Lesson 6

Topic: Living with Kabbalah

Selected Excerpts from the Sources

1. Baal HaSulam, "The Wisdom of Kabbalah and Its Essence"

"The wisdom of truth, like the external sciences, must be transmitted from generation to generation. Each generation adds another link to those that came before it, and thus the wisdom continues to develop. At the same time, it becomes fit to spread more broadly among the masses."

2. Baal HaSulam, "Introduction to the Book Panim Meirot uMasbirot"

"The wellsprings of understanding and knowledge shall overflow beyond the borders of Israel and will water all the nations of the world."

3. Baal HaSulam, The Writings of the Last Generation

"Every nation may follow its own religion and its own tradition, and none should interfere with another."

4. Baal HaSulam, "The Essence of Religion and Its Purpose"

"The commandments of the Torah are nothing but laws and modes of conduct established in the upper worlds, which are the roots of all the laws of nature in this world."

5. Baal HaSulam, "Love for the Creator and Love for the Created Beings"

"The purpose of creation rests upon the whole of humanity. Not a single person is excluded."

6. The Zohar for All, Acharei Mot, Item 217

"My spirit within me seeks You in the night. That I may cleave to You with great love during the night. For a person should rise every night, out of love for the Creator, to engage in His work until the morning awakens, and draw upon himself a thread of grace. Happy is the lot of the one who loves the Creator with this love. These are the true righteous, who love the Creator in this way. The world exists because of them, and they rule over all harsh decrees, both above and below."

7. Rabash, "What to Demand from an Assembly of Friends"

"When a group of people gathers together and wishes to work jointly on love of friends, it is the duty of each friend to help the others as much as possible."

8. Baal HaSulam, "The Essence of Religion and Its Purpose"

"At first, a person develops the quality of love and bestowal toward his relatives and family, as it is written, 'Do not hide yourself from your own flesh.' As this quality develops further, the measure of bestowal expands to all those around him, namely the people of his city or his nation. It continues to grow until the quality of love for others embraces all of humanity."

9. Genesis 28:22

"And of all that You give me, I will surely give a tenth to You."

10. Deuteronomy 14:22

"You shall surely tithe all the produce of your seed, that which comes forth from the field year by year."

11. Rabash, "You Shall Surely Tithe"

"'You shall surely tithe,' and our sages interpreted this as, 'Tithe, so that you may become rich.' That is, when a person gives the tithe, meaning performs an act of giving, he should intend 'so that you may become rich,' meaning that he will merit the desire and yearning to give. For it is impossible to receive the goodness and delight, called wealth, from the Creator before attaining equivalence of form. Then, when he merits that even his intention is in order to bestow, he will merit receiving that wealth, which is the meaning of 'that you may become rich.'"

12. Rabash, Letter No. 78

"I hereby appeal to all our brethren of the House of Israel, in whose hearts the spirit of the Creator beats and who grieve over the exile of the Shechinah, to assist the builders and those engaged in this great work."

13. Baal HaSulam, "The Freedom"

"When humanity reaches its goal by attaining the complete degree of love for others, then all the people of the world will unite into one body and one heart. At that time, all the happiness hoped for by humanity will be revealed in its fullest measure."