Description

Michael Laitman, PhD explains what is Light in Kabbalah, and how one studying Kabbalah draws the Light for the sake of "reforming" or "correcting" one׳s ego.

Transcript

Michael Laitman: What do we mean by Light? Some kind of spiritual energy, higher, let's say, than what we can feel in this world with our ordinary senses. And if I draw upon myself this influence, I begin to truly develop this sense and feel it. Like it says, "The Light in the Torah reforms." It says, "I have created the evil inclination," meaning our ego, "I have created the Torah as a spice."

Eden Harel: Wait, wait: you said that the ego is the evil inclination?

Michael Laitman: Yes.

Eden Harel: But if you… you’re confusing me here!

Michael Laitman: You’re absolutely right. The fact that it is bad…

Eden Harel: Ah! So maybe we should cancel it?

Michael Laitman: Not to cancel it.

Eden Harel: What then? Increase it? The evil inclination? We should increase the evil inclination?

Michael Laitman: No, the fact that it is bad doesn't mean that it is unhelpful. The fact that we are really stuck… Sorry, perhaps I move too fast.

We have already talked about how in us, there is the beginning of the sixth sense, which we can develop and turn into a vessel in which we can begin to feel the spiritual world—Godliness, the Upper Reality, eternal life, beyond the body, beyond everything we have here.

We develop this sense by the Upper Light. What’s the Upper Light? It’s some kind of energy that exists above this world. How do we bring upon ourselves the influence of the Upper Light?

So I say, on the one hand, there is a very simple method. But on the other hand, it is a very special method, because I have no connection with that Light, with the Source from where it arrives and with how it affects me. How can I draw it upon myself?

I have the beginning of the sixth sense, meaning something spiritual, but I have no means to develop this spirituality in me, this special vessel. I have no means. How can I draw and expand the spiritual force upon myself from Above? How can I come to this? After all, I’m still only this one point, in contrast to spirituality. That's why Kabbalists write books for us. The books were written from the same places, levels, and spiritual attainments that they have attained, where they can recognize the forces, the Upper Lights, which…

When I in this world begin to study the wisdom of Kabbalah, and I study about the soul, about the sixth sense, which is part of someone's consciousness who is at a higher level of consciousness than me (suppose this is this world and this is the spiritual world)—so by this, I draw the Light upon myself.

"... 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."

Baal HaSulam
"Introduction to Talmud Eser Sefirot" 

Michael Laitman: It is because I actually draw upon my soul, upon my vessel, upon my perception, as if I were at the level of the Kabbalaist who writes, which I’m not, and I don't know what he writes about. I only read but I don't understand. However, it is enough if I want that Light which reforms to influence me and reform me.

Eden Harel: That's enough?

Michael Laitman: That's enough. And that’s what we call, "The Light that Reforms." This is precisely what we call studying Torah—Torah means calling upon this Light. Then it affects you, after a while, not immediately, it might even take a few years. You reach a point where the sixth sense opens, meaning that this point opens up into a vessel and begins to feel and to be part of all the feelings and attainments as those of the book’s writer.

There is no other method that elevates a person above this world, to the revelation of Godliness. This is because no other method can bring one the Light that expands the vessel, the sixth sense, and bring upon that feeling.