decide how it works, we will draw here. So the Upper Light comes to the Kli, to the desire, yes? This is all the Kli, and wants to enter, and the Kli rejects it, rejects it because if it receives again, it will have shame. And it decides how much it can receive without being ashamed, that in this it exactly equates itself with the Light, that in this exactly it is the bestower, the giver. We spoke about this with you in the example of the host and the guest. That I come to someone as a guest and he gives me refreshments, I say I do not want to eat, I am not hungry, I reject everything. Why? Because it is unpleasant for me, I have shame. Why? Because I feel myself as receiving and he as giving. That is, it turns out like this, he gives, he is above, and I receive, I am below. And therefore I feel in the difference of degrees between us, shame. How can I receive and enjoy and not be ashamed? So I say to the host, usually, everyone knows these things, I say to the host I do not want. And then the host presses me or the friend I came to, and he says no, you must, I prepared everything for you. And then if I reject a number of times, he keeps pressing me and I keep rejecting, and then if my refusals equal his pressure, then it turns out that we are equal. He does not give, I do not give, he does not receive, I do not receive, we are as if equal. The refreshments remain between us in the middle. And now I already have the possibility to be the opposite, the one who gives to him.
Because He says, “I have prepared for you, I love you, I want you to enjoy, do not depict Me as if you are not taking from Me.” So I begin to think this way: I will receive only so that He will enjoy. So, not that He will be above and I will be below, no. I will be above and He will be below. I, the Kli, will bestow to the Creator, I will bestow to Him. But does He bestow to me or not? How will I bestow to Him? I will bestow to Him by receiving pleasures. So we will be equal. That is, this is the created being, and this is the Creator; the created being receives from the Creator because he wants the Creator to enjoy, the two are equal. The Creator gives pleasure to the created being, the created being who receives pleasure gives pleasure to the Creator by this. What is missing here? Only the intention is missing here on the part of the created being, intention. That he receives pleasure only for the Creator, and this is what is now done in the Kli at the Rosh of the degree. He checks everything, whether they are truly equal according to his desire, and says, “I can operate my desire up to a certain height, up to a place called ‘Tabur.’” These desires I can fill with pleasures. And then this part is called “Toch.” Toch, inside which is the Light, the pleasure. And the place that cannot fill me with pleasures is called “Sof.” Why can’t it? He rejects pleasures from here, and this place remains empty. Because the pleasures here that the Creator brings him are so great that he is unable to receive them in order to bestow. Let’s say there is before me on the table meat and fish and wine and cakes and Coca-Cola, and I make a calculation: what can I receive so that my reception will be a feeling of pleasure, but in relation to the fact that I do it only for the Creator and not for myself. So I think, I make a calculation with the pleasures, with my desire, with the recognition of the greatness of the host, with myself, and in total I see that, let’s say, Coca-Cola I can drink and receive this pleasure from the host. Also cake I can eat, it is not such a great pleasure, it’s perfectly fine, I can receive and enjoy it for the host. Also a little fish, but meat, let’s say, I am not able. It is such a great pleasure, let’s say a good steak, that if I eat it I do not think about the host, I think only about the pleasure. And then I limit myself, and it turns out that part of the pleasures I receive inside and part I cannot. According to what do I make the calculation? I make the calculation according to those data that I have acquired here in my previous work, in all my previous experience. I very much ask you, think about how it is possible to do this. How you are in the case of a guest at someone’s place, how you make the calculation, this will open for you Kelim.
You will begin to understand that truly there is a very, very precise calculation inside: am I enjoying for myself, or am I enjoying in order to bring pleasure to the Owner of the house. If you begin to make the correct calculation, that your pleasure is in order to bring pleasure to the Owner of the house, you will stop feeling the tastes that are in the food. To such an extent are we all immersed in pleasure for ourselves. That is, if I take—let’s say I have here a cup of coffee—if I take the coffee and I make the calculation that I want to enjoy it only because I want this pleasure to be felt by the Owner of the house, only for Him I do this and not for myself. If I taste the coffee, I will not feel any taste in it, because I want to transfer it to the Owner of the house, and the Owner of the house I do not feel. So it turns out that the taste disappears. Whoever tries to do this, afterwards he will feel that he must have the revelation of the Owner of the house. Because without feeling Him, without seeing Him, I will not be able to perform the act of giving. And therefore, there is no choice, I will demand the revelation of the Owner of the house in order to bestow to Him, otherwise I will not receive anything from Him. And if the Owner of the house, if the Creator sees that I insist on this, that I will receive only in order to give Him pleasures, and otherwise I will not receive, He begins to reveal Himself to me, He begins to show Himself, and in this He helps me to make the calculation of bestowal. And then we begin to be connected to each other, and the force of the Creator, the force of the Light, the upper force is revealed to me, and I begin to be in connection with Him. But this is only on the condition that I insist on my own and do not want to receive anything, if not for the benefit of the Owner of the house, if it will not be bestowal. And then with this I obligate Him to reveal Himself to me. Therefore, from now on we can already, in all kinds of cases in our lives, begin to do what is called practical Kabbalah, such exercises, that we begin to receive from the world, to try only things that will be connected to the Creator. Let us see whether we are able to stand in this or not. If a person, through the study of Kabbalah, through such an attempt, brings himself to a state where he truly says, “I do not receive anything for myself, only for the benefit of the Owner of the house, and if He does not reveal Himself I do not receive anything,” then the Owner of the house must reveal Himself. Check the case when you enter someone as a guest, and you demand this from him: “I will not receive unless it is for you.” Then he must reveal himself, he must be in connection with you. And so it turns out that in such a case we are rewarded with the revelation of the Creator, with the revelation of Godliness. And the more we are able to demand the revelation in order to bestow, the Creator will be revealed, because in this, after all, He helps us to reach higher degrees of bestowal.