I. Kabbalah Facts and Fallacies. 3. Reality Check

Now that we have a basic understanding of how Kabbalah developed and what it is, it’s time to take a deeper look at what Kabbalah does for you. This chapter expands upon the concepts introduced in Chapter 2, in order to show how Kabbalists understand the Creator and what the Creator wishes for you...

Look around you. What do you see? What do you hear? Have you ever wondered if there’s anything out there that your five senses can’t detect? Perhaps other worlds and creatures exist within the space you can’t perceive—worlds that are transparent and unrecognizable from our point of view? To a Kabbalist, we are living in darkness, unable to see the greater reality, although it is still there. Without knowing any better we take this view of the world as the only possible reality. But think of Kabbalah as a way of illuminating the whole of reality so that it is plain to see. Once that happens and we take it all in, our perceptions of reality are changed. We can no longer act the way we did when we were in the dark, and this is to the mutual benefit of ourselves and of others...

Let’s begin this section with an allegory by Baal HaSulam: Once there was a king who wanted to know which of his subjects were trustworthy. He announced that anyone who wanted to come and work for him would be handsomely rewarded by a festive meal, fit for kings. When the people arrived, there was no one at the gate, just a sign indicating where to go and what to do, but no guards to watch over the arrivals. Those who worked in the designated area were unknowingly exposed to a magic powder, and those who went elsewhere were not. In the evening, when everyone sat at the table, those who worked where the sign indicated enjoyed the meal tremendously, but to those who didn’t, the food was the worst they’d ever tasted. Thus, only those who freely chose to follow the king were rewarded with enjoying what the king enjoys...

Kabbalah states that four factors determine a person’s state at each and every moment...

What we perceive as our world is a subjective image of what the Creator has really given to us...