Bold and in quotes: Original text of Baal HaSulam
Regular: Commentaries of Rav Laitman
lowercase italics: emphasized words
Capitalized italics: transliteration from Hebrew
"From the aforesaid their words are understood with utter simplicity: we have seen that all the words and utterances our lips pronounce cannot help us convey even a single word from the spiritual, Godly matters, above the imaginary time and space. Instead, there is a special language for these matters, being The Language of the Branches, indicating their relation to their Upper Roots."
Meaning, those who come to the Upper World, and feel, and see, and attain, - attainment means the inner understanding of the matters, of the actions - and understand them at their root, and how they happen, change, influence and come, then they can determine names. Also, the names are taken from this world, because in the spiritual world there are no names, only a sensation that one experiences in one’s Kelim. Because all the worlds are one below the other, with the same details, and are all interconnected from above downward, completely parallel to each other, alike and complementary to each other, so that all the details in the Upper World are in the world below it, and in the one below that, etc. That is why Kabbalists take names from our world and them to designate forces in the Upper World, because the Upper World is only forces – forces of bestowal, and forces of reception. Of course, only a Kabbalist, who is in this world and in the Upper World, can develop this language, called the Language of Branches.
"However, this language, though extremely suitable for its task of delving in the studies of this wisdom, is only so if the listener is wise in his own right…"
Meaning, there has to be a student who receives the study and explanations from the Rav. The student, too, has to be in the same world, in the same place, where the great one explains to him what is happening. Just like when we are in our world, where there are grownups and there are children. We can explain to the children: “This is so, and that is such…be careful of this". We explain to them in "this" and "that", without using too many names or metaphors, and without getting into details. We teach them slowly. But there has to be a common sensation between us, and we teach only the connection between things that exist. But the adults and the young ones have to be in the same world, with the same sensations, and the same understandings.The great one descends to the degree of the lower one, and teaches him to the extent that the lower one can perceive what the great one wants to explain.
That’s what he means when he says that only if the listener is wise in his own right. Wise means that he attains the things explained to him. Meaning, he is in the Upper World.
"meaning that he knows and understands the way the branches relate to their roots."
So, he is also in both worlds, only still not at the level of attainment of the great one.
"It is because these relations are not at all clear when looking from the lower upwards. In other words, it is impossible to deduce any semblance in the Upper Roots by looking at the lower branches."
Without the explanation of a Kabbalist, even if a person senses the Upper World, he is like a child in this world. He lacks a guide that will explain and accompany him throughout the days of infancy, until he understands the rules of the Upper World, the interconnections between things. Then by knowing and with the preliminary experience, he will know how to advance by himself. Meaning, it’s not only the ingredients, the parts in the Upper World that are in parallel to the lower world, but also the connections and the systems of behavior are also similar. Just as we are with children, with their upbringing and growth, they afterwards begin to live and function independently – it is so in the Upper World. The little one, the new one on its way, must be tended to, educated, and acquire experience of the great one in order to advance and acquire a certain amount of knowledge and experience – and then he will advance alone. There is some sort of package, which if he acquires, he can already advance on his own. In this package there are Kelim, Orot (Lights), corrections, and Masachim (screens); discernments between the Partzufim, degrees, Orot (Lights), Kelim and Reshimot. He has enough there to serve him as a basis and example to advance onwards.
The thing is that without an example, no creature knows how to arrange the new desires that appear in him – to live in a certain state. We always live out of memory, like Alzheimer and diseases where the memory is erased. It’s terrible because the person doesn’t even know what is before him; he is simply out of control. He was alive and suddenly his memory was erased, and he does not know what is happening. There are such people. They suddenly put a clock in the soup. All the connections are confused.
What does that indicate? If we don’t have memory, discernments, laws, relationships and connections between the Reshimot, Masachim, Kelim, Partzufim,Orot Mekifim, Orot Pnimiyim; a certain sum, a little internal world that we would have within, from which we make deductions and advance to other desires. Without it, we won’t know how to advance. Those who enter the Upper World, should not be fooled that everything is open to them, they are as hosts, and "that’s it" they can go and operate. They do not operate anything, just like a little one in our world. He just lies on the table, because he was put there, does not know what to do with his hands and his legs like a newborn, and he cries. That’s all he knows to do. That’s all. In short he is requesting help, not more.
That’s what Baal HaSulam says that this is regarding only if "the listener is wise in his own right” - and not before this.
"Quite the contrary, the lower is studied from the higher. Thus, one must first attain the Upper Roots, the way they truly are in spirituality, above any imagination, but with pure attainment. Once he has thoroughly attained the Upper Roots through his own mind, he may examine the tangible branches in this world and know how each branch relates to its root in the Upper World, in arrangement, in quality and quantity."
That’s a great thing that he is writing here. We marked it in bold here with good reason. It means that we can never understand our world here, or ourselves, unless it is from a higher degree. Meaning, all our sciences, everything we investigate, as much as we may improve and excel in them, will not help us. Rather, in order to understand our world, we have to ascend and understand the roots; and from the roots, come down to the branches. Then you will know why the branches exist the way they do, and are interconnected and function the way they do. This is only on condition that one attains a higher degree, and that’s how it is in spirituality too. Where one stands and where one is, he doesn’t control it. He does not know what is happening, just like us in our world. Do you know what’s going to happen next minute? No. Do you know how you influence in your place? No. Do you know, what you receive and why? Why things happen? No. Why? – It all comes from a higher degree. So, we are never in a situation that we understand, never; if I have ascended, I can then talk about my previous state, but not about my current state. So, we should constantly go above reason, we don’t have a choice. No choice. Always above reason. Take the control of the Upper One, of what happens to me, and just follow it perfectly.
Take it as the best possible thing. Do you hear me? Yes, I can see how you listen. As written: " the listener is wise in his own right" - he has his own mind.
Only with faith above reason, meaning Dvekut to the AHP deElyon (the
Upper AHP), or completion of the first kind as we learn as well, can he advance. Now we can understand it. Meaning, we will never understand the present state – only the previous state. The question is, am I allowed to use the foundation from the previous state to advance to the next state? If you have advanced in this manner, then of course you will continue this way. But if you go this way, you advance within reason. Even that is forbidden. Meaning, in adhesion to the upper degree, I must not have an intellectual foundation; my experience. But how can I do it? Can I get rid of my own experience? That’s why the next degrees are always greater than the lower degree, because the great desire in it, erases all my previous experience. In the previous life, it worked fine, but now it is not as before. Now it is completely different, everything has changed; The forces are different, and everything has changed. Where is the Dvekut here, the Creator, or going above reason? It cannot be here, it’s all opposite. The additions are always greater than the experience, than the reason, and that helps one go above reason. Otherwise we wouldn’t be able to exit the fact. Beforehand, I saw already - is it hard for me to go along this path? It would be easier. I would add at every degree, so with my experience in life I can acquire degree after degree. It would be better.
So, unlike this world, don’t think that it is easier in the next one.
No questions. Go on.
"When one knows and thoroughly comprehends all that, there is a common language between him and his teacher, namely The Language of the Branches. Using it, the wise may convey the studies of the wisdom, conducted in the Upper, Spiritual Worlds, both those he had received from his teachers and those he had discovered by himself. This is because now they have a common language and understand each other"
What is a common language? A language comes from the word Peh (mouth), Safa (language) is like Sof (end,) where the Masach ends which stands at the Peh of the Upper Partzuf. It’s not talking about our language, where one communicates with lips; we are talking about a common study, Peh el Peh (mouth - to - mouth), in the common Masach that they have; where one understands the other, when are they both in the Upper World, and both have similar Masachim. Even though the one is great and the other is small, but they have a common Masach. Because the upper one descends to the degree of the lower one, just like a mother can develop the embryo from the lowest degree of Kedusha. Despite that she is great herself, she gives the Orot (Lights), corrections, and Kelim bit - by - bit to the Reshimo called Zera (seed), and develops it; develops it onwards and onwards until it becomes a fetus.
Take a great and little one. What does it mean that they are in the same world, same degree, in one language, one study? This means the great one descended to the degree of the lower one, on the one hand. They have a common language and they understand each other. But if the great one descended to the degree of the lower one and became like the lower one, what can he teach him? Rather, internally the great one is still great, and externally he just made himself small. It’s like when you baby - talk with children and play with them, you know? But within this game there has to be a higher wisdom from an Upper Degree. Then it is called studying. How does the lower one receive it? He receives it because the wisdom is clothed in his degree, as we learn it in Talmud Eser Sefirot. The milk that the mother gives that the fetus receives at the time of Yenika (suckling), becomes Dam (blood). During the Ibur (pregnancy the mother gives blood to the fetus, and then during the suckling she gives milk, which becomes blood. The lower one receives what it can, and the upper one must convey what the lower one needs. The lower one does not know what it needs, but it has to be given in the right clothing; that’s why the games have to be very sophisticated, to induce the right correction in a person, the right progress. Meaning, the upper one descends to the lower one, and this is called, clothing on itself a form like the lower one ( Katnut), and inside it has to remain the Upper One. Its purpose is to bring the lower one to his degree, of the Upper itself. Go on.
"However, when a disciple is not wise and comprehends the language on his own, meaning how the branches indicate to their roots, naturally, the teacher cannot convey even a single word of this spiritual wisdom"
Meaning, if a person still hasn’t crossed the Machsom (barrier), he cannot understand what the spiritual world is, and not even the greatest Kabbalist can convey this knowledge to him; a picture, an impression, a sensation. Rather, he will sense, understand, and be impressed, but in his Kelim. Meaning, the picture will not be a true picture, of both worlds. Yes.
"...much less negotiate with him in the scrutiny of the wisdom. This is so because they have not a common language they can use, and they become like mute. Thus, it is necessary that the wisdom of Kabbalah will not be taught unless he is wise and understands with his own mind."
Meaning, it is possible for everyone to study the Wisdom of Kabbalah, it is not a problem, but we have to understand that we learn the Wisdom of Kabbalah in order to attain the Upper World. When we attain the Upper World, that is when we learn the Wisdom of Kabbalah. But before that, we study it only in order to rise up there – only as a means. We don’t study the Wisdom of Kabbalah itself; because studying the Wisdom of Kabbalah means getting to know the connections and the spiritual phenomena themselves, when one is already in them according to the equivalence of form with these forces, these desires, these Masachim, directions, intentions, etc. Meaning, there is studying, which is like a means, and there is studying which is already actual reception.
Then it is called Maase Merkava, Maase Bereshit. It is not something great or high, just that, when you learn with corrected Kelim, where a person is already in spiritual attainment. Then, accordingly, there is a relation between the teacher and the student, one who still has not crossed the Machsom. You have to induce an acceleration of the whole process, so that he crosses the Machsom quickly, and begins to study the actual Wisdom of Kabbalah. In the meantime, he is not studying the Wisdom of Kabbalah, that’s why everyone can learn. Then, when he crosses the Machsom, he can also be taught according to his own degree. It's just that the teacher has to know – not the student, but the teacher has to know – what and how to give the student, so that he will advance correctly and as effectively as possible. And the student just tries as much as he can in his state of Katnut, to accept the advice of the teacher and complements him through his own efforts. Yes.
"We must ask further: How then, has the disciple grown so wise as to know the relation of branch and root through tracingthe Upper Roots? The answer is that here one’s efforts are in vain; it is God’s help that we need! He fills those who capture His keen with wisdom, understanding and knowledge to acquire sublime attainments. Here it is impossible to be assisted by any flesh and blood!"
In other words, the Creator actually holds the power to take a person from corporeality to spirituality, and promote him to spirituality up to Gmar Tikkun. Of course, this power exists and is intended for every single one, and awaits every single one. When he says, “We need a Godly help here”, that there is nothing here but assistance from above, it is correct. The light that reforms comes from above, but it’s not that it’s a wonder that when one attains one does not according to some fortune. It’s not the case. Anyone who makes the correct, necessary effort then has a Kli where the Ohr operates. It’s not that there is some desire here, something he feels like, or does not feel like , as it might seem from these words in our corporeal understanding. There is an unbreakable law: the Orot Elyonim (Upper Lights) are opposite the Kelim, the deficiencies, and if one has filled one’s cup, then comes the Ohr that takes him out, called Messiah, that takes him from corporeality to spirituality. But here it depends entirely on a person, and not on the Creator or the teacher either. But to the extent that the person reaches a sum of exertion that he has made, which is demanded of him, then the salvation comes to him.
Question: hasthe teacher necessarily been through the same stages that the student goes through, or similar?
Everyone experiences everything. Everyone must experience every discernment... I don’t know how I can explain it. It does not matter which society, or at which time a person is in. If he goes through this world, through his egoistic desires into spirituality, then he experiences the same discernments. These are Reshimot that appear. What is this world? It’s only Reshimot that appear, and that’s how you perceive the picture. The Reshimot have to appear to everyone, being that we all fell below, and accordingly, a person realizes them and reaches above; to a higher realization. They are the same things, it doesn’t matter what a person actually experienced in corporeality in this world. He might be an Indian, or some European living in different cultures etc., but with respect to spirituality, he goes through the same discernments – he experiences the same discernments. It’s, as we learn, there are corporeal pleasures compared to spiritual pleasures, the double concealment, single concealment, etc. Everyone experiences all those things. Anyone who is greater than his friend, of course, has experienced what his friend has to experience regardless of where the friend was born, with what attributes, with what fates he was seemingly born, never mind. He too experienced those things. If he didn’t actually experience it in this world, than he did in potential, but he has to experience it because the Reshimot are the same Reshimot; the degrees are the same degrees, which everyone feels differently, but the ladder of degrees is the same.
It’s impossible that Baal HaSulam or Rabbi Shimon did not experience the same disappointments, the same questions as we, as we do. Although, who are they and who are we. It doesn’t matter. Yes, go ahead.
"Indeed, once He has grown fond of a person, and has endowed him with the sublime attainment, one is then prepared to accept the vastness of the wisdom of Kabbalah from a wise Kabbalist, for now they have a common language."
For the time being, a Kabbalist prepares his student to give the right amount of exertion, to yearn for the right goal as much as he can understand and clarify it, that by that he will be loved by the Upper Force, the Creator. This is called being liked by Him. What does it mean to be liked by Him? It means that I am similar to Him. Being liked by the Creator means that one tries to find this attribute called bestowal, and be as much as possible advancing toward it, yearning it, and to give the required amount of effort, especially during the study, when the Light that reforms, comes. Then he will receive the elevation from this world to the spiritual world; he will sense and understand the spiritual reality. Then surely he can come to his teacher and receive from him, the explanation of: “where have I come to, where am I, lost among the trees?” Then the teacher teaches him differently, and explains to him like a grownup to a child about the new world that has been opened to the student. At first, there is the work of the student and the teacher, as a preparation, and then there is the salvation from the Creator, and then the teacher’s work with the student as actual guidance.
Go ahead.
"Appellations Alien to Human Spirit. With all that is said above, you will understand why we sometimes find appellations and terms quite alien to the human spirit in books of Kabbalah. They are abundant in the fundamental Kabbalah books, which are the Zohar, the corrections to the Zohar and the books of the Ari. It is indeed bewildering why these wise men used such lowly appellations to express such exalted, holy notions?"
Well, there are words that we take from nature, like Zivug (coupling), Partzuf (face), all the body parts, the inner organs, the outer organs; even love, hate… they are seemingly mundane things. Or terms like Ibur (pregnancy), Yenika (suckling), Mochin (mind), Neshika (kiss), Zivug deYesodot (coupling of foundations ), Zivug deNeshikin (coupling of kissing), all kinds of such things. There are also terms like Awzen (ear), Chotem (nose) , Peh (mouth), Tabur (navel), Sium Raglin (end of the legs), Etzbaot Raglin (Toes of the legs) . We could have taken higher words. We are not talking about the physical body and about corporeal, beastly actions; actually they are beastly functions. What more can you say about them? So, why did they take these names? Also stealing, killing – they should have been perhaps more subtle with words, maybe a little more cultured.
"Yet, you will fully understand it once you have acquired the above conceptions. This is because it is now clear that no language in the world can be used to explain that wisdom, except one that is intended for just that end, namely The Language of the Branches, relating to their upper roots."
Meaning, we must call the roots, spiritual forces that operate the objects, forces, relationships, everything in this world, by those names. So, if in spirituality, a birth of Partzuf is a birth, a correction of the Partzuf is Ibur or Katnut or Gadlut. Connection is Dvekut. Distancing is hatred – there is no choice. We have to use these words because our branches are called by that in our world, and there is connection between the root and the branch.
"Thus, obviously, no branch, or fraction of a branch, should be neglected because of its inferior degree, or not be used to express the desired concept in the interconnections in the wisdom, as there is no other branch in this world to take its place."
Here we learn about the Dam Leyda (blood of birth), Dam Tameh (impure blood), all kinds of such things… They couldn't replace these things, they are natural things found in the body, meaning, in the functioning, in the growth of the body, and accordingly, in the functioning in the growth of the soul; there are the same stages, the same process in spirituality.
"As no two hairs suck from the same foramen, so we do not have two branches that relate to a single root. Hence, by leaving an incident unused we lose the spiritual concept corresponding to it in the Upper World, as we have not a single word to utter in its place and indicate that root. In addition, such an incident would impair the entire wisdom in all its vastness, since now there is a missing link in the chain of the wisdom connected to that concept."
Meaning, we have to be extremely careful, we have to maintain the Language of the Branches very meticulously, in whatever we do or don't understand, and we don’t understand anything between the connections of roots and branches, because we don’t see the root. So, we cannot talk about the connections. My wife sometimes laughs at me: "this is not blue, it’s green". Sometimes I get confused. It’s not that I am color-blind, but sometimes it just happens to me. It’s not that we deviate a little bit from the matter. If I replace even a single word with a different concept, the entire picture changes. We don’t see it, but the whole picture is shaken up, and it doesn’t matter if I name the other things correctly or not, but I will not perceive it correctly. I will not fit the picture in the right way. That’s a big problem, how then can we study? What is he warning us about - that it’s forbidden to replace a word for another word? But how would I know what I replaced and what I didn’t? Where I went wrong, where I didn’t? Who are you talking to? If I can only see half of a thing and not the other, and the language connects both parts, what can I be careful of? First, you blindfold me and then you say: “Drive and be careful.” How can I do that? But this is the counsel, the most correct counsel and advice. You don’t understand that you are in concealment. You are not in the Upper World, and you have to try, in this world, to define the Upper World correctly as much as you can. Meaning, right now you see this world. Try and see the Upper Forces through it, which conduct this world; what they are. Give a spiritual definition to everything in this world as accurately as possible, and then you’ll, seemingly, through the matter, enter the forces that operate behind it. That’s what they are saying. That’s why Baal HaSulam so strictly gives us the interpretation of the words, and the matters, and everything. What does he say? He says, you have to know this dictionary, the language of branches provided - the interpretation of the words. He says, you have to know it by heart, it has to be "placed in a box". Meaning, you don’t know what it is, but it has to be defined, so that if you are told some word, instead of a cup, you would see a spiritual cup; that you understand this force. This way you start interpreting, instead of this world, you start interpreting spirituality, and then you come to see and feel what happens behind matter, behind the picture of this world. So, that’s why they say that on the one hand, of course, you don’t see anything, but you have to interpret correctly, and woe onto you if you make a mistake. By that they give you the urgency and caution to yearn for the precise spiritual picture.
Question: I am trying to understand. Right now I am in this world. If I understand the advice correctly, I should start in this world to imagine that forces that operate all kind of things from behind? Let’s say at work my boss yells at me, I should imagine the force that operates him, or maybe the same for a table?
Answer: At least, with what we study. At least, during the study. Forget about this world. If you behave with your boss this way, who knows how you interpret it. You might be erring not in the study, but erring with your boss, and that’s another matter. But we should absolutely try in the study. That’s the most important thing in the study of the wisdom. By that you draw Ohr Makif (surrounding light). By raising MAN this Ohr Makif comes to you, because you want to enter it, you want to see this picture; you want to be in it. And you interpret the MAN correctly, this is in order to bestow like this, like that, these are the forces of resistance, bestowal. You interpret the picture correctly and you want to identify with it, with forces, attributes, and calculations of bestowal. According to the equivalence of form, when you yearn to be equalized with it, you draw the Ohr Makif. It is in complete rest, but you activate the forces for it, and then it comes for you, and it gradually corrects you. That’s why it so important, the correct interpretation and constantly being in it. Now, if you want to do it in your ordinary life on the street, or only during the study, I recommend both. During the study, of course. If you read books of Kabbalah or just any holy book, such as The Book of Torah, Gemara, whatever. Of course, you surely have to try and imagine what’s behind it, a spiritual world. Kabbalists told us about how we should try and get along with the donkey, an ox, or with your neighbor, or whatever. Is that what they were trying to explain to us; how we should marry in this world, and do all kinds of things in the field? Do they care what you do in the field? They gave it primarily to correct the heart, as Iben Ezra (a Kabbalist) writes, so that through these things you will interpret the forces that stand behind them, and you will see that it’s completely not what you imagine in this world. Then this world will seem to you like an imaginary world, and that world, of those forces will be the real; because actually they are the ones that build this picture for you in this world, the picture of this world. It’s not the exterior picture that is important. A few students of mine are now building the internet site. I approach them, and I say, “I want it to be blue, I want it to be round, whatever.” So they go and internally do all kinds of calculations, and I see letters and numbers, and all kinds of symbols. What does it have to do with pretty pictures, being round, colorful, this way, that way? They tell me: “No, we have to change the internal commands", these are forces. "On the outside you will see a picture in just a minute". And I see that after he enters a few numbers that the picture changes. So, what’s more important, what is the determining factor? It is determined by the internal entries, in forces, from which this picture is made. The ones who work with computers and internet sites don’t see an external picture; for them it’s the internal engine which they interact with. And that’s how we are; we start to enter inside.
"Thus it mutilates the entire wisdom…"
if he makes a mistake even in a definition
"…for there is no other wisdom in the world where matters are so fused and intertwined, by way of cause and effect, primary and consequential, as is the wisdom of Kabbalah, connected head to toe just like a long chain. Therefore, upon the temporary loss of but a small cognizance, the entire wisdom darkens before our eyes for all its issues are tied to one another very strongly, literally fusing into one."
Why? [Rav drawing] Because the Creator created the creation from the Upper Light – Malchut de Ein Sof (The Kingdom of the Infinite), and everything exists within Malchut de Ein Sof. Here you have Tzimtzum Aleph, Partzufim,Olamot (worlds); you have Igulim (circles) and Yosher (Straightness). Everything is inside; this world - that’s the point of this world, that’s us here, at the centre. Everything that happens, happens within this Kli, here is the abstract Ohr (Light), the Creator, and here inside this circle is the creature.
And what is the Wisdom of Kabbalah? It is the wisdom that explains to us what happens to us inside: the process, the beginning, the middle, the end – everything that happens, that’s all the Wisdom of Kabbalah. Except where we are found, in this world, where we are detached, unconscious, of all the other things, being that we are only at that black point here. So here we have our own science; what we call natural sciences. That’s it. That’s for the time being, when I am detached from the rest of reality. But, when I begin to know the rest of reality, to exit it outwardly and see the forces that operate on me, that give us birth and arrange us, that lead us, then these sciences become completely negligent compared to this wisdom that surely contains them as well. If we see that all of this one system, one body, one desire, that goes through a general and particular process, and everyone is interconnected as one body with all its ingredients; then surely if I err in any discernment here, then this whole picture changes and becomes distorted. Sometimes we think incorrectly about a person in just one thing, and then his entire picture changes in my eyes. I then already take whatever he does incorrectly. Then this particular thing is corrected, and now I perceive everything that that person does and thinks in a different manner. That is why here we have to understand just how important it is to us in The Wisdom of Kabbalah, the Language of the Branches, to be accurate, and be protective of all the definitions that the Kabbalists wrote for us; not to interpret anything ourselves, but always go according to the definitions of the writer.
"Now you will not wonder at the occasional use of alien appellations. It is so because they have no freedom of choice with appellations, to replace the bad with the good, or the good with the bad. They must always use the branch or the incident, which precisely points to its upper root in all its necessary measure. Moreover, the subject matters must be expanded so as to provide an accurate definition for the eyes of their fellow observers."
Question: Previously we read that the lower one will only learn from the upper one, meaning that only from the upper world can one understand what happens here. So, if I understand this advice correctly, on what basis should I try and understand the spiritual forces behind entities and events that happen to me. Am I not doomed to failure,according to this rule?
Answer: I would say no. First of all, now I want to understand myself, my life, and the world that I am in. In order to understand it - this is all my degree - I have to rise to a higher degree. There are the forces that give birth to me, operate me towards something. Knowing them means knowing my degree. When I acquire the higher degree, from there I know my own degree; I seemingly raise my own degree to that root. Why? Because I no longer live on the level of my degree, I understand what happens in it from the aspect of the roots. Meaning, with this world I ascended up to the degree of the world Assiya. Let’s say that I am on the degree of the world Assiya. So, what happens to me and how I should behave, and what I should do, and what for, and why, and for what purpose, I don’t know. I rise to a higher degree, understand why and how I behave and what happens in the degree of the world Assiya, by raising the world of Assiya to the degree of Yetzira, and so on. A person who comes from this world to the world of Ein Sof (Infinite)
is like a carpet by which he rolls through all the degrees. When that person reaches the world of Ein Sof, he then sees that all the worlds, everything, is incorporated together with him in Ein Sof, and there are no Olamot (worlds). Olamot comes from the word Ha'alama (concealment), hidden. So there are no concealments there, it’s all infinite, unlimited. An unrestricted revelation. But until we reach Ein Sof, the Gmar Tikkun of our Kelim, there are always things that we still haven’t discovered with respect to the current degree, but rather with respect to the previous degrees – they are understood. But even regarding the previous degrees, what does it mean that one understands? We don’t attain the entire previous degrees. There are vessels there that we cannot use, like Lev ha Even (stony heart), or vessels that are still not fully corrected. But relatively, we understand the general functioning of the system.
Question: I also don’t understand the advice you gave, how to try and see the forces behind the events in this world that operate them. Can you give an example?
How can I give an example? An example means that from this world to try and see the spiritual world. The spiritual world is all forces. I gave the example of computer programmers. They see through their picture what needs to be corrected. What is this picture called in their language? They do not describe this picture. When they look at the picture, they don’t look at the picture, rather the forces that create the picture. For example, speak to painters. They don’t say: “Oh, yes, this picture is beautiful!", and such things – no. They look at how a certain color was used, what measure, what kind of brush was used, and so and so. They look at the technique, because they understand that the exterior picture is what we see, but they want to see the reasons for it.
In any profession it is like this. You see a beautiful car, it looks very flashy, something unbelievable. For a mechanic, just remove all these coatings; he wants to see the engine; he wants to see the chassis, the structure, and how it’s all built. “Oh, that’s a good car.” What do you mean, "It’s a good car?" All you see now is a wagon after you take it apart. No, for him, that’s the car – and not all the pretty covers. The expertise is in reaching the root and seeing the inner arrangement – even in this world. But here we cannot discover it and penetrate inwards. But through the right definitions, when you try and define each and everything correctly for everything you see, everything you imagine. You may imagine whatever you want – this world, the spiritual world, you and your boss, and your wife, and your kids, and your friends. It does not matter how, but give it correct spiritual definitions. You don’t know what they are, but go according to what’s written. Try and live according to these definitions. That’s called entering into the picture. Trying to enter inwards; to see through the pretty coatings of this world, to see the inner engine. This is called the higher degree. The more you try, the more you will feel: “I want to give, I want to bestow, I want to have these types of calculations, in connection with other souls. Whether you like it or not, because of this interpretation, you will start to identify with the spiritual nature. That’s all you need. This identification, this inclination, will be raising MAN, raising of deficit – yearning. This will bring you the Light that reforms.
Question: So to summarize I have to give the right definitions?
Answer: Regarding giving the right definitions during the study. Where is this written? Part One of Talmud Eser Sefirot (TES – The Study of the Ten Sefirot). Look at what he writes in the “Order of the Study.” It’s at the end of the "Introduction to the Study of the Ten Sefirot. ” He writes at the end: “why did Kabbalists obligate each person to study the Wisdom of Kabbalah?” Item 155. Then he writes, "Therefore, in order to rescue the readers from any materialization, I compose the book Talmud Eser Sefirot. There I collect all the principal essays concerning the explanation of the ten Sefirot in as simple and easy language as I could. I have also arranged the table of questions and table of answers for every word and issue". He later writes that before he wrote Talmud Eser Sefirot, he wrote an interpretation to the “Tree of Life” called Panim Meirot Umasbirot and then Ohr Pnimi, Histaklut Pnimit. Then he writes "The Order of the Study". “First, study the Pnim (interior), meaning the words of the ARI, printed at the head of each page till the end of the book. Even though you will not understand, repeat them several times, until you know them by heart. And then study the explanation of the Ohr Pnimi, and delve in it in a way that you can study and understand the Pnim well, even without the explanation. Then study the explanation of the Histaklut Pnimit, until you understand and remember it entirely… and the questions…do the same for each question. Study and memorize them…", and so on. In short, study everything and try as much as possible to correctly interpret the words in their spiritual meaning. Because you are studying something - you don’t know what it is, and you will never know. But intentionally through the correct interpretation, by yearning for the correct thing, you will enter it.
All right, we’ll continue this topic onwards in the next articles of Baal HaSulam that we’ll begin tomorrow. For now we've finished the article “The Essence of the Wisdom of Kabbalah”. Tomorrow we’ll start the article “A Speech for the Completion of the Zohar.”