On the Spiritual ladder (pdf) - Kabbalah-arizal.nl
On the Spiritual ladder (pdf) - Kabbalah-arizal.nl
On the Spiritual ladder (pdf) - Kabbalah-arizal.nl
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KABBALAH<br />
ON THE SPIRITUAL LADDER<br />
part I<br />
rabbi<br />
Michael-‐ben-‐Pesach Portnaar, Ph.D.<br />
Verkabbala Uitgevers<br />
1
Society for promotion of <strong>the</strong> knowledge of <strong>Kabbalah</strong><br />
Centre for Lurian <strong>Kabbalah</strong><br />
E-‐mail: verkabbala@planet.<strong>nl</strong><br />
Internet address: www.kabbalah-‐<strong>arizal</strong>.com<br />
Spuistraat 293<br />
1012 VS Amsterdam<br />
The Ne<strong>the</strong>rlands<br />
Telephone: +31 (0)20 620 26 31<br />
All rights reserved<br />
© Publisher Verkabbala Uitgevers, 2008<br />
First edition<br />
No part of this e-‐book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form without <strong>the</strong> written<br />
permission of <strong>the</strong> publisher, except for personal use or for <strong>the</strong> purpose of articles and<br />
reviews with <strong>the</strong> unedited mentioning of <strong>the</strong> source.<br />
ISBN: 9789080806382<br />
2
An appeal to <strong>the</strong> reader<br />
When you feel that you are stuck in a part of a text despite your effort to find <strong>the</strong> answer,<br />
<strong>the</strong>n you can contact me via: verkabbala@planet.<strong>nl</strong><br />
I wanted this e-‐book to be available for my students as soon as possible, so <strong>the</strong>re is a<br />
possibility of grammatical mistakes. We are still working on it.<br />
3
About <strong>the</strong> book<br />
This book, about <strong>the</strong> individual spiritual work, is written on <strong>the</strong> basis of <strong>the</strong> master book of<br />
<strong>the</strong> great kabbalist Baruch Ashlag “The steps of <strong>the</strong> Ladder”. He for his part used <strong>the</strong> holy<br />
Zohar – comment on all five books of <strong>the</strong> Torah, partly of Prophets and Writings – to write<br />
The steps of <strong>the</strong> Ladder. It o<strong>nl</strong>y remained for me to give during our night lessons an<br />
explanation and clarification on this book.<br />
Be aware: while reading <strong>the</strong> text without having heard <strong>the</strong> audio recording, <strong>the</strong> reader can<br />
get <strong>the</strong> impression that not everything goes smoothly. The linguistic usage is often not<br />
correct and between times <strong>the</strong>re are interruptions for additional explanations. While<br />
listening <strong>the</strong> lesson, one will notice that this is <strong>the</strong> o<strong>nl</strong>y way to keep <strong>the</strong> power in <strong>the</strong> book.<br />
To get <strong>the</strong> utmost of <strong>the</strong> lessons; don’t hurry and don’t try to o<strong>nl</strong>y understand it with your<br />
head, but let <strong>the</strong> text sink in.<br />
Because this book gives <strong>the</strong> basis for <strong>the</strong> individual spiritual work, one is advised to work it<br />
out thoroughly. It is even necessary in order to experience <strong>the</strong> spiritual worlds.<br />
This e-‐book is o<strong>nl</strong>y an illustration to give a person an impression of this study package of our<br />
Institute of Lurian <strong>Kabbalah</strong>.<br />
4
Prayer before <strong>the</strong> learning of <strong>Kabbalah</strong><br />
(of Arizal)<br />
5
[Riebón ha-‐olamiem wa-‐adonéj ha-‐adoniem, aw harachamán we-‐ha-‐sliechót. Modiem<br />
anáchnoe l’fanécha ADONÁJ ELOHÉJNOE we-‐ELOHÉJ awotéjnoe, b’kieda oe-‐w-‐<br />
hiesjtachawája, sje-‐kerawtánoe l’toratécha we-‐la-‐awodatécha, awodát kódesj. We-‐natáta<br />
lánoe chélek b’sodót toratécha ha-‐k’doesjá. Ma ánoe oe-‐me chajéjnoe asjér asieta iemánoe<br />
chésed gadól ka-‐zé. Al ken anáchnoe mapieliem tachanoenéjnoe l’fanécha, sje-‐tiemchól we-‐<br />
tieslách l’chol chatotéjnoe wa-‐awonotéjnoe, we-‐ál jieh’joe awonotéjnoe mawdieliem<br />
bejnéjnoe l’wejnécha. Oe-‐w’chén j’hie ratsón mielfanécha ADONÁJ ELOHÉJNOE we-‐ELOHÉJ<br />
awotéjnoe, sje-‐t’chonén et l’wawéjnoe l’ier’atécha eo-‐l’ahawatécha, we-‐taksjiew oznécha<br />
l’dwaréjnoe éle, we-‐tieftách l’wawéjnoe hearél be-‐sodót toratécha, we-‐ieh’jé liemoedéjnoe<br />
ze náchat roeach liefnéj chiesé chwodécha k’réach niechóach, we-‐taatsiel aléjnoe or m’kór<br />
niesjmatéjnoe b’chol b’chienatéjnoe. We-‐sje-‐iet’notsetsoe nietsoetsót awadécha ha-‐<br />
kedosjiem asjér al jadám gielieta d’warécha éle ba-‐olám, oe-‐z’choetám oe-‐z’choet awotám<br />
oe-‐z’choet toratám oe-‐t’miemoetám oe-‐k’doesjatám jaamód lánoe l’wal niekasjél bie-‐<br />
d’wariem éle. Oe-‐wiez’choetám taier ejnéjnoe we-‐má sje-‐ánoe lomdiem k’maamár n’iem<br />
z’mierót jiesraél gal ejnáj we-‐abietá niefla’ót mie-‐toratécha. Jieh’joe l’ratsón iemréj fie we-‐<br />
hegjón liebie l’fanécha ADONÁJ tsoerie we-‐goalie. Kie ADONÁJ ietén chochmá mie-‐piew dáat<br />
oe-‐t’woená].<br />
Master of <strong>the</strong> worlds and Lord of <strong>the</strong> lords, Fa<strong>the</strong>r of mercy and forgiveness. We thank you,<br />
HaWaJa”H, our Elokim and Elokim of our ancestors, by bowing and kneeling, that You have<br />
brought us closer to Your Torah and Your holy service. You have initiated us into <strong>the</strong><br />
mysteries of Your holy Torah. What are we? What is our life that You have given us so much<br />
mercy. For this reason we give our prayer and kneel before You, because You give mercy and<br />
You forgive all our transgressions and sins. May our sins not bring separation between us<br />
and You.<br />
For this reason, may it be Your will, HaWaJa”H, our Elokim and Elokim of our ancestors, to<br />
attune our hearts in such a way that we will fear and love You. Listen to our words and open<br />
our uncircumcised hearts to <strong>the</strong> mysteries of Your Torah. May our study, which we are about<br />
to do before <strong>the</strong> throne of Your glory, be pleasant as a pleasant fragrance. Shine upon us <strong>the</strong><br />
light of <strong>the</strong> source of our souls in all our conditions.<br />
May <strong>the</strong> sparkles of Your holy servants glow, through whom you’ve revealed <strong>the</strong>se words to<br />
<strong>the</strong> world. May <strong>the</strong>ir merits and those of <strong>the</strong>ir ancestors and <strong>the</strong> merits of <strong>the</strong>ir study and<br />
purity assist us, so that we do not stumble on <strong>the</strong> subject of <strong>the</strong> words which we are about<br />
to learn. May You shine upon us due to <strong>the</strong>ir merits by what we learn, as a pleasant<br />
expression of praise of Israel: “Open my eyes so that I will see <strong>the</strong> wonders in Your Torah”.<br />
May <strong>the</strong> words of my mouth and <strong>the</strong> contemplation of my heart be pleasant to You,<br />
HaWaJa”H, my rock and my redeemer; because HaWaJa”H will grant from His mouth<br />
wisdom, knowledge and understanding.<br />
6
מידת<br />
(asjréj iesj mefachéd tamied)<br />
פחדמ<br />
ישא<br />
אשרי<br />
Praised be a man who always fears<br />
7
Lesson 1<br />
We start with <strong>the</strong> lesson, <strong>the</strong> first night lesson in Amsterdam, it is 10 November 2005. We’re<br />
sitting in an attic room and across me are five course members, so I have someone to talk to.<br />
Why is it also necessary to learn at night? The Zohar learns us from <strong>the</strong> creative powers how<br />
everything works and tells us that at this moment all <strong>the</strong> high powers are as it were<br />
stimulated and are waiting for a stimulus, an appeal from below, from <strong>the</strong> human being. We<br />
know that nothing comes from above if it’s not stimulated from below. We know that at<br />
night nukvah, <strong>the</strong> malchut, or Din, strictness rules. And in <strong>the</strong> morning and <strong>the</strong> rest of <strong>the</strong><br />
day chessed, mercy, love rules. This is <strong>the</strong> way it’s made, forever: in <strong>the</strong> first part of <strong>the</strong> night<br />
Din, strictness rules.<br />
At night we also see that which looks bad and imperfect in our eyes, bad powers come<br />
outside, everything reveals itself, everything wants to live. And this all lasts till 2 or 3 o’clock<br />
in <strong>the</strong> night, dependant of <strong>the</strong> season of <strong>the</strong> year. Dependant of <strong>the</strong> eternal calendar. And at<br />
that moment, just like now (around 3 o’clock), when a man wakes up and overcomes his<br />
body and engages himself into Torah… Torah is <strong>the</strong> middle line. Everything that we learn<br />
from <strong>the</strong> Torah is <strong>the</strong> middle line and <strong>the</strong> middle line is as it were <strong>the</strong> true reality. And when<br />
we learn Torah, our wavelengths go as it were up and give <strong>the</strong> high powers a sort of<br />
encouragement.<br />
It’s not simple what I’m trying say, but I mean… we’re not yet able to experience it. Later I<br />
will explain it in o<strong>the</strong>r terms, so we can understand it. By which we as it were will cause<br />
above <strong>the</strong> middle line and <strong>the</strong>n light chochmah will come from above to us, <strong>the</strong> power of<br />
wisdom mixed with mercy. We can deserve that. There exists no o<strong>the</strong>r way to pull chochmah<br />
down, o<strong>the</strong>rwise it will be just like <strong>the</strong> sin of Adam.<br />
But if it’s mixed with love, mercy, in <strong>the</strong> way that we call it up from below to above, <strong>the</strong>n it<br />
will come from above to us and to <strong>the</strong> whole world. This was a short introduction, I don’t<br />
want to run ahead of things, but still I want to give a bit more information so that it will<br />
move us.<br />
A man exists out of three parts, we know that everything exists out of five: keter, chochmah,<br />
binah, z”a and malchut. Five powers, five phases. Then why do we say that a man has three<br />
compartments? The man, <strong>the</strong> soul of a man exists of course also out of five compartments.<br />
But we can o<strong>nl</strong>y experience <strong>the</strong> lower three, we can’t receive light from <strong>the</strong> higher two. And<br />
that for <strong>the</strong> sake of corrections. When all corrections will be completed, <strong>the</strong>n we’ll also be<br />
able to receive light in our two higher compartments. Then we’ll have power to receive light<br />
in all our compartments. Till <strong>the</strong> coming of <strong>the</strong> Mashiach we can’t receive in our two highest<br />
compartments.<br />
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But we experience <strong>the</strong> light that has to come in <strong>the</strong> two highest compartments as<br />
surrounding light, it comes towards us, but it can’t enter <strong>the</strong> kelim, it o<strong>nl</strong>y shines to us as or<br />
makif, light that as it were shines from outside. It helps us to continually correct our kelim.<br />
So we o<strong>nl</strong>y have three kelim. Every man has three kelim. From <strong>the</strong> beginning till <strong>the</strong> end of<br />
<strong>the</strong> creation. And we call those three kelim after lights: kli Nefesj, kli Ruach, kli Nesjama. The<br />
kli nefesj is <strong>the</strong> kli in which <strong>the</strong> light nefesj can reside or be experienced, <strong>the</strong> lowest light. The<br />
2 nd compartment in <strong>the</strong> soul of <strong>the</strong> man is a compartment where <strong>the</strong> higher light Ruach can<br />
enter. Ruach means spirit. The third is Nesjama, and that is <strong>the</strong> real soul. The highest what a<br />
man can experience within himself. All <strong>the</strong>se three form <strong>the</strong> soul of <strong>the</strong> man.<br />
The higher, <strong>the</strong> finer, and <strong>the</strong> stronger <strong>the</strong> light that can be received. Light nefesj and light<br />
Ruach are lights of chassadim, lights of mercy. But we have already said, a lower, so malchut<br />
de atsilut, can’t exist without a bit of chochmah; we are also a product of it, so we also need<br />
to have a bit of chochmah.<br />
Just look how it all fits toge<strong>the</strong>r, <strong>the</strong>re are three compartments in <strong>the</strong> man. The first two in<br />
which light nefesj and ruach reside, <strong>the</strong>y are lights of chassadim. That is good, it gives as it<br />
were life, an existence. It gives light which is strictly necessary, which means strictly<br />
necessary for <strong>the</strong> human being. But <strong>the</strong>n we also need a bit of chochmah and that comes<br />
from Binah, from <strong>the</strong> light nesjama of <strong>the</strong> soul. And above those three still remain two of our<br />
compartments that we still don’t experience and where light chaja enters, that is light of<br />
Atzilut. Chaja is light of life, light which is more stronger, light of Atzilut.<br />
And <strong>the</strong> last one is light Jechidah. Jechidah means unity, when all <strong>the</strong> five compartments,<br />
five lights can be received. So <strong>the</strong> highest two compartments as it were shine on us from a<br />
distance, because we don’t have <strong>the</strong> place yet to receive <strong>the</strong>m.<br />
Let’s say like this: nefesj is <strong>the</strong> lowest, is <strong>the</strong> power that is coupled, linked to <strong>the</strong> body. Nefesj<br />
is <strong>the</strong> lowest part of our soul; <strong>the</strong> lowest light which is <strong>the</strong> lowest part of <strong>the</strong> soul of <strong>the</strong> man.<br />
Nefesj is coupled to <strong>the</strong> lowest part of <strong>the</strong> body. We have already said that we in <strong>the</strong><br />
<strong>Kabbalah</strong> don’t have anything to do with <strong>the</strong> body.<br />
If we say body <strong>the</strong>n we of course mean <strong>the</strong> wish to receive. Know that we never have<br />
anything to do with <strong>the</strong> body. Of course, <strong>the</strong> body is a part of us, our covering and it is<br />
necessary to reside our wishes in it. So <strong>the</strong> body is <strong>the</strong> wish to receive. That is what exists.<br />
The physical covering is just needed to reside <strong>the</strong> higher in it, because <strong>the</strong> higher can never<br />
come without covering.<br />
Nefesj is <strong>the</strong> lowest that exists. Nefesj is <strong>the</strong> 1 st compartment, <strong>the</strong> 1 st department of <strong>the</strong> soul<br />
9
of <strong>the</strong> man and <strong>the</strong> most lower and <strong>the</strong> most stubborn. Why <strong>the</strong> most stubborn? We have<br />
said: to drive a car, you need <strong>the</strong> most power to start <strong>the</strong> engine. You need <strong>the</strong> highest<br />
power to start <strong>the</strong> engine. When <strong>the</strong> car has started, <strong>the</strong>n you need less power to let it<br />
move. But to start it… <strong>the</strong>re lies <strong>the</strong> problem.<br />
It is exactly <strong>the</strong> same with Nefesj. Nefesj is connected with <strong>the</strong> body, with <strong>the</strong> most crude<br />
part of <strong>the</strong> man. And when we learn <strong>the</strong> spiritual, for example Zohar or o<strong>the</strong>r sources, <strong>the</strong>n<br />
we of course come to <strong>the</strong> Nefesj, but besides Nefesj, we <strong>the</strong>n mai<strong>nl</strong>y come to <strong>the</strong> next<br />
compartment, which is Ruach, <strong>the</strong> 2 nd compartment, <strong>the</strong> 2 nd department of <strong>the</strong> soul.<br />
The highest is Nesjama, <strong>the</strong> actual soul, which is <strong>the</strong> third part, <strong>the</strong> 3 rd compartment. Nefesj<br />
corresponds with Malchut, <strong>the</strong> lowest. Ruach corresponds with Z”A and Nesjama<br />
corresponds with Binah. We o<strong>nl</strong>y work with <strong>the</strong>se three. We’ll also see that all <strong>the</strong><br />
corrections we do o<strong>nl</strong>y concern <strong>the</strong>se three parts.<br />
The above compartments are Chochmah and Keter or <strong>the</strong> 4 th or 5 th light. Chochmah<br />
corresponds with Chaja, vitality and Keter corresponds with Jechidah, unity. The absolute<br />
unity is achieved with Jechidah.<br />
<strong>On</strong>e gets from those two above compartments o<strong>nl</strong>y surrounding light. Surrounding means<br />
that it doesn’t enter, but it shins. Those two <strong>the</strong>n enter in Binah. So those two come in <strong>the</strong><br />
kli binah, in <strong>the</strong> department binah. But <strong>the</strong>y are as it were latent. We receive from <strong>the</strong>m<br />
little by little. Of course we receive something from <strong>the</strong>m, a certain effect. When a person<br />
learns <strong>the</strong> spiritual, let’s say Zohar, Torah. Torah is given from above and Torah is <strong>the</strong> middle<br />
line. <strong>On</strong>ly by learning Torah… <strong>the</strong> Creator Himself is concealed in <strong>the</strong> Torah itself.<br />
We can’t say ‘I walk in <strong>the</strong> street and think to encounter G’d’. Of course <strong>the</strong>re is an effect,<br />
but we can’t know who or what <strong>the</strong> Creator is, what <strong>the</strong> powers are, how <strong>the</strong> system works.<br />
And <strong>the</strong> Torah gives it to us. The Torah is for example <strong>the</strong> power of Ruach, or <strong>the</strong> power of<br />
Ruach is <strong>the</strong> Torah. Nesjama can for example also be <strong>the</strong> power of <strong>Kabbalah</strong>, higher, so <strong>the</strong><br />
power of <strong>the</strong> inner, inner powers of <strong>the</strong> universe. So Nesjama gives us <strong>the</strong> <strong>Kabbalah</strong>, <strong>the</strong><br />
inner Torah, <strong>the</strong> higher and Ruach gives us <strong>the</strong> regular Torah.<br />
What we learn ‘you will not do this or do that’, like it is written in <strong>the</strong> Torah, <strong>the</strong>y’re all laws<br />
of <strong>the</strong> universe, o<strong>nl</strong>y in wordings of <strong>the</strong> human being. A man can learn that, and of course<br />
when someone reads for example Torah or <strong>Kabbalah</strong>, <strong>the</strong>n it will influence our Nefesj. But<br />
it’s not enough.<br />
The Nefesj is very stubborn and is bound to <strong>the</strong> gravity of <strong>the</strong> human being. Just like when<br />
starting <strong>the</strong> engine of a car, by which we need an enormous power to start it. It’s exactly <strong>the</strong><br />
same with nefesj.<br />
10
We can learn all kinds of things, we can experience <strong>the</strong> spiritual, start to experience it, but if<br />
our Nefesj is still coupled to our wish to receive… The wish to receive is a very heavy wish,<br />
because a man is nothing else than <strong>the</strong> wish to receive for itself. That is our nature and <strong>the</strong><br />
Torah says a man is o<strong>nl</strong>y <strong>the</strong> wish to receive for itself.<br />
And we have to make sure that we don’t comply to it. But start to convert our wish to<br />
receive into <strong>the</strong> wish to give. Even when we receive, we have to give. Can you imagine what<br />
our task is? Our nature is to receive and we have to work up power to change our wish into<br />
giving. Giving also means receiving. That we start to receive, but for <strong>the</strong> sake of giving. Giving<br />
also means receiving. That we start to receive, but for <strong>the</strong> sake of giving, not receive<br />
egoistically and that is <strong>the</strong> hardest – <strong>the</strong> Nefesj.<br />
How does <strong>the</strong> light Ruach enter in <strong>the</strong> compartment of Nefesj? <strong>On</strong>ly when Nefesj is aroused.<br />
When Nefesj is aroused, <strong>the</strong>n <strong>the</strong> 2 nd light, Ruach, can enter <strong>the</strong> compartment of Nefesj.<br />
When <strong>the</strong> Nefesj – <strong>the</strong> lowest part of our soul – sleeps, is latent, <strong>the</strong>n <strong>the</strong>re is virtually no<br />
place for <strong>the</strong> Ruach to rest on.<br />
Ruach is a sort of Sjechinah, a Divine Representation. Then <strong>the</strong>re is no power, no place to<br />
enter in <strong>the</strong> kli, in <strong>the</strong> department of Nefesj. You need to first always make place within<br />
yourself for <strong>the</strong> light. If you don’t make place, <strong>the</strong>n who will do it for you? Nothing comes<br />
from above if you don’t make place within you so it can enter.<br />
You can o<strong>nl</strong>y eat when you’re hungry. If you don’t have an appetite, <strong>the</strong>n you won’t eat,<br />
even when <strong>the</strong> table is beautifully set. It’s here exactly <strong>the</strong> same, in <strong>the</strong> spiritual. You need to<br />
make place. And <strong>the</strong>n Ruach will as it were float, like it is said: ‘<strong>the</strong> spirit of G’d floated above<br />
<strong>the</strong> waters’. Ruach will <strong>the</strong>n float as it were above <strong>the</strong> Nefesj. And also enter Nefesj,<br />
influence Nefesj.<br />
Question: is Ruach <strong>the</strong> same as Ruach HaKadosj, <strong>the</strong> concept of ‘<strong>the</strong> Holy Spirit’?<br />
Answer: Yes of course. Ruach is <strong>the</strong> Holy Spirit, which is <strong>the</strong> 2 nd compartment. So if we want<br />
<strong>the</strong> Holy Spirit… that is <strong>the</strong> o<strong>nl</strong>y thing that can revive us. Look, when we wake up from our<br />
sleep, <strong>the</strong>n we are a bundle of sleepiness, because what happens is that Nefesj and <strong>the</strong> body<br />
are mixed with each o<strong>the</strong>r. Nefesj is a bit of light, low light, and <strong>the</strong> body is complete<br />
darkness. And Nefesj and <strong>the</strong> body are as it were mixed with each o<strong>the</strong>r, we <strong>the</strong>n don’t see<br />
<strong>the</strong> reality. Why? Because <strong>the</strong>y are mixed with each o<strong>the</strong>r.<br />
And when we get up, <strong>the</strong>n we are just like a piece of meat and we have to make place for<br />
<strong>the</strong> Nefesj, but not in our body. The body is <strong>the</strong> wish to receive, <strong>the</strong>re is nothing, no change.<br />
I mean, <strong>the</strong>re is darkness, o<strong>nl</strong>y <strong>the</strong> wish to receive, that is darkness. We have to arouse<br />
11
ourselves up, arouse our Nefesj, that we make a separation between our body – <strong>the</strong> wish to<br />
receive – and <strong>the</strong> Nefesj.<br />
To make separation, this is how <strong>the</strong> Torah begins: ‘Breishit’ that separation was made. G’d<br />
Himself, what we call G’d, makes all those separations. Separation between waters, He<br />
separated <strong>the</strong> above waters from <strong>the</strong> lower waters and that is what we call body; above<br />
waters is <strong>the</strong>n Nefesj and between <strong>the</strong>m is drawn a separation line.<br />
Do you see it? Every day we have to arouse within ourselves… to make as it were <strong>the</strong><br />
separation, <strong>the</strong> apparent separation between <strong>the</strong> lower and <strong>the</strong> higher. The whole intention<br />
is to first get up, so that we make our lowest compartment Nefesj free. That we first work up<br />
power to separate, divide <strong>the</strong> lowest compartment from <strong>the</strong> body, which is <strong>the</strong> wish to<br />
receive; just receive like every animal does. It gets up every day, has to eat and goes out<br />
hunting.<br />
The nature of <strong>the</strong> human being is to receive. There is nothing wrong with that. It begins with<br />
egoism, that’s just natural. The human being is made like this, according to <strong>the</strong> instruction.<br />
The human being is different than every o<strong>the</strong>r creature. The man has to work up power,<br />
because <strong>the</strong> man has two within him: <strong>the</strong> divine nature and <strong>the</strong> human nature, <strong>the</strong> human<br />
nature is Nefesj. Also animals have Nefesj, but Nefesj of <strong>the</strong> animal nature.<br />
So every morning we have to work on this. Therefore we have to in <strong>the</strong> night separate <strong>the</strong><br />
Nefesj from <strong>the</strong> body. Preferably during <strong>the</strong> true middle of <strong>the</strong> night (<strong>the</strong> right time can be<br />
found through our website). It is from above a favorable time to do it. And if we manage to<br />
separate <strong>the</strong> Nefesj from <strong>the</strong> body, like <strong>the</strong> higher waters and <strong>the</strong> lower waters, <strong>the</strong>n we<br />
make place free.<br />
When <strong>the</strong> lower compartments are free, <strong>the</strong>n in <strong>the</strong>re light Ruach can enter. Light Ruach is<br />
Sjechinah, <strong>the</strong> Divine Representation, G’ds spirit, Ruach Hakadosj, we let <strong>the</strong> holy spirit rest<br />
on it and that gives us life. Nothing else gives us life. Do you understand?<br />
And that breaks through all resistance and <strong>the</strong> man feels unity with <strong>the</strong> Divine powers here<br />
on earth, fortune and fulfillment. In this way we pull in <strong>the</strong> morning step by step pieces of<br />
<strong>the</strong> wish to receive, <strong>the</strong> body – if we talk about <strong>the</strong> body, <strong>the</strong>n we mean <strong>the</strong> wish to receive.<br />
Remember that! We never talk about <strong>the</strong> flesh – and turn what possible into Nefesj.<br />
At first <strong>the</strong> light Ruach comes and floats above <strong>the</strong> Nefesj. Why float? Because we don’t have<br />
<strong>the</strong> power yet to receive it inside, this is called floating, but you also have to feel it. Have<br />
power, feel that it floats above you… if we get up in <strong>the</strong> morning and drink a cup of coffee,<br />
<strong>the</strong>n nothing floats, o<strong>nl</strong>y my body exists, <strong>the</strong>n Ruach comes, <strong>the</strong> spirit of G’d, in Hebrew it is<br />
called Ruach HaKadosj, it begins to float above our Nefesj, <strong>the</strong> lowest part, and gradually by<br />
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learning <strong>Kabbalah</strong> and Torah it enters. That is what we are going to do. Not that I have<br />
chosen for it, but I have to do it: we’re now going to learn <strong>the</strong> Steps of <strong>the</strong> <strong>ladder</strong>.<br />
A step of <strong>the</strong> spiritual <strong>ladder</strong> corresponds to powers with Sjlavej haSulam, The steps of <strong>the</strong><br />
<strong>ladder</strong> that we’re going to learn, <strong>the</strong> point is to arouse <strong>the</strong> Nefesj. The steps of <strong>the</strong> nefesj,<br />
that we’re going to learn, is written by Baruch Ashlag, <strong>the</strong> son of <strong>the</strong> great divine man, and is<br />
of course based on what his fa<strong>the</strong>r has told. His fa<strong>the</strong>r gave comment of <strong>the</strong> Zohar and <strong>the</strong><br />
son wrote it down, of course with his own contribution, his son had a heavy soul. With heavy<br />
I mean that he wasn’t as genius as his fa<strong>the</strong>r, because this way <strong>the</strong> Creator creates <strong>the</strong><br />
human being. The fa<strong>the</strong>r was Nesjama, higher. Therefore when we learn for example Yehuda<br />
Ashlag, <strong>the</strong>n we always work with Nesjama and Ruach.<br />
But <strong>the</strong> son was also sent to this world to help us. In particular with our Nefesj. Baruch has<br />
also written a lot, <strong>the</strong> five books of HaSulam for example that we’re going to learn, <strong>the</strong> steps<br />
of <strong>the</strong> <strong>ladder</strong>. Do you see <strong>the</strong> beauty? You have to climb from <strong>the</strong> bottom to <strong>the</strong> top. It’s<br />
mai<strong>nl</strong>y about <strong>the</strong> spiritual work, because Zohar talks hardly about spiritual work. But this<br />
book does talk about it. What we’re going to learn here – Sjlavej HaSulam – is about <strong>the</strong> five<br />
books of <strong>the</strong> Torah, o<strong>nl</strong>y on a different level, lower. That doesn’t mean spiritually lower, but<br />
a lower level. It arouses our Nefesj, <strong>the</strong> lowest part of our soul.<br />
We’re going to deal with Ruach, <strong>the</strong> second compartment in Zohar itself. Zohar has of course<br />
everything in itself, attracts also Nesjama and Nefesj. But Slavej HaSulam is pre-‐eminently<br />
suited to arouse our Nefesj by learning at midnight, in <strong>the</strong> early morning.<br />
Zohar is <strong>the</strong> connecting piece. And above that we have Ets Chaim – The Tree of Life, that is<br />
<strong>the</strong> third. We place <strong>the</strong> Tree of life of AR”I above <strong>the</strong> Zohar. How is that possible? How can<br />
you say that when everything comes out of Zohar? I will explain it later. But if a student o<strong>nl</strong>y<br />
comes Thursday evening because he doesn’t have time, and doesn’t do <strong>the</strong> night study, <strong>the</strong>n<br />
it’s not necessary. He can o<strong>nl</strong>y come Thursday evening, because Thursday evening we do<br />
Zohar and Zohar is a must!<br />
Zohar is <strong>the</strong> link between Nesjama and Nefesj. Nesjama is very high and gives us light of<br />
chochmah, light of life and <strong>the</strong> o<strong>the</strong>r two; Ruach and Nefesj; nefesj is o<strong>nl</strong>y <strong>the</strong> light<br />
chassadim, light of mercy. That's quite something, but Ruach is a bit higher.<br />
Zohar is <strong>the</strong> link between those two, but of course, Zohar has everything in itself, all <strong>the</strong> tree<br />
parts. For example, Slavej HaSulam, <strong>the</strong> steps of <strong>the</strong> <strong>ladder</strong> has all <strong>the</strong> tree parts in itself. By<br />
learning <strong>the</strong> Steps of <strong>the</strong> Ladder we’ll also receive Nefesj, Ruach and Nesjama, but of <strong>the</strong><br />
level of Nefesj. And if we learn Zohar we’ll also receive again all tree; Nefesj, Ruach and<br />
Nesjama, but of <strong>the</strong> level of Ruach.<br />
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And <strong>the</strong> highest of all is of course <strong>the</strong> Tree of Life, by which we’ll also receive those three;<br />
Nefesj, Ruach and Nesjama, but of <strong>the</strong> level of Nesjama.<br />
How dare I say that <strong>the</strong> Tree of Life of AR”I can give higher light than Zohar? AR”I has also<br />
took from Zohar, because nothing exists higher than Zohar. How can we <strong>the</strong>n say that Ets<br />
Chaim gives higher light than Zohar? The Zohar is given to <strong>the</strong> man as it were as a link<br />
between heaven and earth, as a link, middle line as it were. What has <strong>the</strong> divine AR”I… what<br />
was given to him? To take as it were <strong>the</strong> highest, <strong>the</strong> Nesjama, o<strong>nl</strong>y <strong>the</strong> Nesjama from Zohar<br />
– Zohar has everything in itself – and reproduce it in a wonderful way.<br />
And that is <strong>the</strong>n <strong>the</strong> Tree of Life. We’re going to learn that during <strong>the</strong> second part of <strong>the</strong><br />
lesson, by which we’ll attract Nesjama. But we begin <strong>the</strong> lesson with Nefesj. We begin with<br />
Slavej HaSulam, <strong>the</strong> steps of <strong>the</strong> <strong>ladder</strong>, because that is <strong>the</strong> hardest that <strong>the</strong>re is.<br />
We always think that we should start with <strong>the</strong> most highest, but you first need to start <strong>the</strong><br />
engine of <strong>the</strong> car, you first need to do work from below. You have to work up an enormous<br />
power, to divide <strong>the</strong> Nefesj, you have to do it every morning, <strong>the</strong> true beginning of <strong>the</strong><br />
morning (you can find <strong>the</strong> exact times on our homepage).<br />
Then you have to make a separation between Nefesj and <strong>the</strong> body. That is an inner<br />
movement by which <strong>the</strong> wish to receive as it were stays below. You let it lie <strong>the</strong>re. You don’t<br />
focus on <strong>the</strong> lower and you pull all sparks of light up and you make a separation. Through it<br />
<strong>the</strong> light can enter and live, instead of receiving it in yourself, in your wish to receive,<br />
because when you receive in yourself, <strong>the</strong>n you receive death, spiritual death.<br />
When you do something for yourself, what happens afterwards? You lie on your bed, sit in a<br />
chair and feel that <strong>the</strong>re is no movement in yourself. You don’t feel a connection, you’re not<br />
whole. You o<strong>nl</strong>y feel a fragment, a piece. You don’t feel whole in your powers.<br />
So we need all those three aspects. In every lesson those three aspects are also interwoven<br />
with <strong>the</strong> level of <strong>the</strong> lesson. A man can decide for himself if he wants to o<strong>nl</strong>y follow <strong>the</strong><br />
Zohar classes, <strong>the</strong> evening classes, or also <strong>the</strong> night classes. Anyway, it’s for every one of us<br />
important to get up at night to arouse our Nefesj.<br />
I advise everybody, also those who don’t follow our night classes, to get up at night. That’s<br />
very intensive, but you have to do it at night, even when you do it 1 x a week. If you start<br />
doing it occasionally, <strong>the</strong>n you’ll notice that it becomes very easy to get up at night. Of<br />
course you need to every time take trouble to get up, just like you need to every time start<br />
<strong>the</strong> engine of a car, but after that you’re awake and you’ll receive <strong>the</strong> whole day light<br />
because you took trouble to wake up.<br />
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We have said: nothing comes from above if it’s not aroused from beneath. You can sleep,<br />
but <strong>the</strong>n you sleep through <strong>the</strong> most favourable moment of <strong>the</strong> day and <strong>the</strong>n you say: why is<br />
it this way and not that way… Because you slept!!! While all <strong>the</strong> powers were ready to help<br />
you and you slept through all night. Do you understand? It’s all up to us.<br />
The night class is meant to arouse our Nefesj, which is <strong>the</strong> most difficult to do. Also king<br />
David got up at night and wrote all <strong>the</strong> psalms. He was awake at daybreak and that is <strong>the</strong><br />
absolute condition to progress faster. It’s actually ingrained in <strong>the</strong> creative plan that a man<br />
gets up at night.<br />
Why? The human being loves <strong>the</strong> evening, of course. He works <strong>the</strong> whole day and in <strong>the</strong><br />
evening he can relax a bit. But it’s not like this in <strong>the</strong> creation. Because when it’s dark, <strong>the</strong>n<br />
all <strong>the</strong> heavy powers take place and pull at us.<br />
All <strong>the</strong> powers are of course holy, but <strong>the</strong>y try to… because we have said that when it’s dark,<br />
when <strong>the</strong> night rules, <strong>the</strong>n that is Malchut. And <strong>the</strong> Z”A is masculine, <strong>the</strong>re comes o<strong>nl</strong>y<br />
chessed, love. But we slip up on <strong>the</strong> feminine element, <strong>the</strong> night – Din – strictness.<br />
Therefore it’s important to go early to bed. You can’t expect anything good in <strong>the</strong> evening by<br />
doing all kinds of things. Don’t try to persist at night. Look at <strong>the</strong> people here in <strong>the</strong><br />
entertainment district, not o<strong>nl</strong>y here, but everywhere. They try to persist with drink and<br />
o<strong>the</strong>r kinds of things, because in <strong>the</strong> evening <strong>the</strong> Gvurah, <strong>the</strong> strictness rules.<br />
When <strong>the</strong> din rules, it gives as it were a feeling of fullness. In <strong>the</strong> morning we o<strong>nl</strong>y feel<br />
mercy, a bit of emanation of Nefesj, Ruach, but not <strong>the</strong> heavy powers and <strong>the</strong>refore we feel<br />
ourselves in <strong>the</strong> evening become full, but without light. Therefore you have to try to go early<br />
to bed and as it were be ahead of <strong>the</strong> day.<br />
Zohar itself will learn us how it works in <strong>the</strong> matter of spiritual powers. The whole<br />
mechanism, how it works in <strong>the</strong> universe, in <strong>the</strong> operational system that I’m trying to tell<br />
you in simple words. Three components of our soul, but Nefesj is <strong>the</strong> most stubborn and<br />
<strong>the</strong>re is no o<strong>the</strong>r way to arouse it… look, <strong>the</strong> whole point of our work, like it is set up from<br />
above, is to overcome our body. Because our body makes <strong>the</strong> darkness, we feel ourselves in<br />
darkness.<br />
The body, of course also our body, our flesh, but in <strong>the</strong> <strong>Kabbalah</strong> we mai<strong>nl</strong>y speak of <strong>the</strong><br />
wish to receive. We o<strong>nl</strong>y want to receive, just like a child, but <strong>the</strong> whole point is to overcome<br />
it. Of course we have to receive, but overcome it, because that gives us liberation. Because if<br />
we…<br />
Look, life is short. You’re young and you think you can do everything. It’s just an<br />
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appearance… you will… what can I say… When <strong>the</strong> soul leaves <strong>the</strong> body, when a man dies<br />
here on earth, that means that <strong>the</strong> body dies, and <strong>the</strong>n a man is shown everything.<br />
Everything!!<br />
The soul sees clearly, it doesn’t matter of who, even of a villain. But if he repents in time,<br />
before his death… You can often see it in a man, some people have experienced it when one<br />
of <strong>the</strong>ir relatives died. Before a man dies, he feels great, liberated; ‘now I can finally take a<br />
trip to Greece’ or ‘I’m going to do this, I’m going to do that’.<br />
You know, <strong>the</strong>y feel like.. because <strong>the</strong> soul as it were becomes free, by all kinds of spastic<br />
movements, all kinds of… <strong>the</strong> body is already dying, <strong>the</strong> soul is released and <strong>the</strong> man says<br />
‘I’m going on a trip, I’m going to do that’ and sudde<strong>nl</strong>y he dies.<br />
We’ll learn it in Zohar, that a soul is shown what he didn’t do, and what he did do and his<br />
crimes etc. Life is short and if we don’t prepare ourselves now, <strong>the</strong>n how will it be when our<br />
soul leaves <strong>the</strong> body? Because we think that everything is here.<br />
Why? Our body, <strong>the</strong> darkness is in us, <strong>the</strong> wish to receive darkens everything in us and we<br />
think ‘now, that is everything’. If we arouse ourselves, <strong>the</strong> Nefesj to begin with, <strong>the</strong>n we<br />
won’t fall for <strong>the</strong> bad principle. The bad principle is what pulls us to satisfy our self-‐interest.<br />
It’s <strong>the</strong> nature, <strong>the</strong> most powerful thing what <strong>the</strong>re is in <strong>the</strong> man and <strong>the</strong>refore it sometimes<br />
seems ridiculous, or for a man who begins to learn <strong>the</strong> spiritual and <strong>the</strong>n stops. We call it <strong>the</strong><br />
spiritual, it’s just a word. Actually it doesn’t exist, spiritual or not spiritual… Do you<br />
understand?<br />
If you arouse yourself from your body, <strong>the</strong>n you’re in <strong>the</strong> spiritual. <strong>Spiritual</strong> means <strong>the</strong> true<br />
reality. If you don’t arouse yourself, <strong>the</strong>n you’re in <strong>the</strong> lower powers, primitive powers,<br />
matter. It’s not darkened, but <strong>the</strong> world is created in this way. We’ll step by step experience<br />
it and understand what it all means.<br />
And now I’m going to end this plea for <strong>the</strong> night study. Slavej HaSulam is for us <strong>the</strong> basis for<br />
our study. Zohar is <strong>the</strong> connecting link, of course everything revolves around Zohar, because<br />
it connects <strong>the</strong> higher with <strong>the</strong> lower. How it connects… We speak for example of Avraham<br />
and of o<strong>the</strong>r kinds of characters. I’ve always said that in <strong>the</strong> <strong>Kabbalah</strong> no word is said about<br />
our world.<br />
I mean not <strong>the</strong> flesh, but of course <strong>the</strong>re was a man Avraham of flesh and blood, but we<br />
don’t talk about that. We speak of <strong>the</strong> power of Avraham, about a certain Nesjama, <strong>the</strong> soul,<br />
power in <strong>the</strong> higher and we connect that with <strong>the</strong> power of <strong>the</strong> lower, Nefesj, what we call<br />
Nefesj.<br />
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The steps of <strong>the</strong> <strong>ladder</strong><br />
The o<strong>nl</strong>y source of <strong>the</strong> spiritual, of <strong>the</strong> laws of <strong>the</strong> universe is of course <strong>the</strong> Torah itself. What<br />
Mosje received, that is <strong>the</strong> source. But on that source a comment was written. That means,<br />
no comment, but an explanation of <strong>the</strong> Divine powers itself. Not as a story what we read,<br />
but qua powers and that is Zohar of course.<br />
The o<strong>nl</strong>y Zohar is <strong>the</strong> book of Zohar, <strong>the</strong> spiritual inner reproduction of <strong>the</strong> laws of <strong>the</strong><br />
universe, <strong>the</strong> inner reproduction that we call comment, but it means clarification, spiritual<br />
clarification of <strong>the</strong> Torah. The Torah is <strong>the</strong> o<strong>nl</strong>y source of <strong>the</strong> spiritual. But <strong>the</strong>n we still have<br />
two sources. We have Slavej HaSulam that arouses our Nefesj. That is written in a lower,<br />
earthlier (linguistic) usage.<br />
What we’re going to read starts with Breishit, in <strong>the</strong> beginning. In Slavej HaSulam we’re also<br />
going to learn <strong>the</strong> five books, <strong>the</strong> whole Torah. In a different way than <strong>the</strong> Zohar. Zohar is<br />
high and it’s <strong>the</strong> same here. What we’re going to learn is built up of Zohar. We’ll also see in<br />
Slavej HaSulam a piece of Zohar and <strong>the</strong> comment of Yehuda Ashlag, very special, from <strong>the</strong><br />
point of view of <strong>the</strong> spiritual work.<br />
All those powers that we speak of in <strong>the</strong> Zohar, of <strong>the</strong> operational system, we’ll study all<br />
those powers, but from <strong>the</strong> point of view of <strong>the</strong> spiritual work. How must we work with <strong>the</strong><br />
Torah and <strong>the</strong> Zohar, with an eye to <strong>the</strong> spiritual work? Arouse from below to above, while<br />
Ets Chaim, The Tree of Life arouses us from above to below. Also Zohar does that. Zohar is<br />
<strong>the</strong> connecting link.<br />
In <strong>the</strong> Tree of Life is an enormous light that makes from above our kelim, makes engravings.<br />
And because it’s an enormous light from below, from Slavej HaSulam we pull… Slavej<br />
HaSulam is <strong>the</strong> pulling power by which we have to make a great effort to make a separation<br />
between <strong>the</strong> lower part of our soul, Nefesj, and <strong>the</strong> heavy wish to receive. This way we can<br />
see <strong>the</strong> three sources.<br />
All <strong>the</strong> three sources revolve around Zohar, all <strong>the</strong> three are from Zohar. Ets Chaim, The Tree<br />
of Life is o<strong>nl</strong>y one book. <strong>On</strong>e book. No o<strong>the</strong>r man has received it, no o<strong>the</strong>r man. Not that one<br />
rabbi says this and ano<strong>the</strong>r rabbi says something else. But to one Divine man. So from Ets<br />
Chaim, <strong>the</strong> Three of Life we pull <strong>the</strong> light as it were from above. Ets Chaim is of course also<br />
built up from Zohar. The source of Ets Chaim is Zohar. We’ll continually encounter Zohar.<br />
Also AR”I speaks of Zohar, but he took <strong>the</strong> highest out of Zohar and built around it Ets<br />
Chaim. While Zohar tells us in a more fabulous language, lily and so. The Tree of Life doesn’t<br />
speak of those things, it o<strong>nl</strong>y gives us powers, <strong>the</strong> whole <strong>ladder</strong> of powers. He gives us <strong>the</strong><br />
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tree without all those metaphors, seeming metaphors.<br />
So all <strong>the</strong> three sources are from Zohar. And all three clarify <strong>the</strong> Torah and nothing else.<br />
There exists o<strong>nl</strong>y one Torah and one Zohar. Therefore, all three help us to understand <strong>the</strong><br />
spiritual and ourselves. Does everyone see it? All three are one. <strong>On</strong>ly different, but not more<br />
than <strong>the</strong>se three.<br />
And this work – <strong>the</strong> steps of <strong>the</strong> <strong>ladder</strong> – is o<strong>nl</strong>y just given to <strong>the</strong> last generation, to us. It’s<br />
o<strong>nl</strong>y 15, 20 years given to humanity, because we are ready to do this enormous work on<br />
ourselves.<br />
All <strong>the</strong> previous generations could barely work on <strong>the</strong>ir Nefesj. They didn’t know, it was for<br />
<strong>the</strong>m… but it’s for us a life-‐saving appliance. There has never been such a generation like<br />
ours that has developed such a self-‐love. <strong>On</strong> one hand it seems a handicap, because we are<br />
far off from <strong>the</strong> Divine and on <strong>the</strong> o<strong>the</strong>r hand it’s a blessing.<br />
Do you see it? Two things can fill <strong>the</strong> same part. Because we are so low, lower than any<br />
generation before us. <strong>On</strong> one hand we’re in darkness because we have fallen so low and on<br />
<strong>the</strong> o<strong>the</strong>r hand <strong>the</strong> lower you fall, and if you correct it, <strong>the</strong> higher light you can receive.<br />
The generation of <strong>the</strong> auteur of Zohar was <strong>the</strong> o<strong>nl</strong>y generation that was so high, but it was<br />
o<strong>nl</strong>y given to individuals, but we… every person of our generation can already work on<br />
himself, while <strong>the</strong>n it were o<strong>nl</strong>y a phew.<br />
It’s in our generation possible because we are so low to <strong>the</strong> ground, low in our self-‐love –<br />
this is all during <strong>the</strong> time, <strong>the</strong> power of <strong>the</strong> Mashiach, of <strong>the</strong> liberation power – <strong>the</strong>refore a<br />
stronger medicine is needed. The worse <strong>the</strong> illness, <strong>the</strong> more powerful <strong>the</strong> medicine needs<br />
to be.<br />
Which medicine do we need? Of course Zohar and o<strong>the</strong>r higher things to arouse our spirit.<br />
That’s of course great, but how can you arouse in yourself <strong>the</strong> separation between Nefesj<br />
and body? Look to all <strong>the</strong> philosophers. Great philosophers. Aristotle, Socrates, all great, but<br />
<strong>the</strong>y could o<strong>nl</strong>y arouse <strong>the</strong>mselves for ideas.<br />
They were great in <strong>the</strong>ir head, but <strong>the</strong> lower Nefesj was not corrected. And <strong>the</strong>refore we<br />
need a very powerful medicine against our ego in our time, our very advanced self-‐love, by<br />
doing this study at night. Instead of sleeping, we get up.<br />
<strong>On</strong>ly by getting up gives already an enormous correction, because you overcome your body,<br />
your nature. ‘Which moron gets up at night, don't make a fool of yourself!’. Our body, our<br />
self-‐love tell us: ‘don't make a fool of yourself, why do you have to get up, o<strong>the</strong>rs sleep and<br />
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you get up, act normal!’.<br />
You conquer, because <strong>the</strong>re is no o<strong>the</strong>r way to make a separation between <strong>the</strong> Nefesj and<br />
<strong>the</strong> body. No o<strong>the</strong>r way. And <strong>the</strong>refore o<strong>the</strong>r people chose for o<strong>the</strong>r kinds of classes. They<br />
go to a class, learn <strong>the</strong> spiritual, but don’t get up at night. ‘Leave me alone, I want to sleep.<br />
I’m going to do o<strong>the</strong>r kinds of things’. There are no o<strong>the</strong>r kinds of things in our time to<br />
arouse yourself quickly and efficient and receive light. <strong>On</strong>ly by <strong>the</strong> night study!<br />
I’m telling you this straightforward. I don’t want to give false hope, do you understand. <strong>On</strong>ly<br />
by getting up… you arouse yourself and <strong>the</strong> reward is great. Not <strong>the</strong> humane, but in<br />
everything. You overcome death, we overcome death instead of sleeping.<br />
We progress very fast, can you imagine when you do it every night. Can you imagine what it<br />
will be in three months. It will be like a resurrection of <strong>the</strong> death.<br />
We get up at night instead of sleeping and if you don’t get up you miss a chance, <strong>the</strong><br />
favorable moment, and by morning around 4, 5, 6 o’clock, all <strong>the</strong> misery comes in us, all<br />
kinds of sinful thoughts etc. because your chance has already passed. We didn’t take it and<br />
all <strong>the</strong> misery comes afterwards to us.<br />
Those sinful thoughts never occur in <strong>the</strong> beginning of <strong>the</strong> night, of course <strong>the</strong>re are sinful<br />
thought, but <strong>the</strong>y’re not effective yet because <strong>the</strong> soul is in <strong>the</strong> beginning of <strong>the</strong> night still<br />
awake. But after 3, 4, 5 o’clock, <strong>the</strong> body relaxes, comes to its senses, and demands this and<br />
that and all <strong>the</strong> misery comes afterwards.<br />
Therefore when we wake up in <strong>the</strong> morning, we’re like a lump of meat and need coffee. We<br />
missed <strong>the</strong> chance and that’s a pity.<br />
Everything is in <strong>the</strong> light of <strong>the</strong> spiritual work. HaSulam deals with <strong>the</strong> Torah texts and a part<br />
out of Zohar; afterwards he will explain us from <strong>the</strong> perspective of <strong>the</strong> spiritual work.<br />
And now we’re going to start with <strong>the</strong> text.<br />
19
Sjlavej HaSulam<br />
The Steps of <strong>the</strong> Ladder<br />
It’s important that I first read out loud, this way I can pull it down and <strong>the</strong>n I’ll translate<br />
every paragraph and give a bit of comment.<br />
תישארב – Breishit<br />
This is <strong>the</strong> first chapter of Genesis which means: in <strong>the</strong> beginning. Also we’re going to start<br />
with <strong>the</strong> first chapter of <strong>the</strong> Torah. Our knowledge of <strong>the</strong> Torah will greatly increase,<br />
because we’ll run through <strong>the</strong> whole Torah, <strong>the</strong> whole Talmud, and also <strong>the</strong> laws, o<strong>nl</strong>y by<br />
learning this book. We won’t get lost by all those different books, because we’re o<strong>nl</strong>y going<br />
to do <strong>the</strong> core.<br />
רקוב יהיו ברע יהיו<br />
ה"משת ,ה"נ רמאמ<br />
And <strong>the</strong>re was evening and <strong>the</strong>re was morning<br />
So everything in this article is about this subject, about this verse somewhere in <strong>the</strong><br />
beginning of Breishit.<br />
,ברע יהיו" ,ונושל הזו (א"נק תוא םלוסהבו<br />
ו"צ ףד ,'ג תישארב) ק"הזה רמוא ,"רקוב יהיו ברע יהיו" ,קוספ לע<br />
םוי ,םהב בותכ ןכ לע .א"ז אוהש ,רואה דצמ ךשמנ ,רקוב יהיו .תוכלמה ונייהד ,ךשוחה דצמ ךשמנ ,בותכה רמואש<br />
ברע יהיו"ש ןויכ ,לאוש .ט"מ ,רמא הדוהי 'ר .םויה תא םישוע םהינשו ,דחא ףוגכ םה רקובו ברעהש תורוהל ,דחא<br />
לכבש םעטה והמ ,'א םויב הז עידוה בותכהש רחא ןכ לא .םויה רוא אצוי םהינשמש ,ן"וז דוחי לע הרוי "רקוב יהיו<br />
הז דרפתהל אובי אלו ,םוי ילב הליל ןיאו ,הליל ילב םוי ןיאש תעדל ,בישמו ."רקוב יהיו ברע יהיו" בותכ םויו םוי<br />
ילב םויה רוא היהיש ,םעפ עראיש רשפא יאש תורוהל ידכ ,םויו םוי לכב הז ונעידוהל בותכה רזוח ןכ לע .הזמ<br />
ןאכ דע ,"םלועל הזמ הז ודרפתי אל יכ ,םויה רוא וירחא איבי אלש ,הלילה ךשוח עראי אל ןכו .הלילה ךשוח םדקה<br />
.ונושל<br />
Page 1, line 6 – (we mostly don’t read what is written in <strong>the</strong> brackets, that is a quotation of<br />
one's sources) about <strong>the</strong> verse; ‘and <strong>the</strong>re was evening and <strong>the</strong>re was morning’, says <strong>the</strong><br />
Holy Zohar, and that are his words (literally translated: that is his tongue or language, but I<br />
translate it as words), quotation out of <strong>the</strong> Torah and a bit of comment of Zohar; that <strong>the</strong><br />
verse says that it’s extended from <strong>the</strong> side of <strong>the</strong> darkness, which means, <strong>the</strong> Malchut. (And<br />
in <strong>the</strong> Torah, Genesis is written) and <strong>the</strong>re was morning, (<strong>the</strong>n <strong>the</strong> Zohar says) that is<br />
extended from <strong>the</strong> side of <strong>the</strong> light that is Z”A (first we’re going to translate it word by word<br />
20
and <strong>the</strong>n we’re going look into it and give some clarification).<br />
Therefore it is written one day, to learn that <strong>the</strong> evening and <strong>the</strong> morning are as one body<br />
and both make one day. Rabbi Yehuda said: what is <strong>the</strong> reason of that?<br />
He asks, since, quotation (he also explains, he says) ‘since, and <strong>the</strong>re was evening and <strong>the</strong>re<br />
was morning (is written in <strong>the</strong> Torah), that learns us about <strong>the</strong> unity of Zo”N (Zo”N is Z”A and<br />
Nukvah), that from both comes out <strong>the</strong> light of <strong>the</strong> day. Therefore <strong>the</strong> verse says, what is<br />
<strong>the</strong>n <strong>the</strong> reason that in every day of <strong>the</strong> creation is written, quotation: and <strong>the</strong>re was<br />
evening and <strong>the</strong>re was morning.<br />
And he answers: to let us know that <strong>the</strong>re is no day without night, and <strong>the</strong>re is no night<br />
without day and <strong>the</strong>y are not separated from each o<strong>the</strong>r. Therefore <strong>the</strong> verse repeats (so<br />
Torah) to let us know that it’s impossible that <strong>the</strong>re ever will be light of <strong>the</strong> day without <strong>the</strong><br />
preceding of <strong>the</strong> darkness of <strong>the</strong> night.<br />
And <strong>the</strong>refore no darkness of <strong>the</strong> night will occur without <strong>the</strong> following of <strong>the</strong> light of <strong>the</strong><br />
day, because <strong>the</strong>y will never separate from each o<strong>the</strong>r. Till here <strong>the</strong> language of Zohar.<br />
Everything is built up on <strong>the</strong> basis of Zohar and <strong>the</strong> comment of Baal HaSulam. In <strong>the</strong> first<br />
paragraph we’ll o<strong>nl</strong>y explain <strong>the</strong> things that are strictly necessary to understand <strong>the</strong> context.<br />
The rest will follow after every article. What we’ve just heard is a translation and <strong>the</strong><br />
explanation of Sjlavej HeSulam and a small clarification from my side.<br />
21
Lesson 2<br />
(<strong>On</strong>e of our course members is a woman. You won’t find in any o<strong>the</strong>r <strong>Kabbalah</strong> night classes<br />
women sitting next to men. You won’t find it in America or Israel. It’s a tradition, I don’t<br />
know why. It’s absolutely not a problem for me. It’s even better when men and women<br />
come toge<strong>the</strong>r, because for me exist souls and not bodies.<br />
The sort of people, nationalities… we work on our soul. The exterior jacket of a person<br />
doesn’t interest me at all… of course <strong>the</strong>re is a difference, also qualitatively qua souls<br />
between men and women, but both are human. Being human means having both left and<br />
right in yourself, that is <strong>the</strong> difference. Just <strong>the</strong> opposite: <strong>the</strong>y complement each o<strong>the</strong>r)<br />
We went through <strong>the</strong> first paragraph. As a rule <strong>the</strong> auteur begins every article with a verse<br />
from <strong>the</strong> Zohar and <strong>the</strong>n it is clarified within <strong>the</strong> framework of <strong>the</strong> spiritual work. How we<br />
can apply it, and what contains such an article in <strong>the</strong> aspect of <strong>the</strong> spiritual work. That is <strong>the</strong><br />
purpose of Sjlavej HaSulam.<br />
Page 1, line 15 – (Yesterday we talked about <strong>the</strong> verse from <strong>the</strong> Torah, from <strong>the</strong> Genesis,<br />
Breishit ‘and <strong>the</strong>re was evening and <strong>the</strong>re was morning, one day’, <strong>the</strong> same verse is repeated<br />
every day. So Zohar said that both are structural, necessary. A day exists out of evening plus<br />
morning, darkness and light. And now he’s going to clarify it to us.<br />
And one needs to understand what is written above, according <strong>the</strong> way of <strong>the</strong> spiritual work<br />
(you always say it like this: according <strong>the</strong> way of <strong>the</strong> spiritual work. How can we understand<br />
what is written in <strong>the</strong> Torah, in <strong>the</strong> Zohar, how can we understand that, what is <strong>the</strong>re<br />
written for us in <strong>the</strong> spiritual work. So he says a priori that what <strong>the</strong> Torah tells, is not told as<br />
an history of a nation, people or something else, but what contains it for us according <strong>the</strong><br />
way of <strong>the</strong> spiritual work.<br />
What does light mean and what means darkness (he poses us this kind of questions, and he<br />
will explain us that), and why is it impossible that a day exists o<strong>the</strong>r than out of those two<br />
toge<strong>the</strong>r (it’s a new concept that a day exists out of those two. Of light and of darkness<br />
comes out for us one day, that means that out of both are built up one day. That is crucial.)<br />
From this can be understood that a day begins from <strong>the</strong> moment that <strong>the</strong> darkness begins,<br />
<strong>the</strong> day begins from that moment (<strong>the</strong>refore yews begin <strong>the</strong> day in <strong>the</strong> evening.) and we<br />
need to understand how it’s possible that we can use <strong>the</strong> word day for darkness (because<br />
<strong>the</strong> day starts from <strong>the</strong> evening), because from <strong>the</strong> moment when <strong>the</strong> darkness has already<br />
fallen, I can already start counting <strong>the</strong> time of <strong>the</strong> day (you can see that <strong>the</strong> times in <strong>the</strong><br />
Universe are different).<br />
רחאו ,'ב םוצמצ רחאו ,םינוילעה תומלועב היהש ,רואה תוקלתסהו םימוצמצה רחאל יכ ,עודי הנה<br />
הלעמלו היצחמ ונייה ,תוניחב יתשל הקלחתנ ע"יב םוקמש דע ,תופילקה תכרעמ האצי ,הריבשה<br />
ס"עתב ראובמכ ,תופילקה לש עבקה רודמ לש םוקמ השענ הטמלו היצחמו , השודקד ע"יב התיה<br />
.(ח"פ תוא ח"לקתת 'א ףד ,ז"ט קלח)<br />
22
Line 20 – (look here, it’s already a bit familiar to us. We talked about this in <strong>the</strong> basic course)<br />
That after all those restrictions and <strong>the</strong> emanation of <strong>the</strong> light due to those restrictions (<strong>the</strong>y<br />
were <strong>the</strong>re in <strong>the</strong> higher worlds, for us that is of course <strong>the</strong> Atzilut and before that in <strong>the</strong><br />
world Nekudim. The world Nekudim was such an intermediate phase.<br />
There was a sort of restriction of <strong>the</strong> light, so that <strong>the</strong> whole creation could not receive it),<br />
and after <strong>the</strong> second restriction (so first <strong>the</strong>re was a restriction on Malchut, o<strong>nl</strong>y <strong>the</strong> Malchut<br />
could not receive, so nine sfirot could receive it, but Malchut not.<br />
That is <strong>the</strong> first restriction on Malchut, and after that <strong>the</strong>re was a restriction on Binah, so<br />
Binah, <strong>the</strong> four below sfirot Netsach, Hod, Yessod and Malchut were also restricted), and<br />
after <strong>the</strong> breaking of kelim (because <strong>the</strong>re was also <strong>the</strong> breaking of kelim to mix <strong>the</strong> higher<br />
with <strong>the</strong> lower.<br />
According to <strong>the</strong> higher plan it was o<strong>nl</strong>y in this way possible to let <strong>the</strong> whole creation correct<br />
itself. Because o<strong>the</strong>rwise o<strong>nl</strong>y <strong>the</strong> above half… for example o<strong>nl</strong>y <strong>the</strong> above half of Atzilut<br />
could receive <strong>the</strong> light and not underneath), it came out of <strong>the</strong> system of unclean powers<br />
(where <strong>the</strong>re is a restriction, <strong>the</strong>re is always talk of unclean powers, so for example <strong>the</strong> lack<br />
of comprehension.<br />
It is also assumed that <strong>the</strong>re is a shortage of Holiness, Holiness means fullness of ten sfirot,<br />
and everywhere where shortage is, is restriction. Everything is necessary, a structural<br />
shortage, but still <strong>the</strong>re are klipot, unclean powers.<br />
Unclean powers are always present where shortage is) till <strong>the</strong> place of BiY”A (that is an<br />
abbreviation for Briyah, Yetzirah and Assiyah) divided in two aspects (do you remember,<br />
above <strong>the</strong> parsa and under <strong>the</strong> parsa, among which Nukvah, which was created with one<br />
sfirah in Atzilut, so one sfirah above and nine sfirot were as fallen under Atzilut, as it were in<br />
<strong>the</strong> klipot), that means, from <strong>the</strong> half and down were <strong>the</strong> three worlds BiY”A of Holiness<br />
(Holiness means that <strong>the</strong> light chochmah can enter <strong>the</strong>re.<br />
That is Holiness. And o<strong>the</strong>rwise <strong>the</strong>re is shortage, that is <strong>the</strong>n from <strong>the</strong> half of Atzilut, let us<br />
say <strong>the</strong> place of Atzilut, from what we call parsa, <strong>the</strong> dividing line and beneath), became <strong>the</strong><br />
place of mador/compartment or department of klipot (So from <strong>the</strong> world Briyah some kind<br />
of form of unclean powers comes into being. We have said that in Briyah 90 percent of <strong>the</strong><br />
powers are experienced as good and ten as shortage, not as bad. We have always said as<br />
good and evil, it’s no evil, but we call it evil in regard to Atzilut.<br />
So evil means that ten percent is not experienced, ten percent is as it were hidden and that<br />
is as if klipot shines.) as explained in TES (also for him TES was important. Also I use TES, but<br />
23
o<strong>nl</strong>y when I don’t understand something and not as main course.<br />
TES is also a masterpiece of Yehuda. We’re not going to explain it in fur<strong>the</strong>r detail as he<br />
already recalled it and said that <strong>the</strong>re was a restriction, a tzimtzum, first on Malchut, that<br />
was in A”K. That means that all <strong>the</strong> nine sfirot can receive from above, that are <strong>the</strong> qualities<br />
of <strong>the</strong> Creator and <strong>the</strong> tenth not, why not?<br />
O<strong>the</strong>rwise <strong>the</strong>re would not be a creation and something had to be left for <strong>the</strong> creation itself.<br />
So <strong>the</strong> creation could later come by its own contribution to its fulfillment, so <strong>the</strong> finishing<br />
touch is given to <strong>the</strong> human being and not to <strong>the</strong> worlds, not to <strong>the</strong> angels, o<strong>the</strong>rwise <strong>the</strong>re<br />
would be a robotic system and that’s not <strong>the</strong> plan of <strong>the</strong> Creator. Therefore <strong>the</strong>re is<br />
established a restriction on Malchut by which Malchut at first isn’t allowed to receive, as if<br />
<strong>the</strong> restriction was set up by Malchut itself, but of course it was set up by <strong>the</strong> light from<br />
above, before <strong>the</strong> man was created.<br />
And after that, <strong>the</strong> Binah became <strong>the</strong> second restriction, that is <strong>the</strong>n <strong>the</strong> world that we call<br />
Nekudim. So at first <strong>the</strong> Malchut stood at <strong>the</strong> point of our world and <strong>the</strong>n Malchut went op<br />
and was mixed with <strong>the</strong> Binah, that is <strong>the</strong>n <strong>the</strong> beginning of <strong>the</strong> great correction. What does<br />
it contain? Malchut is Din, how can you make something out of Din, o<strong>nl</strong>y strictness, what is<br />
correction? That means giving light, and you can o<strong>nl</strong>y do that by mixture with <strong>the</strong> Binah, <strong>the</strong><br />
Binah is Rachamim.<br />
So <strong>the</strong> Creator Himself has established it in this way so that <strong>the</strong> Malchut came to <strong>the</strong> Binah.<br />
Because <strong>the</strong> feeling of something is five or ten, but when <strong>the</strong> Malchut rises to Binah, so let<br />
us say under <strong>the</strong> Chochmah, <strong>the</strong>n Malchut has o<strong>nl</strong>y two compartments above herself and<br />
not five – Keter, Chochmah, Binah, Z”a and Malchut.<br />
When <strong>the</strong> Malchut rises to Binah, <strong>the</strong>n she makes herself short and <strong>the</strong> light can o<strong>nl</strong>y enter<br />
in two compartments, that means tzimtzum-‐beth. But <strong>the</strong> point of Malchut is not to stay<br />
<strong>the</strong>re, but to as it were work up power and let <strong>the</strong> light also enter in <strong>the</strong> lower<br />
compartments. But when we don’t have enough power, <strong>the</strong>n we’re going to restrict it.<br />
It was in this way established in <strong>the</strong> worlds and we are a product of it. We have as it were<br />
just like Nukvah one sfirah above <strong>the</strong> water and nine beneath. Or as we have said a phew<br />
classes earlier that Nukvah had one sfirah, <strong>the</strong> kK<strong>the</strong>r in Atzilut, and <strong>the</strong>n she gets five tough<br />
leaves, and <strong>the</strong>y become gradually masach and <strong>the</strong> masach reflects. Everything always starts<br />
with restriction, without restriction <strong>the</strong>re is no correction and <strong>the</strong>n <strong>the</strong> light is received<br />
inside, because inside means to <strong>the</strong> place that was restricted. Then <strong>the</strong> light goes down,<br />
bringing down means pulling up, pulling down or pulling up is <strong>the</strong> same. When <strong>the</strong> light goes<br />
up, <strong>the</strong>n she gets more compartments in which <strong>the</strong> light can enter. That’s <strong>the</strong> trick of <strong>the</strong><br />
concept of correction.)<br />
24
אצמנ .תוינחורל ןורסח םוש ול ןיאו ,"דלוי םדא ארפ רייע" םדאה יכ ,ז"הועב הטמל ךשמנ הזמו<br />
ולצא ארקנש ,ךשוחה תשגרה ול שיש דיגנש דע ,תוינחור לש ןורסחו שגרה םדאל אב ןיאמ ,הז יפל<br />
שיגרהל ליחתמ אוהש ןמזב וב יכ ,תעדל םיכירצ ונא יכ .'המ קחורמ אוהש שיגרמ אוהש הזב ,הליל<br />
,רמול רשפא ךיא תרחא ,ארובה תואיצממ המ ספאב ןימאהל ליחתמ רבכ ,ארובהמ קחורמ אוהש<br />
ריאמש ,קוחרמ הראה הזיא ול שיש ,רמול חרכומש אלא .םלועב תואיצמ ןיאש רבדמ קחורמ אוהש<br />
.ארובהמ קחורמ אוהש שיגרי אוהש רועישב ,ול<br />
Line 24 – (we’re now going to see <strong>the</strong> whole principle of <strong>the</strong> correction, Baruch was <strong>the</strong><br />
master, master of <strong>the</strong> correction. Baruch was a hard worker, he had built up heavy<br />
conditions, but he shows us in his book how also an ordinary man, not a divine man, can<br />
come to his fulfillment without any special attention and purity from above, that is <strong>the</strong><br />
uniqueness of this book.<br />
In that (he poses a rhetorical question as it were) and what is <strong>the</strong>n attracted down, to our<br />
world<br />
We’re not yet talking about A”K. Then he said that <strong>the</strong> light enters in Atzilut and in <strong>the</strong> o<strong>the</strong>r<br />
worlds <strong>the</strong>re is some kind of shortage; a little bit in Briyah, a bit more in Yetzirah and even<br />
more in Assiyah. And <strong>the</strong>n he says – and what is <strong>the</strong>n pulled down to our world. It’s actually<br />
a continuation of BiY”A) because <strong>the</strong> human being is created as a wild man (look at a child or<br />
baby, <strong>the</strong>y’re just like an animal, it doesn’t have anything human.<br />
The human being is as it were created as an animal) and <strong>the</strong> man has from his birth<br />
absolutely no desire for <strong>the</strong> spiritual (he o<strong>nl</strong>y wants to receive and has no need for <strong>the</strong><br />
spiritual.) Then from where does <strong>the</strong> human being get <strong>the</strong> feeling, desire for <strong>the</strong> spiritual<br />
(that he gets <strong>the</strong> feeling that he has a shortage for <strong>the</strong> spiritual.<br />
So he asks us this question, we’ll see), as far as we can say that he has a feeling of darkness<br />
(how does a man get <strong>the</strong> feeling of darkness, that is what he tells us) which is called night<br />
(feeling of night, that we have experienced night.<br />
Most of <strong>the</strong> time we feel that it is night, that <strong>the</strong> light as it were lacks in our experience, in<br />
our observation), that he feels that he’s far from <strong>the</strong> Creator, <strong>the</strong> light (<strong>the</strong> Creator is light).<br />
So how does it come that a man experiences that he’s as it were in <strong>the</strong> night, or in o<strong>the</strong>r<br />
words, that he’s far from <strong>the</strong> Creator, <strong>the</strong> light (one of <strong>the</strong> students asks if <strong>the</strong> Creator is<br />
called light in <strong>the</strong> book? No, that is my addition)<br />
So he says that he has <strong>the</strong> feeling that he’s far from <strong>the</strong> Creator. And I say that he is as it<br />
were far from <strong>the</strong> light. A student says: so an emanation of <strong>the</strong> Creator? Yes. Actually we can<br />
say that <strong>the</strong> light is <strong>the</strong> Creator. Why?<br />
25
We can’t say what in essence <strong>the</strong> Creator is, <strong>the</strong>refore we say that <strong>the</strong> Creator is that which<br />
we experience, <strong>the</strong>refore we say light. We can’t say what we don’t experience and <strong>the</strong><br />
Creator lets us experience through <strong>the</strong> light, pleasure, all kinds of forms of pleasure,<br />
comprehension, wisdom, it all comes from above), because we have to know that at that<br />
moment when a human being feels that he is far from <strong>the</strong> Creator (look what he says here)<br />
at that moment he begins to believe for a little bit in <strong>the</strong> existence of <strong>the</strong> Creator<br />
In <strong>the</strong> shortage we see that we come closer to <strong>the</strong> good. So at <strong>the</strong> moment when a man feels<br />
that he’s far from <strong>the</strong> Creator, <strong>the</strong>n he as it were begins to believe that <strong>the</strong> Creator exists,<br />
because o<strong>the</strong>rwise <strong>the</strong>re would not be a shortage. A child consumes it, an animal consumes<br />
it, plants consume it, done.<br />
And o<strong>nl</strong>y <strong>the</strong> man experiences it, of course when an animal doesn’t get food, he also feels it,<br />
but that is absolutely instinctive, is not aware of it, o<strong>nl</strong>y <strong>the</strong> man is aware of his shortage.<br />
Look what he says, that shortage is a form of progress and not that we think where <strong>the</strong><br />
Creator is, when you ask this question to yourself, that you’re far from <strong>the</strong> light, <strong>the</strong>n it<br />
means that you know that <strong>the</strong>re is light.<br />
Even when it’s a little bit, that you know that <strong>the</strong>re is light. And light is <strong>the</strong> Creator.) How<br />
else could it be said that he is far from something that doesn’t exist in this world (how else<br />
would a man say that he’s far from something that doesn’t exist, do you understand. That<br />
already means that a man experiences, that you experience that you have shortage and that<br />
means that YOU with that indicate that you believe that <strong>the</strong>re is something, or a state, or<br />
something that exists what is light, <strong>the</strong> Creator. And that is <strong>the</strong> beginning of <strong>the</strong> way to<br />
perfection in every state.)<br />
But it’s necessary to say that <strong>the</strong> human being has some shine of <strong>the</strong> light from a distance<br />
(so it begins to shine at him from a distance and he experiences that as a shortage. He<br />
doesn’t have <strong>the</strong> strength to see it as power, <strong>the</strong>n he has a shortage.<br />
So a shortage comes because <strong>the</strong>re already shines something to <strong>the</strong> man from a distance.<br />
Look how interesting it is, when <strong>the</strong> light shines from a distance, not in our kelim, when it’s<br />
in your kelim <strong>the</strong>n you can experience it, that means that it’s already inside, but if it’s not<br />
inside and shines from a distance, <strong>the</strong>n it feels as if <strong>the</strong>re is a shortage, because it’s not yet in<br />
me), that shine that shines at him will make him feel that he is far from <strong>the</strong> Creator (so this<br />
state is structural.<br />
Go outside and ask if someone has a shortage, of course he will have a shortage, but o<strong>the</strong>r<br />
kinds of shortage, this is not good, that’s not good, etc. But when he feels within himself a<br />
shortage, <strong>the</strong>n it means that a light already shines at you from a distance, because you feel a<br />
shortage with regard to <strong>the</strong> light, which is perfect.)<br />
26
ריאהל רואה ליחתמ ףכית ,ךשוח תואיצמ שיגרהל ונייה ,ךשוחה ליחתמש ףכיתש ,ל"נה יפל אצמנ<br />
ול ןיאש ,ןורסח שיגרמש ,תרמוא תאז .הלילשה תניחבמ קר רכינ םויה תראה רועישו .המ ספאב<br />
ליחתמ אוה וישכעש ,ןורסח תניחבב ול ריאמ רואהש אלא .בויחה תניחבב ול ריאיש ,'ה רוא<br />
.םוי ארקנה 'ה רוא ול רסחש<br />
,שיגרהל<br />
Line 30 – (what he’s going to unfold now is very important, that we go through it very<br />
carefully. It’s very important that we don’t think that things go bad with us while everything<br />
is just fine, that we become as babies of whom <strong>the</strong> plastic car is taken away from and that<br />
we feel bad because o<strong>the</strong>rs have this and that while I don’t have it.<br />
So he tells us that everything is structural and good.) So we understand of what is said<br />
above, that immediately after <strong>the</strong> moment that darkness begins, that means that he from<br />
that moment starts to feel <strong>the</strong> existence of darkness, and immediately begins <strong>the</strong> shining of<br />
light (So from <strong>the</strong> moment that a man begins to feel that <strong>the</strong>re is darkness, that that is <strong>the</strong><br />
moment that light shines, this is an enormous comprehension if we can apply this.<br />
Don’t flee from <strong>the</strong> feeling of darkness, don’t have a drink, take drugs, or what so ever,<br />
because it’s all structural, do you understand. You have to make use of <strong>the</strong> chance and<br />
persevere at that moment. Because you know that it’s all good and don’t get depressed, of<br />
course it takes time) and <strong>the</strong> extant of <strong>the</strong> shining of <strong>the</strong> day is o<strong>nl</strong>y seen from <strong>the</strong> aspect of<br />
<strong>the</strong> night (so <strong>the</strong> extent of <strong>the</strong> light is seen from <strong>the</strong> aspect – night.<br />
So if it’s night in your experience, it doesn’t have to be <strong>the</strong> physical night, we speak of <strong>the</strong><br />
feeling of night, because <strong>the</strong>re is no light, <strong>the</strong>n you feel that it’s night.) That means that he<br />
experiences a shortage (That we from now on don’t get scared of shortage.<br />
So don’t say; why am I pa<strong>the</strong>tic, why do I have a shortage. You have to know that if you live<br />
good, of course when you commit a sin, <strong>the</strong>n it’s your fault that you have a shortage, but if<br />
you try to live good and experience as it were shortage – I live good, why do I have shortage?<br />
At that moment you have to know that it’s your shortage and it’s structural. That is very<br />
important) that <strong>the</strong>re is no light of <strong>the</strong> Creator in him (that’s his shortage, that is what a man<br />
experiences, that <strong>the</strong> light shines at him from a distance. But that is <strong>the</strong> beginning of <strong>the</strong> day,<br />
of <strong>the</strong> light. This is important for us to understand) that now he begins to feel that he lacks<br />
or Hasjem, which is called day (so qualitative, day is light, he says; light of <strong>the</strong> Creator is day.<br />
So what <strong>the</strong> Torah tells us about day and night, we have to see it in <strong>the</strong> framework of <strong>the</strong><br />
spiritual work, that day is already an advanced phase, what we call gadlut. And when <strong>the</strong><br />
27
light o<strong>nl</strong>y starts to shine, just like with <strong>the</strong> lily, 1 sfirah above and <strong>the</strong> rest below, <strong>the</strong>n <strong>the</strong><br />
light shines from a distance, it can also be that all ten sfirot are in darkness and this state is<br />
called night.<br />
This state is also absolutely structural. If you know <strong>the</strong> laws of <strong>the</strong> universe, <strong>the</strong>n why should<br />
you complain? If you know that <strong>the</strong> state of darkness is structural and not bad, <strong>the</strong>n you’ll be<br />
able to step by step manage more. If we for example wake up in a dark room and<br />
immediately go to a room where an enormous beam of light is, can we <strong>the</strong>n see?<br />
It’s exactly <strong>the</strong> same with <strong>the</strong> spiritual. Just look how we woke up this morning, one lump of<br />
flesh, I also woke up this morning just like an animal. Then <strong>the</strong> first thing that we have to do<br />
is to bring out <strong>the</strong> lowest part, <strong>the</strong> nefesj out of our body, <strong>the</strong>n it becomes like a throne.<br />
A seat where <strong>the</strong> higher light can enter, <strong>the</strong> light ruach and ruach becomes on its turn a<br />
throne, seat. We say throne because everything from above sits on a lower as a King. I have<br />
to as it were prepare a compartment of my soul for <strong>the</strong> higher light, consider it as a seat for<br />
<strong>the</strong> king of higher light. That is what he learns us.)<br />
ךירצ םדאהש ,תאזכ תואיצמ שי םא ,ללכב עדוי אל אוה ,םויה רוא ול ריאמ אלש ימ ןכ םאש המ<br />
אוהש םימעפל שי ,דחא ףוגב ונייה ,דחא םדאב דיגנו .םוי ארקנה ,'ה רוא לש ןורסח שיגרהל<br />
הזב ,םירוסי שיגרמו ,'הל ברקתהל קקותשמו ,'המ קחורמ אצמנ אוהש ונייה ,ךשוח תניחב שיגרמ<br />
.'המ קחורמ<br />
אוהש<br />
Line 34 – (he gradually unfolds it for us. Look carefully what he says.) What one can’t say of<br />
someone at who <strong>the</strong> light of <strong>the</strong> day doesn’t shine (he says that it’s different for someone at<br />
who <strong>the</strong> light doesn’t shine) he absolutely doesn’t know that such a reality of shortage exists<br />
when <strong>the</strong> light shines at him from <strong>the</strong> front (so he doesn’t know that such a reality exists)<br />
that a man needs to feel shortage of <strong>the</strong> light of <strong>the</strong> Creator (he says, that o<strong>the</strong>rs absolutely<br />
don’t know and experience <strong>the</strong> shortage of light, that <strong>the</strong>re is such a reality, that <strong>the</strong>re<br />
should be shortage of experiencing <strong>the</strong> light, do you understand, because it’s necessary that<br />
he… a phase of course), that <strong>the</strong> light of <strong>the</strong> Creator is called day (later on we’ll see that it’s<br />
chessed, by day it’s chessed.)<br />
(Look and now he says us something very special, that is penetrated in all his books and that<br />
we also get penetrated by learning it. He just spoke of one man, that he experiences<br />
shortage of <strong>the</strong> light of <strong>the</strong> Creator, which is structural, he began to see <strong>the</strong> light from a<br />
distance.<br />
And he told us that ano<strong>the</strong>r man absolutely doesn’t experience anything, he also doesn’t<br />
know that such a reality of shortage of light of <strong>the</strong> Creator exists. He as it were spoke of<br />
28
different people, and now he’s going to tell us something great that we have to keep an eye<br />
on.<br />
He says: we speak of one man who has both within himself. You always have to know that<br />
we don’t talk about o<strong>the</strong>r people, o<strong>the</strong>r groupings, etc. We always speak of one man, one<br />
man can find himself in a state, condition by which he’s a holy man or in a state when he’s a<br />
wrongdoer, do you understand.<br />
That’s what he wants to say: conditions, states, we o<strong>nl</strong>y live in conditions. Remember that<br />
we always speak of one man, I have all souls within me.<br />
Therefore on Yom Kippur, <strong>the</strong> Day of Atonement, all yews pray to <strong>the</strong> Creator, <strong>the</strong>y appear<br />
for <strong>the</strong> Creator regardless of <strong>the</strong>ir state, maybe you’re at that moment a holy man, but you<br />
say that you have sinned, killed, and done o<strong>the</strong>r kinds of crazy things and you have to mean<br />
it.<br />
And when you speak bad of someone, <strong>the</strong>n it’s like killing someone. When you for example<br />
say something wrong to someone, something by which you evoke <strong>the</strong> evil to him, <strong>the</strong>n what<br />
happens to that person? His face becomes white, that means that his blood is as it were<br />
taken away from his face by your fault.<br />
By your fault, you said something and he felt he was grabbed by <strong>the</strong> collar, he felt offended<br />
by <strong>the</strong> things you said to him. And he found it hard to not get angry, but he had to deal with<br />
<strong>the</strong> things you said to him.<br />
And it was difficult for him not to get angry, of course it’s a correction, but you caused <strong>the</strong><br />
flow away of blood, by that you shed blood. Do you understand what I mean. It’s not that<br />
you actually kill someone.<br />
If you for example in this way insult someone, or make someone angry by which <strong>the</strong> blood of<br />
that person is shed. It doesn’t matter how much, but it’s a form of death. It’s very fine, this<br />
act isn’t taken literally, you won’t get punished in this world, by you will be punished from<br />
above. You caused that to ano<strong>the</strong>r soul who is related to you.<br />
When <strong>the</strong> Torah says ano<strong>the</strong>r, <strong>the</strong>n it means ano<strong>the</strong>r aspect of you in yourself. Do you<br />
understand what I mean. O<strong>the</strong>r, you will love one’s neighbor, that also means <strong>the</strong> o<strong>the</strong>r in<br />
yourself who you see as someone else. You must say: in me <strong>the</strong>re is also someone else.<br />
How many times do we not act out of hate? Everything is one, <strong>the</strong>refore he tells us, learns us<br />
that we always speak of one man. Of course we sometimes speak of someone else, but we<br />
always have to bring it back to one man. Do you understand.<br />
29
It’s always in one person. It’s a great sin that we commit by projecting it on someone else. It<br />
mustn’t interest you, everyone has its own corrections, how can you <strong>the</strong>n say something bad<br />
of someone else. Everything is in yourself and you have to work on yourself, <strong>the</strong>n you’ll see<br />
<strong>the</strong> light, but if you say… o<strong>the</strong>rs have this and that, <strong>the</strong>n you run away from your own work,<br />
and you not o<strong>nl</strong>y run away, but you also commit a sin.<br />
We mustn’t do that, of course we do it all, we have to be careful. And <strong>the</strong> more you’re<br />
attentive, <strong>the</strong> more you’ll be protected by <strong>the</strong> chassadim – ten chassadim – as we’ve said or<br />
thirteen sfirot, that means that you already experience chassadim with a bit chochmah<br />
inside. Chassadim is o<strong>nl</strong>y mercy, which is 5 sfirot (or 10) and 13 sfirot is with a shine of<br />
chochmah. And at that moment nobody can blame you.<br />
You have to see it like this, as a memory aid: if you blame someone or something, regardless<br />
<strong>the</strong> situation, <strong>the</strong>n you have at that moment a shortcoming. Because you have o<strong>nl</strong>y yourself<br />
and <strong>the</strong> Creator. And if you blame o<strong>the</strong>rs, <strong>the</strong>n you have shortcomings!<br />
The feeling of shortage is caused by you, but here we’re talking about structural shortage<br />
when <strong>the</strong> light begins to shine at you from a distance. We always speak of one man. That<br />
means in one body, we always speak of a man in one body).<br />
That sometimes one man (one man in one body) experiences <strong>the</strong> aspect of darkness (so it’s<br />
not that one man experiences darkness and <strong>the</strong> o<strong>the</strong>r doesn’t. Again, we o<strong>nl</strong>y speak of one<br />
man in one body. There are sometimes moments that a man experiences darkness), that<br />
means that he’s far from <strong>the</strong> Creator (it’s structural, you don’t have to put a stop to it), and<br />
he passionately desires to come closer to <strong>the</strong> Creator (he directly gives us a tool, that at <strong>the</strong><br />
moments when you experience shortage, shortage means that you are far from <strong>the</strong> Creator.<br />
When <strong>the</strong> Creator is in you, <strong>the</strong>n you feel great, <strong>the</strong>n you brought yourself in accordance<br />
with <strong>the</strong> laws of <strong>the</strong> universe, no unclean powers will <strong>the</strong>n suck at you and you are<br />
surrounded by mercy etc… at that moment you don’t need anything or anyone.<br />
Everything is in harmony. And if it’s not like that, <strong>the</strong>n you feel that you are far from <strong>the</strong><br />
Creator, he says that, and he <strong>the</strong>n strives to get closer. A man has to desire for unity. And<br />
don’t escape from reality and take drugs or something else), and at that moment he feels<br />
suffering, from <strong>the</strong> fact that he is far from <strong>the</strong> Creator (look what is told now, enumeration<br />
as it were, different phases. He told us that a man feels far from <strong>the</strong> Creator. Then he says<br />
that he at that moment he has to desire for <strong>the</strong> approach.<br />
Like in our world when someone is far from his beloved and searches for contact with him or<br />
her. It’s <strong>the</strong> same here. And feels suffering that he doesn’t have it. He suffers that he’s far<br />
30
from <strong>the</strong> Creator. But what kind of suffering is it? It’s no suffering, it’s kelim. The suffering<br />
makes as it were place for <strong>the</strong> light to be received and if you at that moment resist, <strong>the</strong>n you<br />
do it against <strong>the</strong> light. Look, <strong>the</strong> fact that you now feel shortage means that <strong>the</strong> light is<br />
already being experienced from a distance.<br />
And if you at that moment persevere, passionately desire that it enters, that means that it’s<br />
outside of you and if you at that moment desire for it and suffer that you are far from it.<br />
Then you can by it, by your suffering and desire, desire is as it were a positive manifestation<br />
of your striving and suffering is as it were negative, yes. Desire gives you as it were a positive<br />
manifestation of impulses and suffering as it were negative.<br />
Everything exists out of two and out of both; plus, minus or right and left. By both aspects<br />
you create a field of tension by which <strong>the</strong> light, by which you make yourself receptive to<br />
experience <strong>the</strong> light. Just look how many aspects we named.)<br />
ינשהש ,האורש ,םירוסיו ךשוח שיגרמ םימעפלו .תוינחור לע גאדיש ול םרוג ימ ,איה הלאשהו<br />
האור אוהו .דובכ תניחבמ ןהו הסנרפ תניחבמ ןה רסוח אוהו ,שפנבו שוכרב תוימשגב חילצמ<br />
,החפשמ סחיה תניחבמ ןהו ןורשכה תניחבמ ןה ,ינשהמ רשכומ רתוי אוה תמאד אבילא<br />
,ומצעב<br />
רתויב ול באוכ הזו ,ינשהמ ןותחת רתוי תוגרדמ הברה דמוע אוה השעמלו ,דובכ רתוי ול עיגמ<br />
Line 38 – (look carefully, everything we learn in Slavej HaSulam – <strong>the</strong> steps of <strong>the</strong> <strong>ladder</strong> is<br />
very close to us, it’s our soul, everything that we learn, everything that we experience.) and<br />
<strong>the</strong> question is, who caused that to him (to <strong>the</strong> man), that he would worry about <strong>the</strong><br />
spiritual (yes or no? Why do o<strong>the</strong>rs have a good time in a bar, drink free of troubles, while<br />
we worry that it hurts, that it appeals to us in a certain way, that we worry about <strong>the</strong><br />
spiritual, who caused that to us that a man sudde<strong>nl</strong>y searches… gets concerned about <strong>the</strong><br />
spiritual, it’s a question that he asks.), and sometimes he feels darkness and suffering, when<br />
he sees that ano<strong>the</strong>r person has success (so our problem is not that we don’t have success,<br />
but that ano<strong>the</strong>r one has success, that is my problem, do you understand.<br />
It’s not our concern to look at o<strong>the</strong>rs and say that he has this and that while I don’t have it.)<br />
It gives him sorrow. That he sees that ano<strong>the</strong>r person has success in <strong>the</strong> material world, in<br />
his desires, as well as possession as nefesj (his lowest soul, but it also means his inner, that<br />
he feels great; as well as materially as from inside), while he, (<strong>the</strong> person that feels shortage,<br />
says) who now has a desire for <strong>the</strong> spiritual, feels that he lacks merit – parnasa, as well as in<br />
maintenance as in <strong>the</strong> aspect of honour.<br />
With merit I mean money, so parnasa means merit in money, that he lacks of it, as well as<br />
financially, socially as honour, social status, etc… While ano<strong>the</strong>r person has this all, this is<br />
what a person feels when he begins to worry about…) and that person sees within himself (is<br />
also Aramaic) that he is truly more suitable to experience it and have it than <strong>the</strong> o<strong>the</strong>r<br />
person (he is actually more suitable than <strong>the</strong> o<strong>the</strong>r to have all <strong>the</strong> good in life because of <strong>the</strong><br />
31
work he has done on himself, that he deserves it more to have it than <strong>the</strong> o<strong>the</strong>r person), and<br />
also from origin (so he says, <strong>the</strong> o<strong>the</strong>r one is a country boy, while I come from a descent<br />
environment for example.<br />
He gives it as an example. Why does he have it as well as materially as socially, while I<br />
don’t… do you understand?), that according to <strong>the</strong> work that I have done to myself and from<br />
my origin, that it’s more suitable for me than for <strong>the</strong> o<strong>the</strong>r person, but in reality this person<br />
(who has a shortage) stands much steps lower on <strong>the</strong> <strong>ladder</strong> than <strong>the</strong> o<strong>the</strong>r, and that gives<br />
him great sorrow.<br />
לכ לע לכתסה ומצעב אוהש ,םעפ היהש ,רכוז אל אוה וליפאו ,תוינחורל<br />
תוכייש םוש זא ול ןיאו<br />
םיגאוד םה המ לע םהלש םירוסיה תא ,םתוא האור היהש ןמזבש ,הבישיהב םתיא דמלש ,םירבחה<br />
ןובשח תושעל םילוכי אלש ,םינטק םידלי ומכ ויניעב הארנ היה ,םייחהב תומילש ידיל עיגהל<br />
םעפו ,ףסכ אוה םייחה רקיע וניבה םעפ ,םיקקותשמ םה הזל ,תואור םהיניעש המ לכ אלא ,יתילכת<br />
םירבדב שממ אצמנ אוה וישכעו .המודכו ,םישנא ןיב דובכ לש הדמע לבקל אוה םייחה רקיע וניבה<br />
תוקת תומילש תא עבקי אוהש אלא ,םייחב םעט ול ןיאש שיגרמ אוה התעו ,םהמ קחוצ היהש<br />
.םייחה תרטמ ארקנ<br />
הזש ,ועבק םהש ,המרה התואב םייחה תולשו<br />
Line 43 – And he has absolutely no relationship with <strong>the</strong> spiritual (he feels within himself<br />
that he has absolutely nothing to do with <strong>the</strong> spiritual), and he doesn’t even remember that<br />
he worked on <strong>the</strong> spiritual and he looks at his friends with whom he had studied <strong>the</strong> spiritual<br />
(so he studied with <strong>the</strong>m in <strong>the</strong> Talmud academy, he studied with <strong>the</strong>m something about <strong>the</strong><br />
spiritual) that in <strong>the</strong> time when he studied with diligence (that in that time when he looked<br />
at his friends) when <strong>the</strong>y were suffering about <strong>the</strong> fact how to become successful in this life<br />
(that means that <strong>the</strong>y were worrying about <strong>the</strong> earthly things, <strong>the</strong> friends with whom he had<br />
studied <strong>the</strong> spiritual were worrying about <strong>the</strong> material, about senseless things), that in that<br />
time (when his spiritual work was reviving, flourishing, he looked at his friends) as small<br />
children (in that time he looked at his friends as small children, because <strong>the</strong>y o<strong>nl</strong>y wanted<br />
success in this life.<br />
But he’s now in <strong>the</strong> state of shortage and he forgets <strong>the</strong> time in his life when he had a<br />
prospering life and when he looked at his friends and thought that <strong>the</strong>y were small children,<br />
because <strong>the</strong>y o<strong>nl</strong>y worried about senseless material things.<br />
But he’s now in a state of shortage and darkness and he forgets this moments. Therefore he<br />
tells us to remember <strong>the</strong> good moments and that you understand that <strong>the</strong> state of shortage<br />
is o<strong>nl</strong>y temporary and that it will change.<br />
The state of shortage is necessary and you’re maybe at that moment busy with a higher step<br />
and it o<strong>nl</strong>y shines at you from <strong>the</strong> outside and hasn’t entered inside you yet. And it’s o<strong>nl</strong>y a<br />
perception that you have a shortage, because <strong>the</strong> light hasn’t entered yet, <strong>the</strong>n we<br />
32
experience it as shining from outside and we look at o<strong>the</strong>rs, he has this and that, because I<br />
haven’t brought my portion inside. When I receive my portion, <strong>the</strong>n I won’t look at o<strong>the</strong>rs.<br />
At such moments try to think of good moments that you had, don’t think of <strong>the</strong> past, but try<br />
to experience it. You have to live now, but call up <strong>the</strong> good in yourself if it helps you to get<br />
out of that sate you’re in. <strong>On</strong>ly because you’re not capable of being in that state of darkness.<br />
And if you are capable of bearing <strong>the</strong> state of darkness, <strong>the</strong>n you can also be in it. And you<br />
will see that both states are good for you, <strong>the</strong> state when you experience <strong>the</strong> light and <strong>the</strong><br />
state when you’re in darkness. Both are good for you, but you have to learn that.<br />
Such a person is called a tsadik, a person who is called righteous, not that he justifies. A man<br />
can’t be righteous, a man can be in a state of justification of <strong>the</strong> operational system and such<br />
a person is called righteous.<br />
But we can’t call someone as righteous, it is also written ‘you mustn’t trust yourself till your<br />
dying day’. Which is written in <strong>the</strong> ‘Chapters of Fundamental principles or Ethics of <strong>the</strong><br />
Fa<strong>the</strong>rs’, he was a great rabbi, a high priest, but it’s written in <strong>the</strong> Talmud that he turned his<br />
back to <strong>the</strong> Creator, after eighty years of learning Torah. This learns us that everything is<br />
possible. A man mustn’t trust himself. From one side you can say that this rabbi didn’t work<br />
good enough on himself, with all his intellect. While we don’t work with our mind in <strong>the</strong><br />
spiritual and <strong>the</strong> longer we carry on, <strong>the</strong> more difficult it will become for us to sin.<br />
So listen carefully, you still have time to go back, because later you won’t have to power<br />
anymore to sin, do you understand what I mean. That is <strong>the</strong> result of it, of our study, while<br />
someone who learns Talmud and all kinds of o<strong>the</strong>rs things still can sin.<br />
Why is it like this, because <strong>the</strong> Talmud and so are also holy? Because <strong>the</strong> Talmud and <strong>the</strong><br />
regular Torah come from <strong>the</strong> world Briyah, Yetzirah, Assiyah and in those worlds are good<br />
and evil, kosher and not kosher, allowed and not allowed. While we try to make an effort to<br />
experience Atzilut.<br />
You can experience Atzilut o<strong>nl</strong>y through <strong>Kabbalah</strong>, you can’t experience o<strong>the</strong>r things. The<br />
Talmud for example, you learn it for fifty years, but we’ve learned at <strong>the</strong> beginning of this<br />
lesson that Briyah, Yetzirah and Assiyah were as it were fallen outside… that is <strong>the</strong> second<br />
part, <strong>the</strong> part where klipot are, unclean powers.<br />
And <strong>the</strong>refore someone can study for so long, but it still can be a comedy, because he works<br />
with his head and understands it, but he doesn’t necessarily correct himself. He receives<br />
spiritual tingling, of course he also receives light, but it’s not comparable with what we do<br />
with <strong>the</strong> <strong>Kabbalah</strong>. We burn all <strong>the</strong> ships that we leave behind us, we always say that in <strong>the</strong><br />
<strong>Kabbalah</strong>, you always go to a new island, far away from your previous island. And you always<br />
33
urn <strong>the</strong> ships so you can’t go back to your sins, while we can experience shortage,<br />
sometimes even stronger, because <strong>the</strong> closer you come to <strong>the</strong> Creator, <strong>the</strong> more it seems<br />
that you have a shortage, because <strong>the</strong> more radiant you see <strong>the</strong> face <strong>the</strong> Creator.<br />
Thus <strong>the</strong> more radiant you see <strong>the</strong> face of <strong>the</strong> Creator… that we are like a reflection of <strong>the</strong><br />
light, <strong>the</strong>n you feel that you have a shortage. You have to learn that it’s all structural and<br />
that it’s a sign that you’re getting closer. At <strong>the</strong> moment when he feels shortage, means that<br />
he is far<strong>the</strong>r than in <strong>the</strong> state when he looked at o<strong>the</strong>rs as small children. Why was it like<br />
this? He <strong>the</strong>n looked at <strong>the</strong>m as small children, who o<strong>nl</strong>y thought about <strong>the</strong> needs of our<br />
world, while he lived elevated, but now sudde<strong>nl</strong>y he feels in a state of falling, that he has a<br />
shortage and <strong>the</strong>n he has no power anymore to even remember at <strong>the</strong> moments when he<br />
was in a state op revival.<br />
And he thinks; life isn’t worth anything, etc. While even now he’s in a good state, o<strong>nl</strong>y in <strong>the</strong><br />
feeling of shortage, that means that he perhaps approached a newer or higher step, but he<br />
doesn’t experience it yet, <strong>the</strong>n it is seen and experienced as darkness. But now we know that<br />
both darkness and light are structural parts of one whole. So you don’t have to feel pa<strong>the</strong>tic<br />
when you’re in a state of darkness when you know that both, darkness and light are<br />
structural. Not that you bring yourself in darkness, <strong>the</strong>n it’s your fault that you’re in a state<br />
of misery. When you do normal, work on yourself, have a good life and feel shortage, <strong>the</strong>n<br />
it’s structural. Also <strong>the</strong>refore you have to be absolutely thankful. Then you have to strive to<br />
get closer. Learn <strong>Kabbalah</strong>…<br />
So he was talking about <strong>the</strong> state when he looked at o<strong>the</strong>rs and thought that <strong>the</strong>y were as<br />
small children) that <strong>the</strong>y couldn’t make a calculation (make a calculation means to look at<br />
<strong>the</strong> final goal of life), but o<strong>nl</strong>y look where <strong>the</strong>ir eyes look at (that was <strong>the</strong>ir occupation) for<br />
that <strong>the</strong>y strived (o<strong>nl</strong>y what <strong>the</strong>ir eyes see, his friends, but later we’ll see that he’s talking<br />
about one person, but he tells us as if… sometimes <strong>the</strong>y look at life as if <strong>the</strong> main goal is<br />
money. How often don’t we think about money).<br />
And sometimes <strong>the</strong>y think that <strong>the</strong> main goal of life is to have honour of o<strong>the</strong>r people.<br />
(sometimes you think of money or you think of achieving a social status. What doesn’t a man<br />
do to get honour and status?<br />
And now he finds himself in those states, in <strong>the</strong> state when he laughed at <strong>the</strong>m and now he<br />
feels that he has no more taste in life (he sees his state as something negative while it’s<br />
structural).<br />
So what we now learned was an application of what <strong>the</strong>re is written in <strong>the</strong> Torah; <strong>the</strong>re was<br />
evening and <strong>the</strong>re was morning, one day. He translated it for us into <strong>the</strong> spiritual work. He’s<br />
going to do <strong>the</strong> same for <strong>the</strong> whole Torah.<br />
34
Lesson 3<br />
תניחבמ ליחתמ הזה םויהש ,םוי תניחב ול ריאהו ,וילע םחיר ה"בקה התעש אלא .תמאה אוה המו<br />
זאו .םויה תחירז תלחתה ארקנ הז ,ךשוח תניחב ובלב ריאהל ליחתמש הזב ,תרמוא תאז .הלילש<br />
ליחתמש ,'ה רוא אוהש ,בויחה תניחבב םויה םהב ריאהל<br />
ורשכויש ,םילכ וב םקרתהל ליחתמ אוה<br />
.תוצמה םעטו הרותה םעט תא שיגרהל ליחתמו ,'ה תבהא תא שיגרהל<br />
,םהב בותכ ןכ לע" בותכש ומכ ,דחא םוי אצוי םהינש ןיבמ אקודש ,ל"נה ק"הזה ירבד ןיבנ הזמו<br />
,הדוהי 'ר רמאש ןכ ומכו<br />
.םויה תא םישוע םהינשו ,דחא ףוגכ םה רקובו ברעהש תורוהל ,דחא םוי<br />
רוא היהיש םעפ עראיש רשפא יאש ,תורוהל ידכ ,םויו םוי לכב הז ונעידוהל בותכה רזוח ןכ לעש<br />
הז ודרפתי אל יכ ,םויה רוא וירחא איבי אלש ,הלילה ךשוח עראי אל ןכו ,הלילה ךשוח םדקה ילב<br />
.ילכ ילב רוא ןיאש ,ללכה יפל ,'א .ל"נכ ונייהו .םלועל הזמ<br />
.םוי ארקנה ,רוא םיכירצ ןכ םג ,ילכ תושעל ידכב<br />
,'ב<br />
Page 2, line 3 – (last time we read a part about someone who did spiritual work, but when he<br />
was in a state of falling, he didn’t have <strong>the</strong> taste for it anymore and didn’t remember <strong>the</strong><br />
good moments. Now he’s going to tell us in what state that person actually was, because he<br />
studied, worked on himself, he lived good, but sudde<strong>nl</strong>y he was in a state of falling, and now<br />
he’s going to tell us what happened to him).<br />
So what is <strong>the</strong> truth <strong>the</strong>n, but now HaKadosj barug Hoe, (this is an abbreviation for <strong>the</strong> Holy<br />
<strong>On</strong>e, blessed be He. It’s taken from <strong>the</strong> Torah, <strong>the</strong> Holy <strong>On</strong>e blessed be He, but we say<br />
HaKadosj barug Hoe.<br />
Later we’ll remember it all, we’ll also start using it) The Creator showed him mercy, and<br />
shone him <strong>the</strong> aspect of day (so when this person experiences darkness, that in reality at<br />
that moment mercy is shown to him from above, because it’s a state of <strong>the</strong> beginning of <strong>the</strong><br />
day), that this day begins from <strong>the</strong> state of night, which means that it starts to shine in his<br />
heart, which is called <strong>the</strong> beginning of daybreak (when in <strong>the</strong> morning <strong>the</strong> light slowly starts<br />
to shine through, this is <strong>the</strong> state when he’s in <strong>the</strong> darkness, that is <strong>the</strong>n <strong>the</strong> beginning of <strong>the</strong><br />
day.<br />
So day means <strong>the</strong> state of spiritual revival), and <strong>the</strong>n kelim starts to build up within him (but<br />
<strong>the</strong> word hidraken is used) that <strong>the</strong> kelim would be fit and day could shine in it. That is <strong>the</strong><br />
light of <strong>the</strong> Creator, that he now starts to experience <strong>the</strong> love of <strong>the</strong> Creator in <strong>the</strong> state of<br />
darkness, and he starts to experience and feel <strong>the</strong> taste in <strong>the</strong> Torah and in <strong>the</strong> regulations.<br />
And of this we’ll understand <strong>the</strong> words of <strong>the</strong> holy Zohar, as mentioned above, that o<strong>nl</strong>y of<br />
this two (darkness and light) toge<strong>the</strong>r comes one day (so darkness and light, night and day<br />
make one day.<br />
35
It’s a very important concept. Like it’s written in <strong>the</strong> Torah: and <strong>the</strong>re was evening and <strong>the</strong>re<br />
was morning, one day.<br />
Therefore it is written in <strong>the</strong> Torah “one day” and not “<strong>the</strong> first day”, like it’s translated in<br />
every Bible. It should be one day because both form one day, both night and day, yes… in<br />
<strong>the</strong> spiritual both states are necessary), to learn us that both night and day make one body<br />
(so don’t have a preference, that you o<strong>nl</strong>y want <strong>the</strong> state of day and not <strong>the</strong> state of night.<br />
<strong>On</strong>ly experiencing good isn’t right, you need to experience both to move forward.<br />
I can for example tell you when Sjabbat starts at Friday night My wife lights <strong>the</strong> candles and I<br />
feel step by step <strong>the</strong> pressure drop lower and lower in myself.<br />
And step by step you have <strong>the</strong> feeling that you, especially at Friday night, are being sucked<br />
empty. You don’t know what it going on, but that happens at Friday night when <strong>the</strong> Malchut<br />
starts to rule, so <strong>the</strong> Din. And she starts to grow as it were and <strong>the</strong>n you have <strong>the</strong> feeling of<br />
being alone, because <strong>the</strong> light of day Chessed is gone when it’s night.<br />
It’s always like this, when <strong>the</strong> chessed is gone, when <strong>the</strong> mercy is gone and when it’s dark<br />
(also physical), <strong>the</strong>n you have <strong>the</strong> feeling that chessed leaves you, even on Sjabbat.<br />
It’s very important that we don’t run from <strong>the</strong> feeling of darkness. Because morning can’t<br />
come without darkness. It’s a state that we have to go through), and that is what rabbi<br />
Yehuda said (one of <strong>the</strong> ten rabbis who came toge<strong>the</strong>r to write Zohar), that <strong>the</strong> Torah comes<br />
back to us (I try to translate it literally) to let us know that every day is like this, (<strong>the</strong>refore it<br />
is also written on <strong>the</strong> second day of <strong>the</strong> creation; <strong>the</strong>re was evening and <strong>the</strong>re was morning.<br />
Why is it written this way? There are no superfluous words in <strong>the</strong> Torah, why is it like this?<br />
To let us know that all seven days, and every day of <strong>the</strong> creation, exists out of two<br />
compartments; evening and morning, toge<strong>the</strong>r <strong>the</strong>y make one day), to learn us that <strong>the</strong>re’s<br />
never light without <strong>the</strong> preceding of night, darkness (we have learned in lesson seven of<br />
Zohar that you can find everything what will happen in <strong>the</strong> future in <strong>the</strong> story of <strong>the</strong><br />
Creation, Genesis. Because you can find everything in <strong>the</strong> bud, in <strong>the</strong> root, <strong>the</strong>refore <strong>the</strong><br />
Zohar pays a lot of attention to <strong>the</strong> book Breishit; <strong>the</strong> book of Genesis.<br />
There are two versions of Zohar; ei<strong>the</strong>r 21 books or 10 books. It are <strong>the</strong> same books, o<strong>nl</strong>y <strong>the</strong><br />
size is different. The version of 10 books is smaller and thicker.<br />
So Zohar pays a lot of attention to <strong>the</strong> book Breishit, which is two books out of <strong>the</strong> ten or<br />
four out of twenty-‐one. Can you imagine…<br />
Because everything that is in <strong>the</strong> beginning, can also be found in everything that will later<br />
36
take place. Do you understand? Because <strong>the</strong>re is nothing more than <strong>the</strong> seven days of <strong>the</strong><br />
creation.<br />
Everything was as it were programmed in <strong>the</strong> seven days of <strong>the</strong> creation and later it all<br />
unfolded qua powers. That all <strong>the</strong> creative powers would descend to our world, to <strong>the</strong> lower<br />
world.<br />
All <strong>the</strong> creative powers have already descended to our world, no Apocalypse will take place<br />
anymore. It’s now our task to rise up and correct ourselves.<br />
And <strong>the</strong> same is with <strong>the</strong> darkness, night (lajla), that after darkness comes light of day.<br />
Because (now we come to a conclusion, always look for a conclusion) both can’t be<br />
separated from each o<strong>the</strong>r.<br />
So darkness and light, day and night can’t be separated from each o<strong>the</strong>r, because <strong>the</strong>y are as<br />
one. Can you imagine that <strong>the</strong>y are one. It’s a great revelation if you realize what this means.<br />
There is a moment, pfff, when you’ll get a sleeping nirvana. It’s all a correction because our<br />
body is very stubborn. It has to be this way, don’t ask yourself why, it just has to be like this. I<br />
have already told you that also <strong>the</strong> great wise need to be careful to not get lost. The Creator<br />
created <strong>the</strong> world in this way, so that <strong>the</strong> human being would always need Him. Image that<br />
you don’t need <strong>the</strong> Creator, <strong>the</strong> higher powers anymore (G’d forbid), what would <strong>the</strong>n<br />
become of you. When you feel yourself as King Kong, what will <strong>the</strong>n become of you?<br />
Nothing, do you understand?<br />
Therefore it’s important that we have in every situation day and night, so we can work on<br />
ourselves, so we have work to do.<br />
Remember this and don’t look for rest, but work on yourself. This is a great thing that we can<br />
work on ourselves, and don’t try to relax, because this o<strong>nl</strong>y causes death in yourself.) And<br />
that means like it is said above. According <strong>the</strong> two principles (a principle is very important<br />
for us, a man has to learn principles, not <strong>the</strong> principles of a human being in this world, but<br />
<strong>the</strong> spiritual principles, <strong>the</strong> laws of <strong>the</strong> universe, but he calls it a principle to not always say<br />
<strong>the</strong> laws of <strong>the</strong> universe):<br />
א) There is no light without Kli – without a receiver -‐ ילכ ילב רוא ן'אש – (what does this mean?<br />
There is always light, but we can’t talk about <strong>the</strong> light itself u<strong>nl</strong>ess it’s in me, u<strong>nl</strong>ess I receive<br />
it. Do you understand? When <strong>the</strong> light enters my kli, o<strong>nl</strong>y <strong>the</strong>n I can experience it and know<br />
what it is.<br />
For example: you can’t know what kind of birds are flying in <strong>the</strong> air u<strong>nl</strong>ess a bird flies<br />
towards you, and you capture it and put it in a cage. Then you can say what kind of bird it is.<br />
37
It’s <strong>the</strong> same with <strong>the</strong> principle we’ve just learned; <strong>the</strong>re is no light without kli. Remember<br />
this very well. There is no question of light when <strong>the</strong>re is no kli. We can’t know anything<br />
about coffee when you haven’t tasted it.<br />
I’ve experienced it once in my early days in <strong>the</strong> Ural. I went with my mo<strong>the</strong>r to visit someone<br />
in <strong>the</strong> hospital. It was a girl, an adolescent of a village nearby and I knew what a banana was,<br />
but she didn’t. She was fourteen, fifteen I think.<br />
My mo<strong>the</strong>r gave her a banana and she grabbed it and thanked my mo<strong>the</strong>r. But I saw that she<br />
didn’t know what to do with it. She looked at it and thought that it was a toy or something<br />
else… my mo<strong>the</strong>r also saw it and said that she had to eat it.<br />
Oké, but she didn’t know how. My mo<strong>the</strong>r started to peel it so she could finally eat it. She<br />
didn’t even know what it was. After she had eaten it, she knew what it was and she had a kli<br />
for a banana. Also we have to develop our spiritual kli.<br />
So light is also a pleasure. A banana had for her absolutely no pleasure before she had a kli,<br />
before she tasted it. Before that, <strong>the</strong> banana did not attract, appeal her. There was no light<br />
for her, light is pleasure.<br />
Or coffee, spiritual pleasure. So <strong>the</strong> law is: <strong>the</strong>re is no light without a kli. And now <strong>the</strong> second<br />
principle.)<br />
ב) To make kli, we need light, and that is called day (so we need light to make kli, which is<br />
called day. So day is light. The state ‘day/light’ makes in a man kli, to taste what day is.)<br />
םייחה לכש ,שיגרמש ונייה ,הלילשה תניחבב םוי תצקל הכז רבכ םדאה םא עודמ ,ןיבהל שי לבא<br />
,'המ קחורמ אוהש הזב ,םירוסי שיגרהל ליחתמ אוה הזלו ,'ה תוקיבדל הכזי םאב קר אוה ולש<br />
םייחב קר תויהל ךירצ םייחה לכש ונייה ,הילעה לש ובצממ לופיש ,םרוגה אוה ימ ןכ םא .ל"נכ<br />
,םישנא ולאמ קחוש היה דימתש בצמל ,תולפשה בצמל לפנ םואתפו ,ולש תווקתה לכ הזו ,םיינחור<br />
אצמנ ומצעב אוה וישכעו .תוימהב תוואת תואלמל יולימה גישהל אוה ,םהלש םייחה תוקת לכש<br />
.םינוזינ םהש תונוזמ<br />
םתואמ ןוזינו ,םתציחמב םתיא<br />
Page 2, line 13 – but we have to understand, that if a man is worthy to experience a bit of<br />
day, <strong>the</strong>n why does he experience it as night. Because he feels that all his life now o<strong>nl</strong>y<br />
depends if he’s worthy to merge with <strong>the</strong> Creator and this causes him sorrow, (what kind of<br />
sorrow) that he’s far from <strong>the</strong> Creator, as said above.<br />
(And when does he feel this? When he’s in a state of night. The feeling of night is a sign that<br />
a bit of light already shines at you, but it’s o<strong>nl</strong>y <strong>the</strong> initial phase. And o<strong>nl</strong>y in this phase a<br />
person feels sorrow, because he knows that he’s far from experiencing <strong>the</strong> Creator and this<br />
38
causes him sorrow.<br />
The last time we’ve said that it’s actually no real sorrow, it’s o<strong>nl</strong>y your feeling, because we<br />
have shortcomings in our resemblance qua qualities with <strong>the</strong> higher.<br />
He asks if it’s like this, <strong>the</strong>n who’s <strong>the</strong> causer if his sorrow (this is very important. Is it his<br />
neighbor, <strong>the</strong> society, your boss, … ?) that he fell from <strong>the</strong> state of revival, that means (what<br />
does revival mean?) <strong>the</strong> state when he feels that all his life is meant for <strong>the</strong> spiritual (I don’t<br />
want to say that <strong>the</strong> materiel isn’t important, it’s absolutely necessary.<br />
But that <strong>the</strong> spiritual is for him <strong>the</strong> main course and <strong>the</strong> rest is as a dessert. This is as it were<br />
<strong>the</strong> state of revival. That he feels that <strong>the</strong> spiritual is very important for him.<br />
Because <strong>the</strong>re are states when you ask yourself what you’re doing, and that means that<br />
you’re in a state of falling), and that’s all his hope, and sudde<strong>nl</strong>y he fell in a state of lowness,<br />
in a state in which he always laughed at o<strong>the</strong>r people (when he was in a state of revival, he<br />
laughed at o<strong>the</strong>r people because <strong>the</strong>ir o<strong>nl</strong>y concern was <strong>the</strong> material world. But now he also<br />
fell in this state and doesn’t have <strong>the</strong> power to realize it.<br />
All <strong>the</strong>ir hope was to satisfy <strong>the</strong>ir bestial desires, but now he finds himself in <strong>the</strong> same state<br />
and he is fed of <strong>the</strong> same feeding by which <strong>the</strong>y are fed (don’t forget that everything is in<br />
one person.<br />
It’s told in this way, but it’s always in one person. Sometimes we have earthly desires and<br />
think why we need <strong>the</strong> spiritual for, sometimes we o<strong>nl</strong>y want to focus on <strong>the</strong> spiritual. It are<br />
different states in one person.<br />
Therefore it’s important to be every day busy with <strong>the</strong> spiritual. It’s also written: if you fail to<br />
learn one day, <strong>the</strong>n you’ll be thrown back two days.<br />
After a while you’ll have a system, kelim in yourself that will demand it from you. But you<br />
have to stay careful and persevere. Why?<br />
I can’t say; I’m already learning <strong>Kabbalah</strong> for twenty years, because every day you have new<br />
corrections, every day is absolutely different from ano<strong>the</strong>r day. If you fail to do your<br />
corrections of one day, <strong>the</strong>n it gradually piles up.<br />
Just when you go to vacation and when you come back you have piles of documents, mails,<br />
… It’s <strong>the</strong> same every day, if you don’t do it one day, <strong>the</strong>n you’ll end up in <strong>the</strong> material,<br />
nobody can resist this, it’s <strong>the</strong> work <strong>the</strong> Creator has given us, we have to do it every day.<br />
39
Just like you drink coffee in <strong>the</strong> morning, or something else. It’s <strong>the</strong> same in <strong>the</strong> spiritual.<br />
Because we don’t o<strong>nl</strong>y have a body, yes or no? We have to also feed our spiritual part, do<br />
you understand. We have to feed both, and not o<strong>nl</strong>y our material part.<br />
בצמב וישכע היהיש .ל"נכ הילע בצמב אוה םעפש ,ובלמ חכשנ ךיא ,אלפתהל שי הזמ רתוי דועו<br />
וישכע אצמנ אוהש ,ולאה םישנא לע לכתסמ היהש ,ונורכז לע הלע אלש רועישב ,החכש לש<br />
ובל ואלמ ךיא ,ומצעמ שייבתמ אלו ,הכומנ הכ המרב םהיתופיאש קר וישכע ול שיש ונייה ,םהיניב<br />
היה ,החוורל םימשונ םהש ,הזה ריואהמש ונייה ,ונממ חרוב היה דימתש ,הזכ ריוא<br />
ךותל סנכל<br />
ןורסח םוש שיגרמ וניאו ,םכותב אצמנ אוה וישכעו ,השודקה תא קינחמ ריוא הזש ,רמוא דימת<br />
.םהב<br />
Line 19 – and <strong>the</strong> more surprising is how could he forget that he also had a state of<br />
revelation as said above.<br />
That he now remains in <strong>the</strong> state of oblivion, and he doesn’t remember that he once<br />
laughed at those people, but he now finds himself amongst <strong>the</strong>m (amongst <strong>the</strong> people who<br />
o<strong>nl</strong>y focus <strong>the</strong>ir lives on stupidities) and now he also has desires/wishes of such a low level<br />
(because he’s now in <strong>the</strong> state of falling and he forgets that he also had states of revelation,<br />
do you understand?), and he’s not ashamed of <strong>the</strong> way he fills his heart now with such an air<br />
(metaphor) while he always ran away from this air, <strong>the</strong> air which he now fully inhales (it’s<br />
bad air, air by which <strong>the</strong>y o<strong>nl</strong>y think of earthly, childish things) he always said that this air<br />
strangled <strong>the</strong> holiness.<br />
(It’s really like this. If you enter <strong>the</strong> material world, <strong>the</strong>n it’s like you’re being strangled), but<br />
he now finds himself in it (in such an air), and he absolutely doesn’t feel any shortage (once a<br />
man is in <strong>the</strong> material, <strong>the</strong>n he absolutely doesn’t feel any shortage, because you’re totally<br />
focused on <strong>the</strong> material and <strong>the</strong> true reality, very subtle things, very high, life itself,<br />
evaporate from you.)<br />
םיכירצו ."םיעשר תצעב ךלה אל רשא שיאה ירשא" ('א םיליהת) רמוא בותכה הנה ,איה הבושתהו<br />
."םכל תאזה הדובע המ" אוה ,הדגאב אבומה ,עשרה תלאשש ,עודי הז .םיעשר תצע והמ ,ןיבהל<br />
הלאשה זא האב ,עיפשהל תנמ לעב דובעל ליחתמ םדאהש ןמזבש<br />
,שוריפהש ,ל"צז ר"ומאא שריפו<br />
.ומצע תלעות ליבשב דבוע אל התאש הזמ ךל היהי המ ,לאושו ,עשר לש<br />
Line 25 – And <strong>the</strong> answer is, see here what <strong>the</strong> holy writing says (he quotes psalm one of<br />
David), “fortunate is <strong>the</strong> man who didn’t listen to <strong>the</strong> advice of <strong>the</strong> wrongdoers”.<br />
And it is necessary to understand what is meant by <strong>the</strong> advice of <strong>the</strong> wrongdoers (of course<br />
everything is in one man, but it also corresponds in which company you are. So be choosy<br />
and don’t hang around with people who pull you to <strong>the</strong> o<strong>the</strong>r side. You’re environment is<br />
important.<br />
40
He asks a question, what is <strong>the</strong>n <strong>the</strong> advice of <strong>the</strong> wrongdoers), that is “what is <strong>the</strong> work that<br />
you do” (so when you arrive somewhere in a ga<strong>the</strong>ring, of that kind of people, and <strong>the</strong>y say<br />
what for work is that that you do? What is it that you’re occupied with?<br />
Do you understand? And <strong>the</strong>n a man feels that he’s going to be mocked and doesn’t have<br />
<strong>the</strong> power to resist it, that is very difficult.) my fa<strong>the</strong>r, my master, my teacher and rabbi (look<br />
how he speaks of his fa<strong>the</strong>r), said that in <strong>the</strong> time/ in <strong>the</strong> period when a man begins to work<br />
(he quotes from <strong>the</strong> Talmud Esser haSfirot and especially Zohar ) to give (giving means in <strong>the</strong><br />
higher sense. That you give from your ego, you give from your own love, for <strong>the</strong> sake of <strong>the</strong><br />
higher. That is giving. There are of course also o<strong>the</strong>r kinds of giving, but that is <strong>the</strong> main form<br />
of giving. Remember this very well, not that you o<strong>nl</strong>y give money, which is also important.<br />
But when you give money, try to also give something from yourself. Don’t o<strong>nl</strong>y give<br />
superfluous things, money is never superfluous, but when you give, give something from<br />
yourself. O<strong>the</strong>rwise you didn’t do anything, do you understand? That is very important.<br />
So when he starts to work on himself, which means that he begins to give of himself. Well,<br />
getting up at night, even at home, that is already giving. When you give instead of sleeping.<br />
You give of yourself, this way you already give), <strong>the</strong>n comes <strong>the</strong> question of <strong>the</strong> wrongdoer<br />
(in yourself, in every man this question comes up, so not somewhere outside of you with<br />
o<strong>the</strong>r people, this is also possible, but we always talk about one man.<br />
That in you this question comes up of <strong>the</strong> wrongdoer) and he asks you, what will you get<br />
from it (do you see it, he wants to catch you in a rational way, he asks you what you’ll get<br />
from it), when you don’t work for your own needs (when you don’t work for your own<br />
needs. Because that is absolutely impossible for a human being, it’s not given to us to not<br />
work for ourselves, from <strong>the</strong> moment we are born, do you understand?)<br />
It’s not different with us, <strong>the</strong>refore it is ridiculous for people in our world, because we are<br />
born in this way, <strong>the</strong>refore we have to… <strong>the</strong>refore it is said: above your nature, belief above<br />
common sense, this is <strong>the</strong> tool. We absolutely can’t discuss with our earthly mind, that is<br />
impossible.)<br />
.ולש תשרב לפונ אוה זא .ותא קדצה תמאב ילוא ,רהרהל זא ליחתמ אוה ,וזכ הלאש לבקמ םדאשכו<br />
ןמזבש ,תרמוא תאז ,"םיעשר תצעב ךלה אל רשא שיאה ירשא" ,שרפל םיכירצ הז יפל ,אצמנ<br />
תלעותל חוור ול אצי הזמש האור אל אוה םא ,דובעל יאדכ אלש ול וצעיו םיעשרה<br />
וילא ואבש<br />
ךרד לע ךלוה ינאש האור ינא וישכע ,רמואו ,הדובעב קזחתמש אלא ,םלוקב עמוש אל אוה ,ומצע<br />
.רשואמ אוה ,רבגתמ אוהשכ הזה םדאה ,אצמנ .ינלבלבל םיצור םהו ,תמאה<br />
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Line 30 – And when this question is asked (thus from his bad side, not bad side, but common<br />
sense, but we call it a wrongdoer in himself), he <strong>the</strong>n starts to ponder/contemplate over it<br />
and agrees with <strong>the</strong> advising of his ego, which he calls wrongdoer.<br />
Then he falls into a trap, web. Therefore we can explain <strong>the</strong> verse of <strong>the</strong> first psalm (he says<br />
it one more time, it doesn’t matter if he says it one more time, it’s all about <strong>the</strong> work we<br />
have to do and not… <strong>the</strong>refore you often see me following in <strong>the</strong> footsteps of o<strong>the</strong>rs, that<br />
we sometimes repeat certain things etc.)<br />
“Happy is <strong>the</strong> man who doesn’t go into <strong>the</strong> advice of <strong>the</strong> wrongdoers, meaning, that in <strong>the</strong><br />
time when <strong>the</strong> wrongdoers give him advice that it’s not worth working (with work we mean<br />
for <strong>the</strong> sake of giving, for <strong>the</strong> sake of <strong>the</strong> Creator) if he sees that by his work he doesn’t have<br />
an advantage for himself (so if he doesn’t gain something for himself, <strong>the</strong>n it has no point),<br />
that at that moment he mustn’t listen to those voices, but has to streng<strong>the</strong>n his work and<br />
say: (say to what we call wrongdoers, that whisper in himself, we always speak of one man,<br />
that at that moment he has to say to himself), now I see that I’m walking <strong>the</strong> path of <strong>the</strong><br />
truth (you have to always say it like this), but <strong>the</strong>y want to throw me into confusion.<br />
So <strong>the</strong> man who concurs this (<strong>the</strong> advice of <strong>the</strong> wrongdoers), <strong>the</strong>n he’s happy (so this is what<br />
<strong>the</strong> psalm speaks of, about a man who concurs <strong>the</strong> advice of <strong>the</strong> wrongdoers and <strong>the</strong><br />
thoughts that are being whispered in his head.<br />
What do you think my people think? They usually think: I don’t sit outside, I don’t go to <strong>the</strong><br />
marketplace, I don’t hang around with people who waste <strong>the</strong>ir lives doing nothing, and<br />
<strong>the</strong>refore I’m good, but what does he say to us?<br />
That every man has those kind of thoughts and don’t think that it’s that simple, that <strong>the</strong>y’ll<br />
set you free, because that is also a part of reality and it’s also a part of our growth and not<br />
that you follow for a while <strong>Kabbalah</strong> <strong>the</strong>rapy, become free of those thoughts, feel nirvana<br />
etc.<br />
Mirjam says: if <strong>the</strong> thoughts don’t come up in your mind anymore, <strong>the</strong>n it moves and settles<br />
in your body, because when I play <strong>the</strong> piano, <strong>the</strong>n my fingers act very strange.<br />
Michael says: Yes, it absolutely works in this way.<br />
You have to see it like this, <strong>the</strong> wrongdoers have different ways to disguise <strong>the</strong>mselves in<br />
good guys. This is very special. They for example whisper: “you know what Henk, go and<br />
work on yourself now, do this and do that.” There is someone for example who types out <strong>the</strong><br />
Zohar lessons for us. And if <strong>the</strong> wrongdoers notice that you have an interest in something,<br />
<strong>the</strong>n <strong>the</strong>y’ll try to take advantage of your goodness and so <strong>the</strong>y’ll disguise <strong>the</strong>mselves as<br />
good guys and say: “go and type out <strong>the</strong> lessons, it’s a good thing you’re doing. Do it at least<br />
42
for a few hours” This way he’ll get tired as he’ll have to put a lot of energy in it and this will<br />
be at <strong>the</strong> cost of his spiritual work.<br />
So always be careful that you don’t fall into <strong>the</strong> trap of <strong>the</strong> whispers. It’s not simple, but we’ll<br />
learn it step by step. There was once a big lecture and a lot of great rabbi’s were present.<br />
First a great rabbi of this generation had to speak. He was about 75 years old and he began<br />
to speak about: we need money for all <strong>the</strong>se projects and it would be good if you helped out<br />
with <strong>the</strong> projects etc and he finally said: you know me right? This great rabbi said this.<br />
You know me right? I’m already at this age and I’ve gone through a lot, so I would not plead<br />
for something that is wrong or not good.<br />
And in <strong>the</strong> room sat ano<strong>the</strong>r great rabbi and he raised his finger, stood up and said: no we<br />
don’t know anything about you. Can you imagine, he said that straightforward. The fact that<br />
you’re that old doesn’t mean anything, why?<br />
The eyes of everyone opened. Why not? When someone’s young, <strong>the</strong>n you can see his lusts,<br />
aspirations very clearly. He doesn’t have to disguise anything because his bad principle<br />
whispers something to him and he does exactly what he’s told.<br />
But such a great rabbi of 75 years old, he wanted to say that he’s already this far and that<br />
he’s not subjected to such lusts, etc. But <strong>the</strong> rabbi who had raised his finger knew how <strong>the</strong><br />
human being worked and not like <strong>the</strong> rest of <strong>the</strong> people in <strong>the</strong> room.<br />
He meant to say <strong>the</strong> following; that you indeed are old and don’t chase women anymore,<br />
but your ego, your own love has adopted ano<strong>the</strong>r form. At your age you’re not subjected to<br />
sex, lusts and o<strong>the</strong>r things anymore, but your bad principle has found ano<strong>the</strong>r substitution,<br />
which one?<br />
Honor, he comes on stage, he tells something. Instead of low lusts, his ego is disguised in<br />
something else, not drugs or women, but honor. It are fine things. Can you imagine, we have<br />
to always be careful that we don’t fall victim to … and think: I’m now perfect.<br />
ומכ ,אוה אטח ןינע .דמע אל רמואש ,םיאטח ךרד והמ ,שרפל שיו ."דמע אל םיאטח ךרדבו" ,בותכה רמוא כ"חאו<br />
תכלל םיכירצש ,אוה יתימאה ךרדהש ונייה ,ףיסות לבב רבוע אוה םא ,אוה אטחהש ,(ד"נ רמאמב) ונראיבש<br />
הרירב ול ןיאש ןמז לכש ,ןיבמ ףוגהש ,העידי תניחב אוה הזמ ךופיהלו ,הנומא תניחב ארקנה ,תעדהמ הלעמלב<br />
.תעדהמ הלעמל תניחבב ןימאהל קר אלא ,תרחא<br />
Line 36 – (writing, that is <strong>the</strong> continuation of <strong>the</strong> verse – psalm 1:15, of <strong>the</strong> same verse) ‘and<br />
I did not stand on <strong>the</strong> path of sinners’. And we have to explain this, what is <strong>the</strong> way of<br />
sinners, about which he speaks of that he did not stand on it (he’s now going to explain us<br />
43
what sin means).<br />
The aspect of sin, is as we have explained (and he says where we have explained it), that <strong>the</strong><br />
sin means whe<strong>the</strong>r he breaks <strong>the</strong> principle of not adding in <strong>the</strong> aspect of, ‘you will not add’<br />
(such an principle exists in <strong>the</strong> Torah, you will not add and you will not decrease.<br />
All those prescriptions… but a human being is tended to add or decrease things, and with<br />
adding a man things to become better. So if something is written, <strong>the</strong>n I’m going to make it<br />
heavier, <strong>the</strong>n I’m better, but that’s forbidden.<br />
You can’t for example on Sjabbat turn on <strong>the</strong> light, but of course you need light, so you can<br />
set timers to automatically turn <strong>the</strong> light on and off.<br />
But <strong>the</strong>re exists a Jewish movement called Karaism and <strong>the</strong>y understand everything literally.<br />
It’s for example written in <strong>the</strong> Torah: “you will not turn on <strong>the</strong> light”, so <strong>the</strong>y just wall in <strong>the</strong><br />
dark…<br />
This is of course not <strong>the</strong> way to do it, but sometimes <strong>the</strong>y add things, so what does he say<br />
with “you will not add”, what is <strong>the</strong>n <strong>the</strong> sin?) this means that <strong>the</strong> true path is to go above<br />
your understanding (this is something very special that we’ll learn, to go above our<br />
understanding.<br />
They don’t understand it so <strong>the</strong>y just do it literally, he does it with his earthly intellect, he<br />
tries to interpret <strong>the</strong> Torah with his mind. But WE have to go above our understanding.<br />
and that is called <strong>the</strong> aspect of belief (because <strong>the</strong> mind does o<strong>nl</strong>y say what <strong>the</strong> facts are in<br />
my reality, but we have to go above our understanding, believe by which I still research, but<br />
we go above our mind), and <strong>the</strong> opposite of that is <strong>the</strong> aspect of knowing (<strong>the</strong> opposite of<br />
belief above understanding is <strong>the</strong> aspect knowing.<br />
We want to know), that <strong>the</strong> body understands that it has no o<strong>the</strong>r choice, except to believe<br />
that <strong>the</strong>re is no o<strong>the</strong>r solution than to go above your understanding (our body always wants<br />
to know and needs facts.<br />
We have to teach our body that <strong>the</strong>re is nothing to do about it, except to go above our mind.<br />
Because whispers inside us want to understand… go back to sleep, why do you have to get<br />
up at night, you are crazy, you don’t have any benefit of it, and so on…<br />
Or on <strong>the</strong> contrary; <strong>the</strong> whispers say how holy you are, you are so good, you did enough. The<br />
whispers inside you have o<strong>nl</strong>y one purpose to put you off from your work. <strong>On</strong>ly by going<br />
above our understanding our body will surrender.<br />
Your body listens to you, leaves you alone and right at <strong>the</strong> moment when you think you won,<br />
he’ll catch you again. It doesn’t mean that your whole life is a battle, of course not. You just<br />
have to be attentive, because <strong>the</strong>re are everywhere temptations. The temptations aren’t<br />
bad, <strong>the</strong>ir purpose is to make you an adult, so we don’t stay as puppets.<br />
44
But if you keep learning, <strong>the</strong>n a sort of spontaneity will arise in you, a kind of system that will<br />
give you signals and help you in time to do and to do not certain things.<br />
45
Lesson 4<br />
Whenever <strong>the</strong> lesson starts, we always have to keep in mind and arouse in ourselves for<br />
which reason we do it. To say that we serve <strong>the</strong> Creator is maybe at first sight aimed too<br />
high, but of course it’s like this, because every time we conquer our body, we serve <strong>the</strong><br />
Creator.<br />
<strong>On</strong> <strong>the</strong> o<strong>the</strong>r hand when we submit to our body and are o<strong>nl</strong>y occupied with <strong>the</strong> material<br />
world, <strong>the</strong>n we cause annoyance to <strong>the</strong> Sjechyna… because we don’t experience <strong>the</strong><br />
Sjechyna. Then it’s like we cause annoyance to <strong>the</strong> Sjechyna, but of course it’s not like this.<br />
The Sjechyna goes through us, but we don’t feel anything. By this we add an extra shortage<br />
to our world. But if we get up at night, do our best, <strong>the</strong>n we bring <strong>the</strong> Sjechyna in our world.<br />
This is <strong>the</strong> whole point, like Avraham introduced love in this world, by giving.<br />
We’re following in <strong>the</strong> footsteps of Avraham, it’s not our merit , but we do it because it is<br />
imposed on us from above and we have to carry it out.<br />
So what we learn now is not meant for our intellectual part, to get a kick out of it, but it’s<br />
meant to attract <strong>the</strong> light, and that it may correct us. And if it corrects me, <strong>the</strong>n it also<br />
corrects <strong>the</strong> world. That’s why you feel that you’re not o<strong>nl</strong>y working on yourself, but also<br />
directly or indirectly on someone else. So before <strong>the</strong> lesson starts, always be on this<br />
wavelength.<br />
Before we start, just a few words about <strong>the</strong> attitude of o<strong>the</strong>rs with regard to <strong>the</strong> night<br />
lessons. When someone has a wife, man, friend, girlfriend, family or relatives, and … but<br />
especially family.<br />
When <strong>the</strong>y notice that you sudde<strong>nl</strong>y pay a lot of attention to <strong>the</strong> spiritual… When it’s done<br />
by day, or in <strong>the</strong> evening, <strong>the</strong>n it’s okay for <strong>the</strong>m, but when it’s done at night <strong>the</strong>n <strong>the</strong>y feel<br />
as if something is taken away from <strong>the</strong>m. For a human being in our world it works in this<br />
way, like a child.<br />
So when someone gets up at night, around 3 or 4 o’clock, <strong>the</strong>n <strong>the</strong> o<strong>the</strong>r thinks and feels<br />
jealous as he or she gets less attention while <strong>the</strong> spiritual gets more attention. Just like a<br />
child <strong>the</strong>y get jealous and think: “why do you do this”, “I don’t understand why you have to<br />
do it… go back to sleep, don’t be a fool”. How do you have to behave in such a situation?<br />
<strong>On</strong> one hand perseverance and on <strong>the</strong> o<strong>the</strong>r hand you have to understand that no matter<br />
what or how <strong>the</strong> o<strong>the</strong>r person thinks of you, you have to keep going, because it’s you<br />
46
development and that absolutely doesn’t concern anyone, not your wife, not your children,<br />
nobody. So in this you have to be persistent and don’t give up, because it’s a sort of<br />
temptation, a sort of test that someone undergoes to see if he’s persistent.<br />
My wife said; “no, and now you stop…” sorry I can’t, it’s socially very beautiful, but from<br />
above you’re like a child, so how do you have to behave in such a situation, careful and<br />
gentle. Try to explain it in a calm way, that it’s important for you, that it is your life.<br />
Not from one day to <strong>the</strong> next bang your fist on <strong>the</strong> table, absolutely not, but be persistent,<br />
determined. Conquer this also when you’re being mocked after you told <strong>the</strong>m… you don’t<br />
have to tell <strong>the</strong>m, it’s your business.<br />
When you tell someone, <strong>the</strong>n of course he’ll think it’s ridiculous, while o<strong>the</strong>rs won’t think<br />
that, but it doesn’t matter. You have to be careful with mockers as <strong>the</strong>y’ll squirt poison on<br />
you, we don’t see how this works and <strong>the</strong>y keep us off from our spiritual work, so learn to go<br />
about with it, but be persistent.<br />
We’re now going to start with Sjlavej HaSulam. I’m not going to give a summary of <strong>the</strong><br />
previous lesson. Our task it, even if we don’t know what <strong>the</strong> previous lesson was about, to<br />
go fur<strong>the</strong>r…<br />
אוה וישכע ,רמואו ,הכימת תניחבל הז חקול אוהו ,הדובעב םעט הזיא שיגרמ אוהש תעב וב ןכל<br />
םדאהו .ותגרדממ לפונ אוה ףכית ,סיסב הזיא רבכ ול שיש תויה ,הנומא תניחבל ךירצ אל רבכ<br />
הז ,ולש סיסב תא ףילחהל רשפא יאדכ םא לכתסהל ,טק עגרל וליפא דמע אלו ,הזב רהזנ אוהש<br />
.םהלש ךרדה לע לכתסהל ,דמע אל םיאטחה ךרדבש םושמ ,רשואמ אוהש ארקנ<br />
Page 2, line 41 – (yesterday we learned about <strong>the</strong> verse from <strong>the</strong> psalms, <strong>the</strong> first psalm:<br />
“Happy is <strong>the</strong> man who doesn’t go into <strong>the</strong> advice of <strong>the</strong> wrongdoers” and now he<br />
continues)<br />
Therefore, in <strong>the</strong> time, at <strong>the</strong> moment when he feels some taste in his work (with work he of<br />
course always means spiritual work) he thinks it’s no longer necessary to have <strong>the</strong> aspect of<br />
belief (because he feels himself very strong and he does good, so he thinks he doesn’t need<br />
belief anymore.<br />
I’ve already worked myself up, so I don’t need belief anymore, because we o<strong>nl</strong>y need belief<br />
as a support. As long we don’t have <strong>the</strong> power to see, to comprehend, <strong>the</strong>n we need belief.<br />
But, never<strong>the</strong>less we’ll see that Avraham and o<strong>the</strong>rs still chose for belief.<br />
Even if you could see <strong>the</strong> Sjechyna, etc. that I still chose for belief above understand, mind.<br />
47
So he thinks he doesn’t need Emunah, belief anymore as he’s determined…), because he<br />
now has some base (he has built up some base and he says; I don’t need belief anymore.<br />
Like when we often get reckless and feel that we’re in a state of revival, <strong>the</strong>n you feel at<br />
that moment a form of gadlut, and you think that you’re at that moment perfect, but you<br />
have to always know that <strong>the</strong> states of gadlut are always short flashes, but <strong>the</strong> base is of<br />
course ‘belief above understanding’, so actually katnut, up to seven sfirot, that we have to<br />
hold on to.<br />
So we have to stay for <strong>the</strong> majority of <strong>the</strong> day in our own state of katnut, so you choose for<br />
katnut, even if you can have gaflut, you choose for katnut. What good is it to you when you<br />
pass your day in gadlut? You have to be able, try to get gadlut, but you don’t have to<br />
experience it.<br />
You have to as it were, when you feel <strong>the</strong> state of gadlut coming, hit at it, so you’ll get a new<br />
beginning, katnut as it were, you let go of your gadlut, you avoid it, do you understand?<br />
From above you deserve to have <strong>the</strong> state of gadlut, but because you’re modest… yes… it’s<br />
an art, it’s Jewish ma<strong>the</strong>matics to not go into… to not be a King Kong, because <strong>the</strong>re lurks<br />
<strong>the</strong> danger.<br />
Therefore you have to be very careful. And stay for <strong>the</strong> majority of <strong>the</strong> day in belief above<br />
understanding, just like a horse who has blinkers on. The horse is obliged to o<strong>nl</strong>y look<br />
forward, we also have to be like this, without looking around.<br />
So he thinks that he doesn’t need belief anymore, he feels… why, because he has a certain<br />
base, foundation) but immediately he falls from his step (so always be attentive that you<br />
don’t do it, because what is it to you) and <strong>the</strong> man who is attentive and doesn’t even think<br />
for a moment that it is worth <strong>the</strong> effort to change his base (base is of course belief above<br />
understanding) such a person is called happy (that he doesn’t think for a moment of<br />
changing his base, that he doesn’t constantly change his mind, but goes fur<strong>the</strong>r in<br />
determination.<br />
You <strong>the</strong>n build something up. People are often… we also do this, and of course <strong>the</strong> more we<br />
invest in this study, <strong>the</strong> more determined we get.<br />
Our base gradually gets more solid), (so why is he <strong>the</strong>n happy?) because he didn’t stand in<br />
<strong>the</strong> way of sinners, to look at <strong>the</strong>ir way (to not look at <strong>the</strong>m, this of course means in one<br />
person, we always have to remember this, but of course also in different people.<br />
Do you see that it’s not black-‐and-‐white, on one hand outside yourself, and on <strong>the</strong> o<strong>the</strong>r<br />
hand in yourself, because we also have all <strong>the</strong> sinners, all <strong>the</strong> sinful thoughts, sinful wishes in<br />
48
ourselves. A sinful thought comes from above, but our attitude towards that wish… so when<br />
<strong>the</strong>re comes across a sinful thought in you, <strong>the</strong>n it’s up to you whe<strong>the</strong>r you go into it, focus<br />
your attention on that wish or not. You don’t have to sin, you can do everything in your little<br />
attic room, while you have all <strong>the</strong> sinful wishes in yourself. Don’t oppress <strong>the</strong>m because<br />
<strong>the</strong>y’ll hit you back twice as strong, just let it simmer in yourself and don’t fix your attention<br />
on it. You feed yourself with <strong>the</strong> things you pay attention to.<br />
So when such a thought occurs to you, let it be. We have of course a body and <strong>the</strong>refore all<br />
kinds of needs, even when we don’t want to do or satisfy <strong>the</strong>m, <strong>the</strong>y still don’t leave us<br />
alone, do you understand. Just don’t focus your attention on it, <strong>the</strong>n it will correct itself, do<br />
you understand?)<br />
םישנא ולא ונייה .םיציל בשומ הז המ ,תעדל שיו ."בשי אל םיציל בשומבו" ,בותכה רמוא כ"חאו<br />
אלא<br />
,םהיניעב רקי היהי עגר לכש ,תוניצרב םהייח תא םיחקול אלש ,םולכ אלב םהימי םילבמש<br />
ןקתל םיכירצ םירחאהש המכ דעו ,רדסב םה םירחא םישנא םא ,םירחא לע םיבשוחו םיבשוי<br />
,שרפמ ק"דרהו .תודיריה לכ םהל םרג הזו ,םהייח לע וגאדי םהש ,םיסח םניא םמצע לעו ,םהישעמ<br />
הזה ןינעהו ,הזל הז דוס םילגמו ,םדא ינבב םומו יפוד םינתונו הערל ,תעדב םימורע םה םיצילה<br />
.תודיריה תביס יהוזו .בשי אל םיציל בשומבו ,רמא הז ינפמו .תונרק יבשוי ,םילטב םישנאל<br />
Line 45 – (it are sometimes practical questions, practical advises also from <strong>the</strong> Torah) and<br />
<strong>the</strong>n <strong>the</strong> writing says [בותכה – haKatuv] (so he continues with <strong>the</strong> verse from <strong>the</strong> first<br />
psalm), ‘and he didn’t stay in <strong>the</strong> companion of mockers [ םיציל – Letsym]’ (we have to also<br />
here pay attention to both sides, as well as of mockers outside yourself as of mockers inside<br />
yourself.<br />
Constantly pay attention that you don’t fix your attention to facetious, mocking thoughts<br />
inside yourself. Remember this very well. And <strong>the</strong> mocking thoughts are also a tool to help<br />
you, to conquer it.<br />
And it is good to know, what means to stay in companion (בשומ – mosjav means a<br />
settlement, but we say a companion) of mockers. That means, to spend your days with<br />
people (actually waste your days), who don’t take <strong>the</strong>ir lives seriously (it’s literally written<br />
like this.<br />
So a mocker doesn’t take his life seriously. He makes up excuses. All <strong>the</strong> excuses that a man<br />
makes up, of course it can sometimes be a joke, but it’s not… very sporadic, people do it<br />
because it’s already in <strong>the</strong>ir system and <strong>the</strong>y make up excuses for everything), while every<br />
moment should be precious for <strong>the</strong>m, and you are concerned about <strong>the</strong>m (do you see, at<br />
that moment you think about o<strong>the</strong>rs and don’t work on yourself… at that moment you’re<br />
just as rash, you feel relieved because you project it on o<strong>the</strong>rs) whe<strong>the</strong>r those people are<br />
okay, that to what extent <strong>the</strong>y need correction (we speak of corrections of o<strong>the</strong>rs.<br />
49
It’s like this. O<strong>the</strong>rs have to do corrections, o<strong>the</strong>rs are bad), while <strong>the</strong>y’re not worried about<br />
<strong>the</strong>mselves, (it strikes us all, or we talk about o<strong>the</strong>r groups, about religion, even about… you<br />
have to be very attentive… of course it is sometimes useful to say it, but we always talk<br />
about states, about <strong>the</strong> state of ano<strong>the</strong>r person, but also here be very careful, remember<br />
this, we all commit a sin against this, all of us.<br />
Inside ourselves, inside our head we have to be always attentive that… so don’t o<strong>nl</strong>y be<br />
attentive by not saying it, but also be attentive to not think about it… sudde<strong>nl</strong>y you get<br />
annoyed by o<strong>the</strong>rs and think why <strong>the</strong>y don’t correct <strong>the</strong>mselves. At that moment you have<br />
to do a correction in yourself because at that moment you are <strong>the</strong> mocker with regard to<br />
your spiritual work.<br />
Because if you do it anyway, <strong>the</strong>n you’ll pull all <strong>the</strong> powers that you had thrown out back<br />
inside your heart and <strong>the</strong>n it will become fuller. It’s an enormous work that we have to do,<br />
this is an enormous advice you have to follow, because who has <strong>the</strong> power to do it? But our<br />
task is to strive for it and <strong>the</strong>n it will happen to us.<br />
When you increasingly want to achieve a certain step, <strong>the</strong>n step by step you’ll get to it), that<br />
<strong>the</strong>y should worry about <strong>the</strong>ir own lives and this causes all <strong>the</strong>ir falling (this falling is caused<br />
by… a kabbalist never uses superlative words if it’s not necessary. All <strong>the</strong> falling is caused by<br />
<strong>the</strong> mocking thoughts about o<strong>the</strong>rs and sudde<strong>nl</strong>y he falls, comes in a state of falling.<br />
We don’t know why, he paid too much attention to o<strong>the</strong>rs and not to himself, to o<strong>the</strong>rs that<br />
<strong>the</strong>y are not good and how o<strong>the</strong>rs should correct <strong>the</strong>mselves, with good intentions, that<br />
<strong>the</strong>y should correct <strong>the</strong>mselves.<br />
This brings us all to a state of falling.) Rabbi Radak – ק''דר says (Radak was a great Talmudist,<br />
especially outstanding in grammar. He was a great grammarian of <strong>the</strong> Hebrew language. He<br />
also wrote long comments on <strong>the</strong> Torah and about <strong>the</strong> linguistic usage.<br />
But he was of course also a great rabbi. He also gave definitions of words etc. and he often<br />
used <strong>the</strong>m. He had said, gave a comment to what mockers are) that mockers are those who<br />
are naked of intellect, not covered (that means that <strong>the</strong>y look without caution, without<br />
shame and without modesty a person is naked.<br />
So be naked of intellect), and <strong>the</strong>y do bad and show defect within a human being (defect,<br />
shortage within a man), and <strong>the</strong>y reveal this secret to one and ano<strong>the</strong>r (<strong>the</strong>y actually gossip,<br />
<strong>the</strong>y pass it on to o<strong>the</strong>rs), and this refers to loafers, idlers (he may have work, but idlers<br />
means that he doesn’t work on himself.<br />
50
He wastes his time on stupidities, but not o<strong>nl</strong>y stupidities that he’s a idler, but he does<br />
wrong to o<strong>the</strong>rs by talking bad about <strong>the</strong>m and this is sometimes even worse than real evil,<br />
because it’s very difficult to wipe it out. Even when it’s true, you don’t have to talk bad about<br />
ano<strong>the</strong>r person, because also this is called mocking, even when it’s true, you don’t have to<br />
do it.<br />
When it’s necessary, <strong>the</strong>n we can of course reprimand someone, but be very careful.<br />
Is he prepared to listen? It’s also written that if someone is not ready to listen to your advice,<br />
<strong>the</strong>n you shouldn’t give him one. Because we have said that <strong>the</strong>re is one principle: ‘nothing<br />
comes from above if it’s not aroused from below’. It’s exactly <strong>the</strong> same here. Someone is for<br />
example in <strong>the</strong> doldrums or does something wrong and you want to give him advice, you<br />
want to as it were give him from above advice, because from above o<strong>nl</strong>y comes good. And<br />
you want to give him advice while he doesn’t want to listen, while <strong>the</strong>re is no raising from<br />
below. And you want to give him from above, what will become of your advice? Nothing.<br />
Because he doesn’t want to listen to your advice, he doesn’t accept it.<br />
And if he accepts it, <strong>the</strong>n he will take it in his not-‐corrected kelim and not-‐corrected<br />
intention. He didn’t have an intention, do you understand what I mean? If someone has <strong>the</strong><br />
intention to listen, <strong>the</strong>n he also has <strong>the</strong> kli to receive it.<br />
It can happen that it slips his mind that he needs advice, <strong>the</strong>n you can point him out a few<br />
things, but don’t immediately give advice when he isn’t ready to listen. This means that you<br />
ask someone to drink something, while he has no cup…<br />
So it refers to idlers) <strong>the</strong>y who sit in <strong>the</strong> far<strong>the</strong>st corners. (There are literally people who just<br />
sit around and talk with each o<strong>the</strong>r and so, but it refers to your own thoughts and wishes<br />
that give you advice on idlers) and <strong>the</strong>refore he says, and in <strong>the</strong> place/companion of<br />
mockers he didn’t sit, because this is <strong>the</strong> main reason of all <strong>the</strong> falling (and <strong>the</strong>n he says in<br />
<strong>the</strong> same verse that he <strong>the</strong>refore will be planted in <strong>the</strong> waters and will grow and have a lot<br />
of green, produce a lot of fruit etc. Why? Because he preserves all his powers, all his powers<br />
stay in his heart etc.)<br />
ערה תרכה תובישח<br />
ןינע<br />
ז"משת ,'ב רמאמ<br />
The importance of recognizing evil<br />
דחא םוקמ לא םימשה תחתמ םימה ווקי" ,ונושל הזו םש בותכ (ט"יר ,ח"יר תוא םלוסהבו 'ב קלח) תישארב ק"הזב<br />
לא<br />
םימה ווקי ,בותכש הזו .לארשי ונייה ,דחא םוקמ לא .םימ הנוכמה הרותה ונייה ,םימה ווקי .השביה הארתו<br />
אלש םלועה תומוא יקופאל .ל"נכ ,הרותה ילבקמ ,לארשי ושוריפ ,דחא םוקמו ,הרות ושוריפ ,םימ רשא ,דחא םוקמ<br />
51
םלועה תומואו .םייקתמ הבו ,םלועה בושי איה הרותהו .השביו הברח ץראה הראשנ ןכ לעו ,הרותה תא לבקל וצר<br />
.ונושל ןאכ דע ,"תושביו תוברח וראשנ ,התוא ולבק אלש<br />
Page 3, line 10 – (as usual <strong>the</strong> auteur first quotes a piece from Zohar and <strong>the</strong>n he gives<br />
additional comment on <strong>the</strong> Zohar haKadosj like it is always said.) It is written in <strong>the</strong> Zohar<br />
Bresjiet and that is his language (what it’s about. Literally, that is his language.<br />
And now a piece of Zohar is quoted, but from Bresjiet, genesis, from <strong>the</strong> Torah itself.) ‘Let<br />
<strong>the</strong> waters (<strong>the</strong> Creator says) under <strong>the</strong> heaven be ga<strong>the</strong>red toge<strong>the</strong>r in one place (as written<br />
in <strong>the</strong> Torah) and let <strong>the</strong> dry land appear’ (let all waters flow to one place, that was after <strong>the</strong><br />
above waters were separated from <strong>the</strong> lower waters and a firmament was made. We’ll learn<br />
what it means, parsa, <strong>the</strong> separating line, this is what it’s about and <strong>the</strong>n <strong>the</strong> Creator said ‘let<br />
<strong>the</strong> waters be ga<strong>the</strong>red in one place and let <strong>the</strong> dry land appear’.<br />
The dry means a place where life can come into being), (he says what it means that <strong>the</strong><br />
waters have to ga<strong>the</strong>r in one place) that means that Torah is called mayim – םימ (something<br />
flowing), (he’s now going to tell us what it means in one place), so Torah has to ga<strong>the</strong>r in one<br />
place, Israel, <strong>the</strong>y who strive for <strong>the</strong> higher, to <strong>the</strong> spiritual, to <strong>the</strong> eternal.<br />
And that is what is written, let <strong>the</strong> waters be ga<strong>the</strong>red in one place (what does is mean here<br />
that <strong>the</strong> waters have to be ga<strong>the</strong>red in one place. We have already said in <strong>the</strong> Zohar lesson<br />
that you can find everything that is going to take place in <strong>the</strong> story of <strong>the</strong> creation and<br />
<strong>the</strong>refore I can say that what is written in Genesis that let <strong>the</strong> waters be separated and be<br />
ga<strong>the</strong>red in one place, <strong>the</strong>n later – I add – during <strong>the</strong> receiving of <strong>the</strong> Torah, <strong>the</strong> waters will<br />
flow to Israel, to those who make <strong>the</strong>mselves suitable for <strong>the</strong> spiritual), that waters means<br />
Torah and one place means Israel (do you see, he repeats it, it’s all right. He knows why he<br />
repeats it, it has to help us), <strong>the</strong> receiving of Torah (so Israel is <strong>the</strong> receiver of Torah. Do you<br />
see it? Who is Israel), as written above (receivers of Torah.<br />
They who make <strong>the</strong>mselves suitable to receive <strong>the</strong> higher wisdom, <strong>the</strong>y are Israel. It is said<br />
directly like this, it’s is qua powers, nothing else. And <strong>the</strong>y who don’t make <strong>the</strong>mselves<br />
suitable are not Israel.<br />
Who doesn’t listen to <strong>the</strong> Torah isn’t Israel. Because Israel is always bond to <strong>the</strong> idea of<br />
giving to <strong>the</strong> Torah, that is Israel, and not an ethnical group or so. Everybody who comes to<br />
<strong>the</strong> Creator becomes Israel. )<br />
In contrast with <strong>the</strong> people of <strong>the</strong> world (we don’t have to immediately think about o<strong>the</strong>r<br />
people, this also exists, but we have to always think about our thoughts that belong to <strong>the</strong><br />
people of <strong>the</strong> world, thoughts that are not yet corrected. And when we think of Israel and<br />
people of <strong>the</strong> world outside me, <strong>the</strong>n we make a separation and not a unity in ourselves.<br />
52
The intention is that we collect everything in ourselves and work on our people of <strong>the</strong> world<br />
so that <strong>the</strong>y’ll get corrected, our thoughts and wishes) who didn’t want to receive <strong>the</strong> Torah<br />
and <strong>the</strong>refore <strong>the</strong> earth stays without form and void (also here we don’t have to think about<br />
o<strong>the</strong>r people.<br />
Why not? It doesn’t help us. The Torah doesn’t speak about that. It’s about <strong>the</strong> thoughts in a<br />
human being and <strong>the</strong> wishes which are not yet corrected, that <strong>the</strong>y belong to <strong>the</strong> people of<br />
<strong>the</strong> world and this means that a part of <strong>the</strong> human being stays dry and void.<br />
All <strong>the</strong> places in our inner feel dry and void and without water, lifeless and dry means<br />
without water and water means Torah. So all <strong>the</strong> places in our inner that are not irrigated by<br />
<strong>the</strong> Torah are dry and void. Those are our thoughts and wishes that didn’t accept <strong>the</strong> Torah.<br />
So <strong>the</strong> places in yourself that are dry and void, where no Torah is, where no life is, where no<br />
water sprouts out of springs and feels like death, as if it’s an iceberg, <strong>the</strong>n those places in<br />
you are you people of <strong>the</strong> world.)<br />
The Torah is <strong>the</strong> seat of <strong>the</strong> world/<strong>the</strong> place where <strong>the</strong> world is (<strong>the</strong> world means where life<br />
is.<br />
That is <strong>the</strong> Torah, also <strong>the</strong> places in us where we receive light by listening, by not resisting,<br />
but examining and going with our belief above our understanding. Life comes in this places),<br />
by <strong>the</strong> Torah, life becomes lasting (so our task is to be receptive for <strong>the</strong> Torah, <strong>the</strong>n <strong>the</strong> light<br />
of <strong>the</strong> Torah will come in <strong>the</strong> places that we call people of <strong>the</strong> world, and who thinks that he<br />
doesn’t have <strong>the</strong>m, well… let him think that. But know that every man has <strong>the</strong>se places, even<br />
<strong>the</strong> greatest holy man had <strong>the</strong>m.<br />
But we have to work on <strong>the</strong>m while <strong>the</strong>y give us a feeling of dryness. And when someone<br />
doesn’t accept <strong>the</strong> Torah… what does it mean to not accept <strong>the</strong> Torah? That he lives his own<br />
life, ‘I’m <strong>the</strong> boss, and I don’t let light of <strong>the</strong> Torah enter in me’, like <strong>the</strong>re was an British law<br />
in <strong>the</strong> Middle Ages that said that no King may set foot in an Englishman’s house without<br />
being invited.<br />
Having a territory in our world is a good thing, but in <strong>the</strong> spiritual we have to let <strong>the</strong> Creator<br />
enter everywhere in us, because this way we make one territory. Do you understand?<br />
And don’t be afraid to lose yourself, you absolutely can’t lose yourself. <strong>On</strong>ly <strong>the</strong>n you can<br />
come into your own. And not when you struggle, resist <strong>the</strong> Torah. This is an enormous<br />
submission, and you have to realize that this is <strong>the</strong> o<strong>nl</strong>y way.<br />
53
Not that we are good guys, but <strong>the</strong>re comes a moment, it’s like this and no o<strong>the</strong>r way.) And<br />
<strong>the</strong> people of <strong>the</strong> world םלועה ומואו: who didn’t receive <strong>the</strong>m (<strong>the</strong> Torah) <strong>the</strong>y stay formless<br />
and void (look to our thoughts that don’t receive <strong>the</strong> Torah. There is a lot of wisdom <strong>the</strong>re,<br />
but bare wisdom, <strong>the</strong>re is no love beneath it), till here is <strong>the</strong> language of Zohar (so this<br />
quoted from <strong>the</strong> Zohar and now he’s going to work it out/build it out).<br />
לע שרפתמ הז ךיא לבא .םלועה תומואו לארשי לע ונייהד ,ללכה תניחב לע שרפמש ,ק"הזה ירבד תא ןיבהל שיו<br />
ינפב ןטק םלוע<br />
אוה םדא לכש" ,רמוא ק"הזהש ,עודיכ .דחא ףוגב םלועה תומואו לארשי תניחב ונייה ,טרפה<br />
.לארשיו ,תומוא 'עה לכ ומצעב ללוכ אוהש ,"ומצע<br />
Line 16 – (He’s now going to work this paragraph of Zohar out. You can see that everything is<br />
about Zohar. It’s work that we have to do from below to above. Because WE are <strong>the</strong> engine<br />
who put everything into action.<br />
Remember this very well, that nothing is fateful. Of course everything comes from above,<br />
because <strong>the</strong>y want to gives us from above, but it’s still up to us, even though it’s apparent,<br />
it’s still up to us to arouse it from below. From above comes a … actually nothing comes from<br />
above, we just make place in ourselves free and <strong>the</strong>n we automatically feel, experience it,<br />
it’s great.<br />
Just reading <strong>the</strong> Zohar, following it with your eyes and looking at <strong>the</strong> letters, this is already a<br />
great thing. Step by step… Also I didn’t knew Hebrew, <strong>the</strong>y were also for me strange, odd<br />
letters. From time to time I use <strong>the</strong> dictionary, and word by word I proceed, I keep working.<br />
I now see that I got under his feet. He’s now going to tell us something in a small paragraph,<br />
while I needed a lot more words to explain it. It’s very relevant what I’m now going to<br />
translate, it’s very important, because this is <strong>the</strong> whole approach of our <strong>Kabbalah</strong> study.)<br />
And we have to now understand <strong>the</strong> words of <strong>the</strong> holy Zohar, that explains us that <strong>the</strong><br />
general aspect (we have always said, ‘everything in <strong>the</strong> world has two aspects’. This has to<br />
be carved in yourself. That in every moment and in every state two aspects exist. This way<br />
you won’t get lost in details.<br />
So every aspect, thing, phenomenon exists out of two ‘<strong>the</strong> general and <strong>the</strong> particular’.<br />
Always keep this in mind), is Israel לארשי and <strong>the</strong> people of <strong>the</strong> world (outside yourself, this<br />
is <strong>the</strong> general aspect.<br />
As separate things, entities), but how can you <strong>the</strong>n explain <strong>the</strong> particular aspect, this means<br />
<strong>the</strong> aspect Israel and <strong>the</strong> people of <strong>the</strong> world in one body (we have talked about this, that<br />
everything is in one body.<br />
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So Israel and <strong>the</strong> people of <strong>the</strong> world are in one body. So once again: <strong>the</strong>re are two aspects,<br />
<strong>the</strong> general aspect which means that <strong>the</strong>re are two separate entities. Israel has <strong>the</strong> quality of<br />
altruism, strives for <strong>the</strong> light, directly to <strong>the</strong> Creator. And <strong>the</strong> o<strong>the</strong>r aspect is <strong>the</strong> people of<br />
<strong>the</strong> world, <strong>the</strong> aspect that doesn’t strive, but wants to receive for itself.<br />
So this is <strong>the</strong> general aspect. And <strong>the</strong> particular aspect is that everything is in one body. This<br />
is relevant for us. Those who study <strong>Kabbalah</strong> should o<strong>nl</strong>y focus on <strong>the</strong> particular aspect…<br />
<strong>the</strong>refore we always say that we have to pay attention to <strong>the</strong> particular attitude of <strong>the</strong><br />
human being, <strong>the</strong> particular attitude towards <strong>the</strong> Creator. Yes or not.<br />
We always speak about building up a particular relationship with <strong>the</strong> Creator. What does this<br />
mean? That we don’t say that Israel and people of <strong>the</strong> world are outside us, like nationalistic<br />
religions say: we are this and we are that, or that group is this and that group is that. Of<br />
course this also exists, but this is for <strong>the</strong> mass.<br />
So in one body, that is <strong>the</strong> particular side. So <strong>the</strong>re is a general side and a particular side, do<br />
you see. The particular is all in one body.) Like it’s known that <strong>the</strong> holy Zohar says (just look<br />
what <strong>the</strong> Zohar says), ‘that every man (Zohar doesn’t say Israel or <strong>the</strong> people of <strong>the</strong> world…<br />
that every man) is a small world on itself’ (do you see. It doesn’t say this or that etc. Every<br />
man is a small world on itself.<br />
This means that a man has all <strong>the</strong> powers in himself, yes? That he’s a world on himself, says<br />
Zohar), that a man encloses in himself all <strong>the</strong> seventy nations and Israel (do you see it, it says<br />
every man… this is what Zohar tells us, <strong>the</strong> most holy writing that <strong>the</strong> Jews have received.<br />
The particular is our way of approach. Why? The Creator is one and you have to be one. This<br />
is also said in <strong>the</strong> Torah that <strong>the</strong> Creator is one and you have to be also one. This means that<br />
you have to feel and correct all <strong>the</strong> powers in yourself like <strong>the</strong>y’re in <strong>the</strong> Creator.)<br />
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Lesson 5<br />
ןקתה .אבה םלועה ינפב רודזורפל המוד הזה םלועה" ,רמוא בקעי יבר (א"כמ ד"פ) תובא יקרפבו<br />
םש םיאצומ אל םא ,רבד הזיא ןקתל ךייש אלש רורב הז ."ןילקרטל סנכתש ידכ ,רודזורפב ךמצע<br />
תויה ,תרמוא תאז .תומילשה ךרד לע םתוא םיכנחמ ,'ה תדובעב םיכירדמשכ תויהו .לוקלק םוש<br />
ןירדהנס א"כ ר"מב) ל"זח ורמאש ומכ ,וריבחמ הנושמ דחא לכו ,םידיחי הברה םנשי ללכהבש<br />
."הווש ןתעד ןיא ךכ ,הזל הז ןיווש ןהיפוצרפ ןיאש םשכ" (ח"ל<br />
Page 3, line 19 – (he often quotes from o<strong>the</strong>r sources) And in <strong>the</strong> book Verses of <strong>the</strong> Fa<strong>the</strong>rs<br />
– corridor (this is a very important book that dates from <strong>the</strong> first century. At that time <strong>the</strong>re<br />
was a group of really wise men who were called Tannaim.<br />
They had a strong connection with <strong>the</strong> roots, spiritual roots. And <strong>the</strong>refore <strong>the</strong>y knew which<br />
prayer one had to pronounce, which words, which names to use to bring about a certain<br />
correction in our world.<br />
Therefore <strong>the</strong> Verses of <strong>the</strong> Fa<strong>the</strong>rs is very important for us) rabbi Ja”akov said (quote), ‘this<br />
world (so our world) looks like a passageway, hallway to <strong>the</strong> future world.<br />
Correct yourself in <strong>the</strong> hall to enter <strong>the</strong> throne room’ (so he says that our world is just like a<br />
hallway, correct yourself in this hall before entering <strong>the</strong> throne room where <strong>the</strong> King resides.<br />
It’s very interesting what he says. It resembles to what’ve learned with <strong>the</strong> Nukvah. She first<br />
makes as it were all kinds of corrections, first one sfirah which is ke<strong>the</strong>r, <strong>the</strong>n she gets five<br />
tough leaves, which make <strong>the</strong> masach and o<strong>nl</strong>y afterwards she’s able to reflect <strong>the</strong> light,<br />
Gvurot, by which she makes a corridor, and along which also <strong>the</strong> soul of <strong>the</strong> human being<br />
enters).<br />
It’s very clear and evident that <strong>the</strong>re is nothing to correct when <strong>the</strong>re is no shortage or<br />
defect (when one doesn’t find a defect or fault, <strong>the</strong>n <strong>the</strong>re is nothing to correct. So <strong>the</strong>re has<br />
to be something to correct).<br />
Because during <strong>the</strong> education to <strong>the</strong> service of <strong>the</strong> Creator, one is brought up to <strong>the</strong><br />
perfection (so when someone is educated to serve <strong>the</strong> Creator, which means to learn <strong>the</strong><br />
spiritual, <strong>the</strong> eternal, <strong>the</strong>n one is first learned <strong>the</strong> perfect way. But not yet <strong>the</strong> real service of<br />
<strong>the</strong> Creator.<br />
Because <strong>the</strong> real service means that you’re able to work on yourself, but <strong>the</strong> mass of course<br />
first learns <strong>the</strong> perfect way. Do this and do that and <strong>the</strong>y immediately feel <strong>the</strong>mselves better<br />
and complete. But not how to work on <strong>the</strong>mselves.<br />
There is nothing wrong about what <strong>the</strong>y do. They’re just not ready yet to work on<br />
<strong>the</strong>mselves. It’s already quite a task for <strong>the</strong>m to attend a meeting, let alone that <strong>the</strong>y have<br />
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to get up every night, or at least try to get up.) because (ללכהבש means <strong>the</strong> mass, a person<br />
who still is a part of <strong>the</strong> team spirit. He’s in a phase when he’s not ready to work on himself<br />
personally), in <strong>the</strong> mass <strong>the</strong>re are still a lot of individuals who are different from o<strong>the</strong>rs, like<br />
<strong>the</strong> wise men have said (we always speak of <strong>the</strong> wise men of misjna till 2000 of our era and<br />
<strong>the</strong> wise men of <strong>the</strong> Talmud till <strong>the</strong> 5 th century of our era.<br />
Of course <strong>the</strong>re were also o<strong>the</strong>r people who were very wise, o<strong>nl</strong>y a very phew, but<br />
afterwards it was over. Of course <strong>the</strong>re were also divine men, but <strong>the</strong>y didn’t see those<br />
connections anymore, <strong>the</strong> connections between <strong>the</strong> spiritual root and <strong>the</strong> spiritual<br />
manifestation in our world.<br />
‘just like <strong>the</strong> faces of people differ, also <strong>the</strong>ir wisdom/knowledge differs from each o<strong>the</strong>r’ (do<br />
you see, he uses <strong>the</strong> word [ןהיפוצרפ] partsufim for faces. Partsuf literally means face.<br />
המוד םדא ןיאש םושמ ,הליחת הנווכב אוה הזו .ללכה יבגל הרותה םויקב םירועיש הברה שיש ,םיאור ונא ןאכמ<br />
תויהו .ותלוכי יפכ דחא לכ אלא ,"ךיפמ הרותה רפס שומי אל" םייקל םדאה תא ובייחל ןיא ,תאזל יא .וריבחל<br />
הברה דחיב ולוכ ללכהב שיש ,אצמנ .ללכהל דחא לכ רבחתמ ,יללכ ןפואבש ,אצמנ ,דחא ףוגל ןחבנ ולוכ ללכהש<br />
ידי אציו תיברעו תירחש עמש תאירק ידי לע םייקמ אוהש ,אצמנ .יללכ ןפואב דומלנ הרות הברהש ונייה ,הרות<br />
."הלילו םמוי תיגהו" יאחוי רב ןועמש 'ר תעדל ותבוח<br />
Line 24 – And <strong>the</strong>refore one is obliged to bring up <strong>the</strong> mass in <strong>the</strong> way that <strong>the</strong> upbringing<br />
would be similar to every nefesj [שפנ] (to every low soul, because <strong>the</strong>y bring up everyone,<br />
<strong>the</strong> mass in <strong>the</strong> same way, <strong>the</strong>y're all tarred with <strong>the</strong> same brush, just like in religion.<br />
They don’t separate <strong>the</strong>m from each o<strong>the</strong>r. <strong>On</strong>e learns a bit more, ano<strong>the</strong>r remembers a bit<br />
more, it’s all about remembering. Who can remember more, one has a better talent in<br />
remembering, so he feels better than o<strong>the</strong>rs… In this way <strong>the</strong>y bring up people to <strong>the</strong> service<br />
of <strong>the</strong> Creator, which is also something, gives a certain frame.)<br />
So that every individual would have a certain grip (something to hold on to) in <strong>the</strong> Torah and<br />
in <strong>the</strong> laws. And that is what <strong>the</strong> wise men say, rabbi Ami [ימא יר] said (<strong>the</strong> words of ano<strong>the</strong>r<br />
rabbi.<br />
<strong>On</strong>e rabbi quotes from ano<strong>the</strong>r rabbi. Because he doesn’t appeal to his own knowledge, but<br />
goes back to <strong>the</strong> sources and adds something to it that is relevant for our generation, so<br />
rabbi Ami speaks in <strong>the</strong> name of rabbi Josi) that even when a man (Adam in Hebrew means<br />
<strong>the</strong> person Adam, but also a man, a human being) learns in <strong>the</strong> morning one chapter; <strong>the</strong><br />
morning prayer and one prayer in <strong>the</strong> evening (with prayer he means: ‘Hear O Israel, G’d is<br />
one’) <strong>the</strong>n that is enough. With this he fulfills <strong>the</strong> command/law which is called ‘<strong>the</strong> book of<br />
Torah will not leave your mouth’.<br />
(So when a man, with regard to <strong>the</strong> mass, says a prayer (even one paragraph) in <strong>the</strong> morning<br />
and in <strong>the</strong> evening, <strong>the</strong>n he fulfills <strong>the</strong> command/law which is called ‘<strong>the</strong> book of Torah will<br />
not leave your mouth’. This is <strong>the</strong> way how <strong>the</strong> mass learns.)<br />
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(But rabbi Yochanan, who was a great leader of <strong>the</strong> wise in Israel says… So <strong>the</strong>re were two<br />
main schools. <strong>On</strong>e in Israel and one in Babylon.<br />
It is remarkable that <strong>the</strong>re was a prophecy in Babylon. Ezekiel for example was from<br />
Babylon. It was a wonder that his prophecy was done outside <strong>the</strong> land of Israel. Because <strong>the</strong><br />
Creator arranged it in <strong>the</strong> way that <strong>the</strong> prophecy could o<strong>nl</strong>y be done in <strong>the</strong> land of Israel.<br />
Nobody outside <strong>the</strong> holy land could do it because it is outside <strong>the</strong> wavelengths, <strong>the</strong> light is<br />
<strong>the</strong>n obscured to give a clear prophecy. But <strong>the</strong>n it was o<strong>nl</strong>y out of necessity, temporarily,<br />
that <strong>the</strong> Holy Spirit could be present outside <strong>the</strong> land of Israel, but not a prophecy by which<br />
<strong>the</strong> Creator speaks to a great Prophet and he <strong>the</strong>n speaks for all times, not in this way.<br />
It has been a long time since <strong>the</strong>re was a prophecy. We don’t have Prophets anymore from<br />
let us say 600 of our era. Because <strong>the</strong>re came so much wisdom from above, that <strong>the</strong>re is<br />
probably no necessity for a Prophet anymore.<br />
In our time we absolutely don’t need any wise men, to be educated, to be brought up in <strong>the</strong><br />
spiritual. <strong>On</strong>ly people who are committed as a teacher and who accompany and guide o<strong>the</strong>rs<br />
so <strong>the</strong>y in <strong>the</strong>ir turn can do it on <strong>the</strong>ir own. But not <strong>the</strong> mass, <strong>the</strong>re is of course always a<br />
mass and will always be till <strong>the</strong> coming of <strong>the</strong> Messiah.<br />
The mass doesn’t want to think or work, working is not a problem, but to work on<br />
<strong>the</strong>mselves. What did <strong>the</strong>y say to Mosje when <strong>the</strong> Creator appeared to him on <strong>the</strong> Sinai.<br />
It was great, <strong>the</strong> manifestation, <strong>the</strong> noise, <strong>the</strong> fire and <strong>the</strong> voice of <strong>the</strong> Creator came out of<br />
<strong>the</strong> sky and <strong>the</strong> people got frightened. What did <strong>the</strong>y say to Mosje? Don’t let <strong>the</strong> Creator talk<br />
to us, you talk to us.<br />
Why? Do you see, it’s deeper than plai<strong>nl</strong>y <strong>the</strong> voice of <strong>the</strong> Creator. They said; you’re a<br />
human being, a divine man, we can listen to you, but <strong>the</strong> Creator, no.<br />
Do you understand? They were afraid of <strong>the</strong> Creator, and that is correct, because who<br />
personally works on himself, has to do with <strong>the</strong> Creator. And <strong>the</strong> Creator is not a human<br />
being, you don’t see Him in front of you. At certain moments He shines in you and at o<strong>the</strong>r<br />
moments you’re in complete darkness.<br />
And at that moments you feel absolutely abandoned by <strong>the</strong> Creator, and <strong>the</strong> closer you<br />
come to <strong>the</strong> Creator, <strong>the</strong> more difficult it gets. You can’t do this, you can’t do that… not with<br />
your hands and feet, but you get a discipline inside yourself by which you choose… you can’t<br />
do this anymore, you can’t sin like yesterday. It has to be <strong>the</strong> same with us, that as a result of<br />
our study you sin less and less. And this means that you, within yourself, fear <strong>the</strong> Creator<br />
more.<br />
I’m not talking about fear of punishment, like <strong>the</strong> mass does it, but fear of being thrown back<br />
from <strong>the</strong> closeness to <strong>the</strong> Creator, or fear of not doing pleasure to <strong>the</strong> Creator. What is<br />
pleasure?<br />
58
That you’re aware of <strong>the</strong> fact that you bring yourself continually more and more in<br />
accordance with <strong>the</strong> Creator. But not <strong>the</strong> mass, he says in <strong>the</strong> last line, that if <strong>the</strong>y recite o<strong>nl</strong>y<br />
a small chapter in <strong>the</strong> morning and in <strong>the</strong> evening, before <strong>the</strong>y go to work, that is sufficient<br />
for <strong>the</strong>m.<br />
But in ano<strong>the</strong>r opinion rabbi Yochanan of <strong>the</strong> school of Jerusalem says in <strong>the</strong> name of<br />
someone who was before him, rabbi Shimon bar Yochai, that when a person who belongs to<br />
<strong>the</strong> mass says in <strong>the</strong> morning and in <strong>the</strong> evening <strong>the</strong> words “Hear, Oh Yisrael, <strong>the</strong> Creator is<br />
one”, <strong>the</strong>n this is sufficient. But a person who doesn’t belong to <strong>the</strong> mass, he of course<br />
needs to say it with <strong>the</strong> right intention, kavannah. It is not sufficient for him to o<strong>nl</strong>y<br />
pronounce <strong>the</strong>se words.<br />
Also we can pronounce <strong>the</strong>se words “Hear, Oh Yisrael. The Creator is one”. You can also say<br />
it with your name, “Hear oh Jan… <strong>the</strong> Creator is one” if it brings you closer) and this may not<br />
be said to <strong>the</strong> regular people (o<strong>the</strong>rwise <strong>the</strong>y would stop learning and o<strong>nl</strong>y say <strong>the</strong>se lines. It<br />
is forbidden to say this to <strong>the</strong> mass that it’s sufficient to o<strong>nl</strong>y say “Hear oh Yisrael, <strong>the</strong><br />
Creator is one”.<br />
Because <strong>the</strong>y’re not aware of this. When <strong>the</strong>y would know, <strong>the</strong>n <strong>the</strong>y would study less and<br />
sin more. Let <strong>the</strong>m study, this way <strong>the</strong>y sin less.<br />
But Rawa (a great wise man) said that it is a law/command to say it to <strong>the</strong> regular people<br />
(that it is sufficient to say it two times a day in <strong>the</strong> morning and in <strong>the</strong> evening. What he<br />
meant to say is that <strong>the</strong>re are two ways to go about it. For <strong>the</strong> mass and for <strong>the</strong> individual.<br />
Because you firstly have to bring up <strong>the</strong> mass so that <strong>the</strong>y would feel <strong>the</strong>mselves perfect.<br />
Just look at <strong>the</strong> different religions in our world. They say give money and we’ll reserve for<br />
you a place in <strong>the</strong> afterlife. This is <strong>the</strong> way how <strong>the</strong> mass learns, because <strong>the</strong>y have no<br />
knowledge, just like you do with a child, do this and you’ll get that.<br />
The whole religion exists by <strong>the</strong> grace of expectation and reward. Or in this world or in <strong>the</strong><br />
world to come. And when one learns <strong>Kabbalah</strong>, o<strong>nl</strong>y individuals learn <strong>Kabbalah</strong>, a person<br />
sees himself as an individual qua soul, that he doesn’t belong to <strong>the</strong> team spirit anymore. So<br />
he feels <strong>the</strong> need to have a personal connection, he starts to work on himself, and realizes<br />
that it’s not sufficient to belong to <strong>the</strong> mass.<br />
But I noticed that <strong>the</strong>re is also a sort of mass in <strong>the</strong> <strong>Kabbalah</strong>. In <strong>the</strong> American-‐English<br />
lessons <strong>the</strong>y say that you’ll get rich and have success. This is <strong>the</strong> way <strong>the</strong>y learn, but even<br />
when this is <strong>the</strong> case, when one wants to work on himself like a grown-‐up, he has to step by<br />
step abandon this expectations.<br />
The point is that we arouse ourselves for <strong>the</strong> higher, and not for success. By your accordance<br />
with <strong>the</strong> higher, you’ll receive everything of this world, but that which is good for you. And<br />
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not that you say, give me this or give me that. You don’t know what is good for you, this is<br />
very important.<br />
So we have to try to not learn <strong>Kabbalah</strong> to have success in this world… but in <strong>the</strong> beginning…<br />
of course you see <strong>the</strong> success of <strong>the</strong> pop stars who learn <strong>Kabbalah</strong> etc… and you think, well.<br />
Of course pop stars also feel that <strong>Kabbalah</strong> is mystic, where <strong>the</strong> source of all powers lie. And<br />
when I tap all my deep creating powers, <strong>the</strong>n of course it will bring me success in everything<br />
that I do, but it does not have to be your goal. Then you become just like king Solomon who<br />
chose for wisdom, which means belief above understanding.<br />
And through that you’ll get everything else. But don’t link your study with your earthly<br />
success.<br />
What we get from above is accordance with effort and that means that you receive from<br />
above what is necessary for you. We have learned that <strong>the</strong> great rav Eleazar who was an<br />
enormous scholar, young, but very close to <strong>the</strong> Creator. He was poor and asked <strong>the</strong> Creator<br />
for a bit of money, but did not receive it while he was <strong>the</strong> greatest of all his generation.<br />
But because he had so much power in himself, that it was good for him and his progress to<br />
learn <strong>Kabbalah</strong> while being poor. And he had power in himself to manage it, <strong>the</strong>refore it was<br />
not given from above to not live in poverty.<br />
It is also written that when one learns Torah in poverty, this is also written in <strong>the</strong> Verses of<br />
<strong>the</strong> Fa<strong>the</strong>rs, that when one learns Torah when he’s poor, <strong>the</strong>n he’ll also learn Torah when<br />
he’s rich. And who refuses to learn Torah when he’s rich will live without Torah when he’s<br />
poor.<br />
המוד םדא ןיאש םושמ ,הליחת הנווכב אוה הזו .ללכה יבגל הרותה םויקב םירועיש הברה שיש ,םיאור ונא ןאכמ<br />
תויהו .ותלוכי יפכ דחא לכ אלא ,"ךיפמ הרותה רפס שומי אל" םייקל םדאה תא ובייחל ןיא ,תאזל יא .וריבחל<br />
הברה דחיב ולוכ ללכהב שיש ,אצמנ .ללכהל דחא לכ רבחתמ ,יללכ ןפואבש ,אצמנ ,דחא ףוגל ןחבנ ולוכ ללכהש<br />
ידי אציו תיברעו תירחש עמש תאירק ידי לע םייקמ אוהש ,אצמנ .יללכ ןפואב דומלנ הרות הברהש ונייה ,הרות<br />
."הלילו םמוי תיגהו" יאחוי רב ןועמש 'ר תעדל ותבוח<br />
Line 30 – we <strong>the</strong>refore see that <strong>the</strong>re are different ways (different classes) in fulfilling <strong>the</strong><br />
Torah with regard to <strong>the</strong> mass (and why is that?). At first because no person looks like<br />
ano<strong>the</strong>r person (also in <strong>the</strong> mass <strong>the</strong>re exist differences). And if it’s like this (that everyone<br />
differs) <strong>the</strong>n a person can’t be forced to fulfill <strong>the</strong> commandment or law ‘<strong>the</strong> Torah cannot<br />
leave your mouth’, (every person has his/her way in fulfilling this prayer), because everyone<br />
follows his own ability (do you see, even in <strong>the</strong> second century of our era, <strong>the</strong> wise men<br />
pointed out that every man is unique. It’s not pressed for time, absolutely not).<br />
(And now he’s going to tell us something… <strong>On</strong> <strong>the</strong> one hand he says that no person looks like<br />
ano<strong>the</strong>r person, but on <strong>the</strong> o<strong>the</strong>r hand he says:) and since <strong>the</strong> mass is considered as one<br />
body (if a soul doesn’t distinguish itself from o<strong>the</strong>rs, is still latent, <strong>the</strong>n it is seen as one body.<br />
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By body we of course don’t mean our body of flesh and blood. The Torah never speaks of <strong>the</strong><br />
material body. Body means <strong>the</strong> wish to receive for itself) we see that in general everybody is<br />
connected with <strong>the</strong> mass (he doesn’t yet work on himself and for <strong>the</strong> mass a book is worked<br />
out with laws.<br />
For example <strong>the</strong> law book “a short book of <strong>the</strong> Jewish laws” (Kytsur Sjulchan Aruch). Of<br />
course this goes for everyone, but for <strong>the</strong> mass this book is a must, because it gives <strong>the</strong>m as<br />
it were a framework. But for someone who works hard on himself, this book o<strong>nl</strong>y gives a<br />
reach from left to right and is not binding.<br />
It turns out that <strong>the</strong> whole mass toge<strong>the</strong>r learned a lot of Torah (someone learns <strong>the</strong> laws of<br />
marriage, ano<strong>the</strong>r one learns <strong>the</strong> criminal laws, <strong>the</strong> third person learns about food, but all<br />
toge<strong>the</strong>r <strong>the</strong>y integrated Torah. And of course we have to project this on one person.<br />
Also we have sometimes wishes of <strong>the</strong> mass and sometimes wishes of individuals. It’s like<br />
this. If a certain wish hasn’t developed yet, is not yet corrected, <strong>the</strong>n you are a part of <strong>the</strong><br />
mass.<br />
You have to see it like this. What we learn here is not black-‐and-‐white. Of course he’s now<br />
talking about on <strong>the</strong> one hand about <strong>the</strong> mass and on <strong>the</strong> o<strong>the</strong>r hand <strong>the</strong> individuals, but<br />
you don’t have to see it as black-‐and-‐white. Because <strong>the</strong>re is <strong>the</strong> general and <strong>the</strong> particular.<br />
If we talk about <strong>the</strong> general aspect <strong>the</strong>n we have indeed <strong>the</strong> mass and <strong>the</strong> individuals<br />
outside yourself. And if we see it as one person, <strong>the</strong>n we have a lot of wishes that are not yet<br />
corrected and belong to <strong>the</strong> mass spirit, mass-‐people.<br />
Always keep this in mind, <strong>the</strong>n you won’t get lost in I and <strong>the</strong> OTHERS, because <strong>the</strong> Torah<br />
always speaks of one person. Everything is in one person, remember this very well. Always<br />
project everything we learn on yourself, we have to bring everything we learn in accordance<br />
with <strong>the</strong> Creator).<br />
It turns out now that <strong>the</strong> person who belongs to <strong>the</strong> mass, fulfills all his obligations by o<strong>nl</strong>y<br />
saying in <strong>the</strong> morning and in <strong>the</strong> evening ‘Hear, Oh Yisrael’, one small prayer, according to<br />
<strong>the</strong> opinion of rabbi Shimon bar Yochai (<strong>the</strong> author of Zohar, because <strong>the</strong>re exists an<br />
alternative law of him:) ‘you will pronounce <strong>the</strong> words of <strong>the</strong> Torah day and night’.<br />
It is written that you have to pronounce <strong>the</strong> words of Torah day and night. So when<br />
someone o<strong>nl</strong>y learns by day, which is understandable. Then he belongs to <strong>the</strong> mass and<br />
doesn’t want to.<br />
Everywhere in <strong>the</strong> world, kabbalists learned at night and at <strong>the</strong> same time <strong>the</strong>y worked by<br />
day. And not for example in <strong>the</strong> Talmud academy, like it is now. Before, when <strong>the</strong>re were<br />
real wise men, all of <strong>the</strong>m worked, had a job.<br />
61
They refused to become a rabbi, so that <strong>the</strong>y would be paid for being a rabbi. They had a<br />
regular job to not constantly be connected with <strong>the</strong> higher. And <strong>the</strong>y also learned Torah in<br />
<strong>the</strong> evening or night, while <strong>the</strong>y worked by day.<br />
But nowadays, what do <strong>the</strong> traditional Talmud academies do? They spend all day learning<br />
Torah and <strong>the</strong>y think that <strong>the</strong>y come closer to <strong>the</strong> Creator. But you have to work! Even when<br />
you have a lot of money, even when you’re multimillionaire.<br />
To work means… if you have work to do of course. If you don’t have any work to do, <strong>the</strong>n<br />
you have to do it in ano<strong>the</strong>r way. Dedicate yourself for example to translating or something<br />
else, it doesn’t matter, but work!<br />
This helps and not that you spend all your time learning Torah and receive at <strong>the</strong> same time<br />
money from <strong>the</strong> stock exchange and think that you’re doing business. No, you have to work,<br />
it’s a must.<br />
When you learn in <strong>the</strong> night <strong>the</strong>n of course you are closer to <strong>the</strong> Creator, because you are<br />
concentrated and so on. But by day you see people, you work on <strong>the</strong> society, of course in<br />
your eyes it seems that you are far<strong>the</strong>r from <strong>the</strong> Creator, because it seems like that.<br />
<strong>On</strong> <strong>the</strong> o<strong>the</strong>r hand, your progress, your spiritual merits increase, because you put in a great<br />
effort, even by day when you earn a living by working or when you’re busy with <strong>the</strong> outside<br />
world, because also in <strong>the</strong> outside world you pass on something which will return to you in<br />
signals to correct yourself.<br />
It’s just like buttering one's bread on both sides. If you of course do it <strong>the</strong> right way and<br />
don’t think you won’t enjoy it, because this is also a part of it. If you have disturbances and<br />
you keep going and overcome <strong>the</strong>m, <strong>the</strong>n you’ll progress twice as fast.<br />
When someone spends all his time learning Torah… Of course <strong>the</strong>re are different gradations.<br />
Some people are imposed to do it, but not o<strong>nl</strong>y for <strong>the</strong>mselves but also for o<strong>the</strong>rs.<br />
The same principle also exist here; <strong>the</strong> general and <strong>the</strong> particular. When someone o<strong>nl</strong>y<br />
learns <strong>Kabbalah</strong>, day and night, alone or as a teacher, or as a rabbi. Then on one hand he<br />
does it for himself and on <strong>the</strong> o<strong>the</strong>r hand he does it for o<strong>the</strong>rs. Because you have to know…<br />
it is written ‘Blessed is he, <strong>the</strong> person who learns, but it’s a greater blessing when a person<br />
learns and gives it to o<strong>the</strong>rs’.<br />
So it’s one’s duty, someone who learns <strong>the</strong> spiritual, to also teach o<strong>the</strong>rs. Even when you<br />
know a little bit, also <strong>the</strong>n you’re capable of giving. Of course when someone is prepared to<br />
listen. You never have to impose it on someone.<br />
If you feel, you start to talk and you feel that he refuses or is not interested, <strong>the</strong>n you must<br />
not continue. This is a great principle).<br />
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לאעמשי 'רכ ושע הברה" (ה"ל תוכרב) וילע ורמאש ,יאחוי רב ןועמש 'רש ,שודיח רבד אוה ה<br />
תפסאו ,בותכש תויה ,רמוא לאעמשי 'רש .םדיב התלע אלו י"בשרכ ושע הברהו ,םדיב התלעו<br />
דומלת ,ןבתככ ירבד לוכי ,"ךיפמ הזה הרותה רפס שומי אל" רמאנש יפל ,רמול דומלת המ ,ךנגד<br />
שרוח םדא רשפא ,רמוא י"בשר .לאעמשי 'ר ירבד ,ץרא ךרד גהנמ םהב גוהנ ךנגד תפסאו" ,רמול<br />
.חורה תעשב ערוזו ,השיד תעשב שדו ,הריצק תעשב רצוקו ,העירז תעשב ערוזו ,השירח תעשב<br />
. "הילע אהת המ הרות<br />
Line 36 -‐ (this is a part of Talmud… What is said? That <strong>the</strong>re are two opinions, views and both<br />
are good. You have to see it like this that both are good. When <strong>the</strong>re are two opinions in <strong>the</strong><br />
Torah <strong>the</strong>n it’s not like in our world that one is better than <strong>the</strong> o<strong>the</strong>r, or that <strong>the</strong> o<strong>the</strong>r has a<br />
reprehensible point of view, while <strong>the</strong> o<strong>the</strong>r is right.<br />
No, because we have said… that <strong>the</strong>re is a unity on a higher level when <strong>the</strong>re are two<br />
opinions. Just like we have said that <strong>the</strong>re is <strong>the</strong> general aspect and <strong>the</strong> particular aspect.<br />
So one rabbi talks about <strong>the</strong> same aspect but from a general point of view and <strong>the</strong> o<strong>the</strong>r<br />
rabbi talks about <strong>the</strong> particular. If we know that <strong>the</strong>se two exist in every phenomenon, <strong>the</strong>n<br />
we can understand that <strong>the</strong>re is no contradiction between <strong>the</strong> two opinions.)<br />
And this is something new, that rabbi Shimon bar Yochai, about who is said that … (so <strong>the</strong>re<br />
were two opinions, let’s say two schools. <strong>On</strong>e of rabbi Yismael and one of rabbi Shimon bar<br />
Yochai. Rabbi Yismael was a great rabbi, but he was from <strong>the</strong> general kind, also spiritually of<br />
course.<br />
He was occupied with <strong>the</strong> way of acting in our world, of applications, <strong>the</strong> practical way.<br />
While rabbi Shimon bar Yochai had a point of view, of course everything comes from above,<br />
that every person is unique, and that <strong>the</strong> execution of every action is also unique for every<br />
person.<br />
And we know to which aspect rabbi Yismael belongs, because we have <strong>the</strong> general and <strong>the</strong><br />
particular aspect. The particular is of course rabbi Shimon bar Yochai, <strong>the</strong> author of Zohar.<br />
This means that everything is in me, in one person. And everything is unique with regard to<br />
<strong>the</strong> soul of <strong>the</strong> human being.<br />
But <strong>the</strong> mass is of course learned o<strong>the</strong>rwise. As long as <strong>the</strong>y don’t ask for <strong>the</strong> uniqueness of<br />
<strong>the</strong>mselves. And that’s correct as <strong>the</strong>re will come a moment when someone from <strong>the</strong> mass<br />
will say: “I’ve had it with this and sudde<strong>nl</strong>y he has a shortage, shortage of what he’s doing<br />
and he asks himself what he’s occupied with. He wants to progress, but he sees that learning<br />
<strong>the</strong> Torah like <strong>the</strong> mass does is not giving him <strong>the</strong> necessary… he doesn’t receive life from it.<br />
He does all <strong>the</strong> standard things, but it has no depth. Then he starts with <strong>the</strong> <strong>Kabbalah</strong>, but in<br />
<strong>the</strong> way like rabbi Shimon bar Yochai does, he sees himself alone, he and <strong>the</strong> Creator. Or he<br />
finds a small group of people who also individually strive for <strong>the</strong> Creator, but every person of<br />
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that group sees himself as an individual and has his own progress. That is <strong>the</strong> o<strong>nl</strong>y thing that<br />
binds those people and of course <strong>the</strong>y also link up inner connections.<br />
But not <strong>the</strong> way <strong>the</strong> mass does it. They sing with each o<strong>the</strong>r, dance, etc… and yet <strong>the</strong>re exists<br />
within <strong>the</strong>m an enormous distance, hatred and o<strong>the</strong>r things. While a kabbalist cannot…<br />
someone who learns <strong>Kabbalah</strong>, does inner work, I don’t want to praise ourselves, but<br />
someone who learns <strong>Kabbalah</strong> will step by step be enfeebled from hatred.<br />
Your ability to hate, will simply by <strong>the</strong> result of your study diminish, you’ll no longer be able<br />
to hate and that of course comes from above, because a person in our world cannot hate.<br />
When you’re at <strong>the</strong> baker and you put your hand in your pocket, you need 20 cents, but take<br />
out 50 cents, <strong>the</strong>n you feel some sort of irritation, you don’t notice it, but of course <strong>the</strong>re is a<br />
small irritation that you experience, because you would have liked to take out directly 50<br />
cents.<br />
We experience all kinds of irritations that are also a form of hatred which stand in <strong>the</strong> way of<br />
our spiritual work. But we’ll notice that it will not bo<strong>the</strong>r us anymore, gradually less and less.<br />
In <strong>the</strong> meantime o<strong>the</strong>r irritations will confront you.<br />
Because it’s always like this. You can’t say that you’ll reach nirvana and don’t have to do<br />
anything, if you have nothing to do, <strong>the</strong>n your life has no meaning anymore. You’re holy and<br />
it’s time to bury you), many did like rabbi Yismael (so <strong>the</strong> general aspect) and had success<br />
(why? The general way, do this and you’re ready).<br />
And many did like RaShb”I (Rashb”I is <strong>the</strong> abbreviation for rabbi Shimon bar Yochai) and <strong>the</strong>y<br />
did not succeed. Rabbi Yismael said that it is written that you will bring in <strong>the</strong> harvest (this is<br />
written in <strong>the</strong> Torah in <strong>the</strong> second chapter when we said about Shma ‘Hear, Oh Yisrael’,<br />
<strong>the</strong>re is written that you’ll bring in <strong>the</strong> harvest, as a blessing) what does this mean (that it’s<br />
written in <strong>the</strong> Torah that you’ll bring in your harvest) it means that <strong>the</strong> book of <strong>the</strong> Torah<br />
cannot leave your mouth (this corresponds with what is said in <strong>the</strong> Torah that you’ll bring in<br />
your harvest.<br />
Weird hè? While <strong>the</strong>re is something written about harvest. It’s not consonant with learning<br />
Torah, because rabbi Yismael always meant it literally), would it be possible to apply <strong>the</strong><br />
words ‘you will bring in your harvest’ (as it’s written in <strong>the</strong> Torah, to understand it literally.<br />
He says it like this. According to rabbi Yismael, who always did <strong>the</strong> general, if it’s written in<br />
<strong>the</strong> Torah ‘you will bring in your harvest’, <strong>the</strong>n he understands it literally about bringing in<br />
your harvest as in our world.) like it is done on earth.<br />
Rabbi Yismael says that what is written in <strong>the</strong> Torah, you have to understand it literally. That<br />
is his opinion and also <strong>the</strong> mass who learn Torah think like rabbi Yismael.<br />
64
Besides, also o<strong>the</strong>r religions do exactly <strong>the</strong> same. I talked with a prominent priest and I<br />
asked him that it’s written in <strong>the</strong> first verse of <strong>the</strong> Torah ‘in <strong>the</strong> beginning <strong>the</strong> Creator<br />
created Heaven and Earth’, I asked him what it meant. I was of course not mocking with him<br />
or asked it in a provoked way, G’d forbid.<br />
He was just like a traditional rabbi who said to me; “do you see <strong>the</strong> Heaven and pointed with<br />
his finger above, that was created by <strong>the</strong> Creator, afterwards he pointed with his finger<br />
down and said, do you see <strong>the</strong> earth, this is what <strong>the</strong> Creator created”.<br />
That is <strong>the</strong> opinion of Yismael. Why? They o<strong>nl</strong>y see everything literally, while no word in <strong>the</strong><br />
Torah is written about that. Rabbi Yismael was also absolutely holy, because <strong>the</strong> general<br />
position was given to him, <strong>the</strong> general for <strong>the</strong> mass and to <strong>the</strong> mass you of course have to<br />
say, yes, <strong>the</strong> Heaven above us and you point with your finger above…<br />
It’s like this, <strong>the</strong>n <strong>the</strong>y feel happy or satisfied and perfect. Go to a synagogue or a church on<br />
Saturday or Sunday. Look at <strong>the</strong>ir appearance, <strong>the</strong>y feel <strong>the</strong>mselves perfect, “I do good<br />
things, I’m good”, <strong>the</strong>y feel perfect just like a child of 5 years old.<br />
<strong>On</strong> Saturday or Sunday <strong>the</strong>y put on nice clo<strong>the</strong>s and feel great. They go to religious<br />
institutions and do <strong>the</strong>ir best, have no frictions in <strong>the</strong>mselves, have no problems with<br />
<strong>the</strong>mselves, have no problems with <strong>the</strong> Creator… <strong>the</strong> Creator loves me, <strong>the</strong> Creator is dear,<br />
just like daddy is nice and mommy is nice, so <strong>the</strong> Creator is also nice.<br />
He gives me everything I want. Yes? I believe in <strong>the</strong> Creator… Give me this, give me that. This<br />
is <strong>the</strong> opinion of Yismael, while RaShb”I had to accomplish <strong>the</strong> individual bond between <strong>the</strong><br />
man and <strong>the</strong> Creator. And <strong>the</strong>refore we learn <strong>Kabbalah</strong>.<br />
In <strong>the</strong> first night lesson we learned that ‘<strong>the</strong>re was evening and morning, one day’. That day<br />
exists out of two and not o<strong>nl</strong>y when <strong>the</strong> sun shines, but you can’t learn <strong>the</strong> mass this. So<br />
RaSjb”I says:) It’s also possible that a person ploughs in <strong>the</strong> time of plough.<br />
(He of course didn’t mean it literally, but he meant that <strong>the</strong>re is time for development, which<br />
means individual work), and will sow (in <strong>the</strong> time of sowing, so individual work) and he<br />
harvests in <strong>the</strong> time of harvesting ([שרו] means when <strong>the</strong>y bring in <strong>the</strong> grain and start to<br />
flatten it), and when <strong>the</strong>re is wind (with <strong>the</strong> help of <strong>the</strong> wind <strong>the</strong>y separate <strong>the</strong> wheat from<br />
<strong>the</strong> chaff, what is all meant by this?), what is Torah trying to tell us? (That everything is<br />
individual. That <strong>the</strong>re are two aspects.<br />
Now we know what it means, because <strong>the</strong>re is <strong>the</strong> general for <strong>the</strong> mass and <strong>the</strong> particular<br />
for <strong>the</strong> individual souls who are called from above to build an individual relationship with<br />
<strong>the</strong> Creator. It’s not up to us to ask ourselves why we have to do it. It’s not our task to say<br />
that we are <strong>the</strong> chosen ones. Does it mean that we have to separate ourselves from <strong>the</strong><br />
mass. Of course not. We are all part of each o<strong>the</strong>r. We complete each o<strong>the</strong>r, I mean we<br />
already know that all <strong>the</strong> wishes are in one person.<br />
65
We may not separate ourselves from <strong>the</strong> mass, but we still have to do individual work. And<br />
try inwards to connect yourself with <strong>the</strong> mass.<br />
Why? Because on <strong>the</strong> one hand we do <strong>the</strong> spiritual work individually, this way we follow <strong>the</strong><br />
opinion of RaShb”I and develop in us one aspect, because in each aspect <strong>the</strong>re are two. We<br />
<strong>the</strong>n develop our particular aspect, but during certain holidays you have to be part of <strong>the</strong><br />
people, do what <strong>the</strong> regular people do, <strong>the</strong>n we connect ourselves with <strong>the</strong> general aspect.<br />
We have to on <strong>the</strong> one hand to <strong>the</strong> general things, like <strong>the</strong> regular people do and on <strong>the</strong><br />
o<strong>the</strong>r hand we have to do <strong>the</strong> particular aspect. This way we don’t see me and <strong>the</strong>y, as this<br />
doesn’t exist, but o<strong>nl</strong>y my general part and my particular part.<br />
Keep in mind that everybody has <strong>the</strong> particular part, also people who belong to <strong>the</strong> mass<br />
spirit. Also <strong>the</strong>y have a particular aspect. His particular soul, he o<strong>nl</strong>y doesn’t use it, but he<br />
has something particular.<br />
Step by step we progress. So today we learned about <strong>the</strong> two aspects. The general and <strong>the</strong><br />
particular aspect. The moment of learning is crucial. Don’t make afterwards summaries like<br />
<strong>the</strong>y do in Talmud academies. It’s not necessary. The o<strong>nl</strong>y thing that counts is your attitude,<br />
<strong>the</strong> moment of learning!<br />
At that moment kelims are being build up in us, while you hear or read what I have to say.<br />
Even when you don’t understand it, it enters you).<br />
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Lesson 6<br />
אלא םדא ארק אל וליפא" ,(ט"צ תוכמ תכסמב) י"בשר םשב ןנחוי 'ר רמואש המב ,הז ןיבהל שיו<br />
ללכהל ,שרפל שי אלא ."ךיפמ הזה הרותה רפס שומי אל" םייק ,תיברעו תירחש עמש תאירק<br />
אוה טרפהל לבא .תיברעו תירחש תאירק םע "שומי אל" קוספה<br />
תא םייקל לוכי ,י"בשר רמוא<br />
. הילע אהת המ הרות ,השירח תעשב שרוח םדא רשפא ,רמוא<br />
Page 3, line 42 – (I’m now going to read out loud in Hebrew so you can follow with you finger<br />
and <strong>the</strong>n I’ll translate and give additional explanation. As we can see we will learn in this<br />
night lesson, mostly in <strong>the</strong> first part, a lot of Torah.<br />
And one has to understand what rabbi Yochanan says in <strong>the</strong> name of rabbi Shimon bar<br />
Yochai (and he quotes) that even when a person reads o<strong>nl</strong>y ‘Hear, Oh, Yisrael!!’, in <strong>the</strong><br />
morning and in <strong>the</strong> evening, <strong>the</strong>n he fulfills <strong>the</strong> regulation that ‘<strong>the</strong> book of Torah will not<br />
leave your mouth’, but one has to understand this with regard to <strong>the</strong> general or <strong>the</strong> mass (as<br />
we learned yesterday that <strong>the</strong>re is <strong>the</strong> general and <strong>the</strong> particular aspect).<br />
This verse can o<strong>nl</strong>y hold out through pronouncing <strong>the</strong> morning and evening prayer, for <strong>the</strong><br />
mass. But he speaks in a different way to <strong>the</strong> individuals (he says to <strong>the</strong>m) that it is possible<br />
that a person ploughs in <strong>the</strong> time of plough (so what does this mean for <strong>the</strong> individual to<br />
pronounce this prayer in <strong>the</strong> morning and in <strong>the</strong> evening?<br />
Rabbi Yismael who is from <strong>the</strong> general aspect says that it’s sufficient for <strong>the</strong> mass to just<br />
pronounce <strong>the</strong> prayer in <strong>the</strong> morning and in <strong>the</strong> evening. But rabbi Shimon bar Yochai says<br />
that o<strong>nl</strong>y pronouncing <strong>the</strong> prayer is not sufficient, because kavannah / intention is <strong>the</strong> main<br />
point during <strong>the</strong> prayer. While for Yismael intention plays a secondary part. And this is a very<br />
big difference how <strong>the</strong> mass does it, learn Torah, and how <strong>the</strong> individuals do it.<br />
The mass just does it, without kavannah. Because to raise kavannah, one needs a special<br />
preparation. Or a soul has to be suitable to see Torah in ano<strong>the</strong>r light. It has to be lisjma, it<br />
has to be already somewhat in <strong>the</strong> name of <strong>the</strong> Creator, while <strong>the</strong> mass does it lo lisjma. Of<br />
course this also means that <strong>the</strong> Creator is good etc.. but <strong>the</strong>y expect a reward. Which is of<br />
course allowed).<br />
,םיתב ילעב תעד ארקנ ללכהש ,שרפל רשפאו .טרפהל ללכה ןיב ןיחבהל דימת שי הז םושמו<br />
.הרות תעד םהל שיש םיארקנ םה ,טרפהל םיכישש<br />
םישנא ונייה ,טרפהו<br />
Line 42 – And <strong>the</strong>refore one has to always distinguish <strong>the</strong> mass from <strong>the</strong> individuals (in<br />
Hebrew it is written טרפהל ללכ which can be translated into <strong>the</strong> general and <strong>the</strong> particular.<br />
We can see that one belongs to <strong>the</strong> mass and ano<strong>the</strong>r to <strong>the</strong> individual. <strong>On</strong>ly with regard to<br />
<strong>the</strong> inner attitude and not to social relations.<br />
67
In social relations we are all <strong>the</strong> same. There are little differences, for example one has a<br />
certain status, etc… but in principle we have <strong>the</strong> same rights and are <strong>the</strong> same. But through<br />
inner qualification <strong>the</strong>re exists <strong>the</strong> general ללכה and <strong>the</strong> particular טרפהל).<br />
And it is possible to explain that <strong>the</strong> mass (or <strong>the</strong> general) is called <strong>the</strong> opinion of <strong>the</strong><br />
landlords and <strong>the</strong> individual (or <strong>the</strong> particular) is called <strong>the</strong> opinion of <strong>the</strong> Torah (what does<br />
<strong>the</strong> opinion of <strong>the</strong> landlords mean?<br />
This means, and this is my addition to what he’s saying, that he acts everything out of self-‐<br />
interest. He also learns Torah for self-‐interest. And <strong>the</strong>re is nothing wrong about this, but it’s<br />
still a way of learning <strong>the</strong> Torah like <strong>the</strong> mass does it.<br />
And <strong>the</strong> o<strong>the</strong>rs, <strong>the</strong> individuals who learn Torah, do it with an intention by which <strong>the</strong>y always<br />
try to watch <strong>the</strong>mselves, correct <strong>the</strong>mselves, engage a battle within <strong>the</strong>mselves to<br />
undermine <strong>the</strong>ir self-‐interest while learning Torah or <strong>the</strong>y try to turn <strong>the</strong>ir self-‐interest into<br />
doing it for <strong>the</strong> sake of <strong>the</strong> name, which is called ‘daat Torah הרות תעד ’, <strong>the</strong> opinion of <strong>the</strong><br />
Torah. So he takes over <strong>the</strong> opinion of <strong>the</strong> Torah, not his own opinion, but <strong>the</strong> opinion of <strong>the</strong><br />
Torah).<br />
,םירמוא ,תיב הזיא הנוקש ימ ,גוהנ םלועה ךרדמ יכ ,אוה םיתב ילעב תעד לש שוריפהו<br />
הנוק םאו .ינולפל אקוד קר רחאל ךייש אל הז תיבהש ונייה ,ינולפל ךייש הז תיבש<br />
הז ,הזה ץפחה ךייש ימל ,הזל הז םילאוששכ ונייה ,רבד ותוא ןכ םג ,ןטק ץפח וליפא<br />
.ולש היהי ץפחש ידכב ,ץפחה דעב ןתנש העיגי ידי לע ותוא שכר אוהש ,ינולפל ךייש<br />
.ץפחה לע ארקנ ינולפ לש ומשו<br />
Line 48 – And <strong>the</strong> opinion of <strong>the</strong> landlords is, like it is common in our world, that when<br />
someone buys a house, <strong>the</strong>n it is said that it belongs to him and not someone else.<br />
And even when a he obtains a small thing (also this is <strong>the</strong> same) and when certain people ask<br />
each o<strong>the</strong>r to who this thing belongs, <strong>the</strong>n it belongs to <strong>the</strong> person who took it into<br />
possession by effort so it would be his.<br />
And <strong>the</strong> name of this person is called according to that thing (he’s trying to lead us<br />
somewhere. In <strong>the</strong> beginning of <strong>the</strong> article we dealt with <strong>the</strong> general and <strong>the</strong> particular, with<br />
<strong>the</strong> mass and <strong>the</strong> individual).<br />
הצור אוהש ,רכשהש ,אצמנ ,ותעיגי תרומת רכש הצורו העיגי ןתונ םדאהש ,'ה תודבעב ןכ ומכו<br />
ךותל אב לכהש ,אצמנ ,ב"הוע לש רכשו ז"הוע לש רכש שוכרל הצור אוהו .ומש לע ארקנ ,לבקל<br />
.ותעיגי ידי לע םתוא שכור אוהש ,םירבדה ולא לכ לע תיב לעבה אוהש ,ותושר<br />
Line 4 – (He’s going to fur<strong>the</strong>r work it out and tell us what it’s all about) It is <strong>the</strong> same with<br />
<strong>the</strong> service to <strong>the</strong> Creator (we know that <strong>the</strong> service to <strong>the</strong> Creator is to bring ourselves in<br />
accordance with <strong>the</strong> laws of <strong>the</strong> universe and this way we serve and pull all <strong>the</strong> good to us as<br />
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this is predestined in <strong>the</strong> Creating plan), so it is <strong>the</strong> same with <strong>the</strong> service to <strong>the</strong> Creator that<br />
<strong>the</strong> human being (pay attention that in Hebrew it is not written to make an effort but to give<br />
an effort… we’ll also use <strong>the</strong> word combination in our linguistic usage) gives an effort and<br />
wants of course for that something in return (which is called מרומת : to want something in<br />
return) so it seems that <strong>the</strong> reward he wishes to receive is called in <strong>the</strong> name of Him – in His<br />
Name.<br />
And he wishes to have a reward for our world and a reward for <strong>the</strong> coming world. So it<br />
seems that everything enters his territory or his possession, that he is <strong>the</strong> owner (תיב לעבה<br />
has two meanings, on <strong>the</strong> one hand landlord and on <strong>the</strong> o<strong>the</strong>r hand owner) of all <strong>the</strong> things<br />
he possesses by means of effort (we’ll learn that <strong>the</strong> opinion of <strong>the</strong> landlords means that a<br />
person still has and experiences his own territory. “Yes, <strong>the</strong>re is <strong>the</strong> Creator and me and also<br />
I have my own house (which means my own territory within myself) where nobody can<br />
enter”.<br />
“This is my territory and no king can enter my territory. I respect <strong>the</strong> Creator, but no-‐one can<br />
enter, till here and not fur<strong>the</strong>r”. This is <strong>the</strong> opinion of <strong>the</strong> mass.<br />
רבד םוש תושעל אלש אוה ,םיניבמ םהש המ תעדהש םושמ ,םיתב ילעב תעד םיארקנ םישנא ולאו<br />
,םיאור םה ןיא םאו .העיגיה י"ע גישהל ולכויש ,םירבד לע תולעב היהיש ונייה ,ומצע תלעותל אלא<br />
ןאכ שיש ,םיאור אל םה םא ,עגייתהלו דובעל חכ םהל ןיא ,םמצע תלעותל והשמ גישהל ולכויש<br />
.םיתב ילעב תניחב םהש ,ללכ ארקנ הזו .תימצע הבהא ארקנש ,ומצע תושר רובע חיורהל םוקמ<br />
Line 7 – (He brings us step by step to <strong>the</strong> qualification of <strong>the</strong> opinion of <strong>the</strong> Torah, someone<br />
who does it because of <strong>the</strong> Creator. This means that this person is aware of his own spiritual<br />
growth, while <strong>the</strong> o<strong>the</strong>r does it with his “hands and feet”, which means that he takes<br />
everything literally.<br />
Of course we can find both in one person, in <strong>the</strong> particular. Every one of us has within<br />
himself wishes that belong to <strong>the</strong> mass or <strong>the</strong> opinion of <strong>the</strong> landlords and wishes that<br />
belong to <strong>the</strong> individuals or opinion of <strong>the</strong> Torah.<br />
The whole point of our study is to change our opinion of <strong>the</strong> landlords into <strong>the</strong> opinion of<br />
<strong>the</strong> Torah or <strong>the</strong> opinion of individuals. This can o<strong>nl</strong>y be done through <strong>the</strong> light of <strong>the</strong> Torah<br />
and through effort and attitude by bringing ourselves in accordance with <strong>the</strong> light).<br />
And this people are called <strong>the</strong> opinion of <strong>the</strong> landlords, because <strong>the</strong>ir opinion is to do<br />
absolutely nothing except for own benefit, advantage or use. This means that <strong>the</strong>re has to<br />
be territory of things. (So when <strong>the</strong>re is talk that he can get territory in something, it doesn’t<br />
matter what he does, <strong>the</strong>n he will do it, o<strong>the</strong>rwise not.<br />
It’s very normal in our world, <strong>the</strong>re is nothing wrong about this, but in <strong>the</strong> spiritual it is of<br />
course different, in <strong>the</strong> eternal context, in <strong>the</strong> eternal goal, this person has not developed<br />
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yet). So <strong>the</strong> territory that <strong>the</strong>y look forward to is that something <strong>the</strong>y can achieve through<br />
effort.<br />
And when <strong>the</strong>y realize that <strong>the</strong>y won’t achieve anything for <strong>the</strong>ir own benefit <strong>the</strong>n <strong>the</strong>y<br />
don’t have <strong>the</strong> strength to make an effort. And this is called self-‐love or <strong>the</strong> opinion of<br />
landlords.<br />
שי םהל ,טרפל תוכייש םהל שיש םישנא ולא לכ ,תרמוא תאז .הרות תעד ארקנ טרפה ןכ םאש המ<br />
יכ ,ומצע ינפב תואיצמ םוש ול היהי אלש ,ומצע ותויטרפ תא לטבל הצור אוהש תויה .הרות תעד<br />
הצור אוהש םעטמ ,רבד םוש לע תיב לעב תויהל הצור אל אוהש ,ונייה .םשב תולעל הצור אל אוה<br />
,ותמגמ לכ והזו .'הל לטביהל קר ,רבד םושל ותומצע ליבשב גואדל אלו ,תימצע הבהאמ<br />
תאצל<br />
,ונייה .ה"בקה לש תושר אוהש ,דיחיה תושר קר היהיש הצור אוהו .ומצע תושר תא לטבל ונייה<br />
.דבלב דיחיה תושר אלא ,תויושר יתש ויהיש הצור אלש<br />
Line 12 – which cannot be said about <strong>the</strong> individuals who are called <strong>the</strong> opinion of <strong>the</strong> Torah.<br />
(We saw that <strong>the</strong> mass or <strong>the</strong> opinion of <strong>the</strong> landlords don’t do anything except for own<br />
benefit or reward in this world or in <strong>the</strong> future world.<br />
But in this paragraph he’s now talking about <strong>the</strong> individuals prat -‐ טרפ who adopted <strong>the</strong><br />
opinion of <strong>the</strong> Torah). This means that <strong>the</strong>se people have <strong>the</strong> opinion of <strong>the</strong> Torah (when<br />
one gives up his opinion for <strong>the</strong> sake of <strong>the</strong> higher reason, <strong>the</strong>n this person belongs to <strong>the</strong><br />
individuals) because he wishes to give up his own particularity (to annul it as it were), so that<br />
his own existence wouldn’t exist (as it were) on its own (how can someone come up with<br />
this and strive for this? And he says that this is <strong>the</strong> attitude towards fulfillment) because he<br />
doesn’t wish to be called after his own name. (This is my addition that he doesn’t wish to be<br />
called after a thing as with this he frees himself from mortality).<br />
This means that he doesn’t wish <strong>the</strong> be <strong>the</strong> owner of any thing whatsoever (owner means<br />
boundary, but boundary in <strong>the</strong> material. So a person as it were stuns a part of his inner, kills<br />
it, he makes a boundary in himself – till here and this belongs to me and I won’t let this part,<br />
malchut de malchut, be shone through by light), because this way he wishes to come out of<br />
his self-‐love (<strong>the</strong>re is no o<strong>the</strong>r way to come out of your self-‐love o<strong>the</strong>r than to give up from<br />
every kind of belonging in your inner and to free yourself from every thing and idea in this<br />
world that don’t belong to <strong>the</strong> eternity), so that he doesn’t have to worry about any thing<br />
whatsoever, but solely to give up himself for <strong>the</strong> Creator.<br />
To annul yourself for <strong>the</strong> Creator means that you bring yourself in accordance with <strong>the</strong><br />
eternal. We sacrifice our ego, our self-‐love that stands in our way to happiness, our<br />
fulfillment and not what religion tells us to sacrifice for example for your fellow man, your<br />
native country…<br />
That we don’t stay stubborn and attach ourselves to small things and appropriate <strong>the</strong>m for<br />
ourselves while <strong>the</strong> whole world is penetrated with <strong>the</strong> mercy of <strong>the</strong> Creator. And we stay<br />
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attached to those things and with that we pull din and judgment to ourselves as <strong>the</strong>re is<br />
discrepancy with <strong>the</strong> laws of <strong>the</strong> universe).<br />
And that is his whole goal, to annul his own territory – his own possession (in <strong>the</strong> Holy<br />
language תושר means as well as territory as well as property).<br />
And he wishes that <strong>the</strong>re would be solely <strong>the</strong> possession and territory of <strong>the</strong> <strong>On</strong>ly <strong>On</strong>e<br />
(because when I unite myself with <strong>the</strong> <strong>On</strong>ly <strong>On</strong>e who lives forever, I receive life by giving up<br />
my natural strivings, deviations of mine with regard to <strong>the</strong> eternal, perfect laws of <strong>the</strong><br />
universe), which is <strong>the</strong> territory of <strong>the</strong> Holy <strong>On</strong>e Blesses be He, this means that he doesn’t<br />
wish that <strong>the</strong>re would be two territories, but o<strong>nl</strong>y one territory (pay attention how he<br />
brought us to <strong>the</strong> true text. In our previous classes we have always talked about “me and <strong>the</strong><br />
Creator”, this is already a great understanding, also a great submission when you say “me<br />
and <strong>the</strong> Creator”.<br />
But now he says that eventually <strong>the</strong>re has to come one phase in your awareness, in your<br />
wisdom by which you recognize that <strong>the</strong>re is o<strong>nl</strong>y one territory, <strong>the</strong> territory of <strong>the</strong> eternal<br />
and you add yourself to Him, you merge with that one territory of <strong>the</strong> Creator. <strong>On</strong>ly this is<br />
<strong>the</strong> way to <strong>the</strong> perfection).<br />
קר היהיש ,"דחא 'ה וניקלא 'ה ,לארשי עמש" תרימאב ,םינווכמ םה ,"עמש תאירק" ןירוקשכו<br />
תעד" ארקנ הזו .דחא 'ה קר היהי אלו ,לטבתיש םיצור םה יטרפה םתושרו ,םלועב דחא תושר<br />
,"הילע ומצע תיממש ימב אלא ןימייקתמ הרות ירבד ןיא" (ג"ס תוכרב) ורמא ל"זחש תויה ,"הרות<br />
.תימצע הבהא לע הנווכהש ,ותוימצע תא תיממש<br />
,ושוריפש<br />
And when one reads or pronounces ‘Hear, Oh Yishrael – לארשי עמש (this is actually <strong>the</strong><br />
most important prayer that proclaims <strong>the</strong> unity of <strong>the</strong> Creator), <strong>the</strong>n one has at that<br />
moment <strong>the</strong> right kavannah by saying: ‘Hear, Oh Yisrael, G’d, Hasjem, Hawayah is one –<br />
דחא 'ה וניקלא 'ה ,לארשי עמש’, <strong>the</strong>y have <strong>the</strong> intention that <strong>the</strong>re is o<strong>nl</strong>y one territory in<br />
<strong>the</strong> world and <strong>the</strong>y want <strong>the</strong>ir territory to be undone so that <strong>the</strong>re would be o<strong>nl</strong>y <strong>the</strong><br />
Creator who is one – דחא 'ה (so <strong>the</strong> Creator is unity, unity in one, different phenomenons,<br />
different manifestations, different combinations of powers, but <strong>the</strong>y all are in <strong>the</strong> higher<br />
absolute one.) and this is called <strong>the</strong> opinion of <strong>the</strong> Torah -‐ "הרות תעד" because <strong>the</strong> wise<br />
men have said in <strong>the</strong> brachot (do you see, <strong>the</strong>y learn Yalmud, Misjna. We will at <strong>the</strong> same<br />
time learn <strong>the</strong> whole Torah while studying Shlavej HaSulam.) that <strong>the</strong> words of <strong>the</strong> Torah are<br />
o<strong>nl</strong>y resistant to those who kill <strong>the</strong>mselves with it (weird, what does it mean when someone<br />
kills himself with <strong>the</strong> words of <strong>the</strong> Torah. So o<strong>nl</strong>y those who let <strong>the</strong>mselves die with <strong>the</strong><br />
words of <strong>the</strong> Torah, o<strong>nl</strong>y <strong>the</strong>y become resistant for <strong>the</strong> Torah.<br />
Very, very important. He doesn’t say people who remember more, or people who learn<br />
more Torah, but our wise men have told us that o<strong>nl</strong>y those who let <strong>the</strong>mselves die by <strong>the</strong><br />
words of <strong>the</strong> Torah, o<strong>nl</strong>y <strong>the</strong>y become resistant for <strong>the</strong> Torah.<br />
71
Very special, because also I learned <strong>the</strong> Talmud and I felt every day fuller of knowledge as it<br />
tingles your brains and your intellect and you feel as if you grow with <strong>the</strong> day because you<br />
remember things.<br />
Your head becomes heavier, your whole attitude becomes heavier while <strong>the</strong> <strong>Kabbalah</strong> learns<br />
<strong>the</strong> inner study, <strong>the</strong>n it’s as if… you are so hungry for it, that you just keep eating, but you<br />
don’t lose your appetite and want to always eat more. It’s like it falls somewhere in you, but<br />
you don’t know where. You don’t have to remember, it lives within you.<br />
This is a totally different way of learning, a different way of experiencing it. It’s <strong>the</strong> process<br />
of learning that counts and not something you analyze after you’ve learned it. Because<br />
you’re going to remove it from <strong>the</strong> context.<br />
You can compare it with eating. You taste and experience <strong>the</strong> food you swallow and eat. You<br />
don’t analyze <strong>the</strong> food after you have eaten it. You also have to know that by eating, you<br />
feed your material part as <strong>the</strong> human being exists out of two. The material and <strong>the</strong> spiritual<br />
part – <strong>the</strong> eternal part. The material part is temporary, but we have both and you have to<br />
feed both of <strong>the</strong>m.<br />
So we eat every day, and we don’t skip that… your daily coffee, breakfast, dinner, … You<br />
don’t miss that. It’s exactly <strong>the</strong> same with your spiritual part. If a person doesn’t feed his<br />
spiritual part, he lets it suffer. It doesn’t go to waste, but it gets buried, it doesn’t function<br />
anymore within you.<br />
Okay, we were in <strong>the</strong> middle of line two – and that is called <strong>the</strong> opinion of <strong>the</strong> Torah – when<br />
someone gives up his territory in favor of <strong>the</strong> eternal, <strong>the</strong> true reality.<br />
Actually it all comes down to his own fulfillment), and that means that he kills with that his<br />
self-‐love (do you see, he tells us that <strong>the</strong> words of <strong>the</strong> Torah are meant to kill your self-‐love<br />
and o<strong>nl</strong>y <strong>the</strong>n <strong>the</strong> Torah remains resistant and alive.<br />
That is what he says. And not someone who learns better, can remember better, has more<br />
knowledge. If he still nourishes his self-‐love, <strong>the</strong>n he absolutely doesn’t do anything in <strong>the</strong><br />
eyes of <strong>the</strong> Creator. He has <strong>the</strong>n <strong>the</strong> opinion of <strong>the</strong> landlords. He of course learns good, but<br />
for himself.<br />
תוותשה ארקנה ,תוקיבד תניחבל עיגהל אוה ונינעש ,תרמוא תאז .דחא ןינע םה הרות תעדו טרפהש<br />
,ןאכמ עמשמ<br />
עוקש ןיידעש ,שיגרמ םדאהש ןמז לכו .ךרבתי וילא לטביהל אוה ותמגמ לכ אלא ,תימצע הבהא לוטיבו הרוצה<br />
איהש ,דיגיש ,ותדובעב<br />
םלש אוהש ,ומצע תוארל לוכי אוה ןיא ,היקודקד לכב מ"ות םייקמש םגה ,תימצע הבהאב<br />
תעד הנוכמה ,ומצע תושרל לכה סנכיש הצור אוה ןיידע ,השוע אוהש המ לכש ,האור אוהש תויה ,המילש הדובע<br />
.תויושר יתש ול שיש הזב ,בלל הז חקול אוהו .תויושר יתש ול שיש ,ול תפכיא אלו ,םיתב לעב<br />
Line 23 – It means from this that <strong>the</strong> individual and <strong>the</strong> opinion of <strong>the</strong> Torah are one (it’s<br />
about <strong>the</strong> same) this means, that it’s about what he does to achieve <strong>the</strong> aspect of merging,<br />
which is called in accordance with quality (so to be in accordance with quality is called<br />
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merging) and <strong>the</strong> giving up of self-‐love, but all his striving to annul / efface himself has to be<br />
for <strong>the</strong> Creator.<br />
And as long as a person feels that he is still sunk in his self-‐love, despite <strong>the</strong> fact that he<br />
fulfills <strong>the</strong> Torah and its regulations with accuracy, and he can’t see that he is whole, Shalem<br />
in his service, in his work, his spiritual work, that he could say that <strong>the</strong> work he does for<br />
himself (or for <strong>the</strong> Creator, that’s <strong>the</strong> same) is <strong>the</strong> perfect service, because everything he<br />
does, he still wishes that it enters his own property, so <strong>the</strong> property that is called <strong>the</strong> opinion<br />
of <strong>the</strong> landlords. It doesn’t make a difference for him that he has two territories (one<br />
territory for <strong>the</strong> Creator and one territory for himself. So he also endures <strong>the</strong> Creator.<br />
Do you remember <strong>the</strong> story that I’ve told about Chafetz Chaim, <strong>the</strong> great rabbi of <strong>the</strong><br />
thirties, 1930 approximately. That he had o<strong>nl</strong>y one son and he was already an aged, old man.<br />
When his son passed away, he went to <strong>the</strong> cemetery to bury him and all his… his students<br />
who knew him very well, every gesture of him.<br />
They saw that he didn’t weep a tear at his son’s funeral. But during <strong>the</strong> descending of <strong>the</strong><br />
body of his son in <strong>the</strong> grave, it seemed that his face of cleared up, began to shine of love, joy<br />
and gratitude and his students could of not understand it. It were all great rabbi’s and <strong>the</strong>y<br />
couldn’t comprehend it. How could it be, did he have no heart?<br />
And after a while, when he was better, Jews grieve a week or so, and when he had resumed<br />
his daily life, his students asked him; rabbi, what was that all about? When your o<strong>nl</strong>y son was<br />
being descended into <strong>the</strong> grave, we saw your face shine of happiness.<br />
He answered that all his life he had said “Shma Yisrael – Hear Oh Israel, <strong>the</strong> Creator is one” –<br />
this is <strong>the</strong> most important prayer when a Jew, I mean everyone who strives to be in<br />
accordance with <strong>the</strong> Creator by which he at that moment gives up everything, a Jew needs<br />
to at that moment give up his whole life for <strong>the</strong> sake of unity with <strong>the</strong> Creator.<br />
He kills himself for 100 %, from within for <strong>the</strong> sake of <strong>the</strong> Creator. So <strong>the</strong> rabbi said that he<br />
had pronounced <strong>the</strong> following prayer all his life: “Shma Yisrael – Hear oh Israel, You are one<br />
and you will love <strong>the</strong> Creator with all your heart, with all your soul and with all your wealth”.<br />
And he said that he had always felt that he couldn’t fulfill it, because he felt that <strong>the</strong>re was a<br />
small part in his heart that loved his o<strong>nl</strong>y son.<br />
And now he saw that his son was taken away from him and he understood that he could<br />
finally fulfill that prayer properly. This is <strong>the</strong> unprecedented greatness and this is <strong>the</strong> opinion<br />
of <strong>the</strong> Torah. So he showed his students, <strong>the</strong> great Chafetz Chaim, also his name, his<br />
nickname means “he who wishes to live passionately”.<br />
So he told his students that he saw at that moment with all his heart and with all his soul <strong>the</strong><br />
unity. And this is <strong>the</strong> opinion of <strong>the</strong> teprat, <strong>the</strong> individual, this is <strong>the</strong> opinion of <strong>the</strong> Torah).<br />
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Lesson 7<br />
ותושרב וסינכהלו ,ומצע תושרמ ותוא איצוי 'הש ,ובל תוריקמ תיתימא הלפת תתל לגוסמ אוה זא<br />
שי הז םושמו .ךרבתי וילא לטב לכהש ,דיחיה תושר קר םלועב ןיאש ,שיגריש ,ונייה .ה"בקה לש<br />
.טרפהל דחוימ ךוניחו ,ללכהל דחוימ ךוניח<br />
Page 4, line 29 – (We came to an end in <strong>the</strong> previous lesson when someone had <strong>the</strong> feeling<br />
that he had two territories within himself. This means that he feels inside him that on <strong>the</strong> one<br />
hand he exists and on <strong>the</strong> o<strong>the</strong>r hand <strong>the</strong> Creator exists, but separately. And now Ashlag<br />
continues.)<br />
Then he is capable to give a true prayer (do you see, in Hebrew <strong>the</strong>y say ‘to give a prayer’,<br />
it’s important to know which words are used. So when he experiences this duality, that is a<br />
good moment.<br />
Actually it’s a progress. Because o<strong>nl</strong>y <strong>the</strong>n he can give <strong>the</strong> true prayer – let us translate it with<br />
give, this way we can feel <strong>the</strong> power of <strong>the</strong> language – to give a prayer) from <strong>the</strong> walls of his<br />
heart (it means from <strong>the</strong> depth of his heart. But in Hebrew <strong>the</strong>y say ‘from <strong>the</strong> walls of his<br />
heart’) and ask in his prayer that may <strong>the</strong> Creator let him come out from his own territory (his<br />
own possession) and to let him enter <strong>the</strong> territory of <strong>the</strong> Holy <strong>On</strong>e blessed be He ה"בקה –<br />
HaKadosh baruch Hoe (Hakadosh is <strong>the</strong> Holy, baruch means blessed, and Hoe He. Also<br />
this name has a special meaning in power.)<br />
This means so he can start feeling that <strong>the</strong>re exists in <strong>the</strong> world o<strong>nl</strong>y <strong>the</strong> territory of <strong>the</strong> <strong>On</strong>ly<br />
<strong>On</strong>e (this is our problem, that we can’t experience this) and that everything is annulled for <strong>the</strong><br />
Holy <strong>On</strong>e, (for <strong>the</strong> Creator, for <strong>the</strong> eternal life.) <strong>the</strong>refore <strong>the</strong>re exists a special education for<br />
<strong>the</strong> mass (this means a separate education for <strong>the</strong> mass), and ano<strong>the</strong>r education for <strong>the</strong><br />
individuals (being an ‘individual’ means that he experiences he’s an individual. Not due to<br />
pride or arrogance, but he feels that <strong>the</strong> way of <strong>the</strong> mass is no longer meant for him.<br />
Why? It’s like this... Don’t ask yourself why. Why do I feel more related to <strong>the</strong> education of<br />
<strong>the</strong> individual, because it’s <strong>the</strong> way by which a person admits that <strong>the</strong>re is o<strong>nl</strong>y <strong>the</strong> territory of<br />
<strong>the</strong> Creator.)<br />
םהב שי ,םישוע םהש המ לכש ונייה ,תומילשה ךרד לע ללכה תא םיכנחמ עודמ ,ןיבהל שי םנמא<br />
שרוח םדא רשפא" ,לאושו ,לאעמשי 'רמ רתויב רימחמה אוהש ,י"בשר וליפאש ,ל"נכ ,תומילש<br />
תאירק אלא םדא ארק אל וליפא" ,רמוא אוה םוקמ לכמ ."הילע אהת המ הרות ,השירח תעשב<br />
תיגהו" קוספה תא םייק וליאכ ונייה ,"ךיפמ הזה הרות רפס שומי אל" םייק ," תיברעו תירחש עמש<br />
."הלילו םמוי<br />
Line 32 – However we have to understand why <strong>the</strong> mass is educated by means of perfection<br />
(one gives <strong>the</strong> mass <strong>the</strong> perfect way, <strong>the</strong>y are told what to do and <strong>the</strong>y feel perfect. But I’ve<br />
already told you that with this he means <strong>the</strong> uncorrected wishes of an individual person who is<br />
working on himself.<br />
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Because <strong>the</strong> individual has also wishes, aspirations that aren’t corrected yet. So you have to<br />
always see this in perspective of one person. It sometimes helps to divide <strong>the</strong>m by looking<br />
from <strong>the</strong> general point of view by which you have <strong>the</strong> mass and <strong>the</strong> individuals. <strong>On</strong> <strong>the</strong> o<strong>the</strong>r<br />
hand you have <strong>the</strong> particular point of view by which everything is in one person; both <strong>the</strong><br />
wishes of <strong>the</strong> mass and <strong>the</strong> wishes of <strong>the</strong> individual), this mean that everything <strong>the</strong>y do (<strong>the</strong><br />
mass) that <strong>the</strong>y have perfection<br />
Do you understand? He does what is written and feels perfect. But he did it without having<br />
<strong>the</strong> right intention. Of course he had an intention, but <strong>the</strong> intention to get a reward in this<br />
world or <strong>the</strong> next. While an individual gradually progresses and separates him from rewards<br />
and o<strong>nl</strong>y <strong>the</strong>n one can receive <strong>the</strong> greatest rewards. Of course this is structural, you can’t do it<br />
overnight. A person has to work very hard to get to this point. There is a very interesting<br />
subject. Sometimes it seems as if <strong>the</strong> Zohar is telling a story, but qua powers it’s structural.<br />
The Zohar tells about rabbi Yehuda, one of <strong>the</strong> ten who wrote Zohar. He lived somewhere in<br />
Yisrael and he had a school <strong>the</strong>re, like our school, but he was a great rabbi. So one day a<br />
young man came to his school, he wasn’t married and said to Yehuda: ‘I want to learn Torah,<br />
because I want to become rich’. He had a reason and he knew that one could get rich by<br />
learning <strong>the</strong> Torah.<br />
Therefore we can also see in our world when someone learns Torah with a certain intention,<br />
he can get rich. You can also see this in America. Everything depends on what you want. It’s<br />
interesting that this example is given in <strong>the</strong> Zohar.<br />
Then rabbi Yehuda said to him, go sit down and learn. Yehuda didn’t say this wasn’t <strong>the</strong> good<br />
intention. When someone is still in <strong>the</strong> state of learning to receive a reward, <strong>the</strong>n you need to<br />
accept this. You don’t have to say this to him, if he was perfect <strong>the</strong>n he wouldn’t need your<br />
help.<br />
So he started learning and after a while he asked <strong>the</strong> rabbi why he wasn’t rich yet? In those<br />
days, when a rabbi had a problem, he went to a separate room where he could meditate on his<br />
own without haste, without pushing to get an answer at all costs. So he separated him from <strong>the</strong><br />
rest and got an answer from above. Of course in himself. It was said to him: ‘don’t send him<br />
away because he will become a great man, let him learn in your school’.<br />
This was said to him from above but he wasn’t told why, not in detail. Why not? Because a<br />
person has to make <strong>the</strong> effort himself. He is told what will happen to him but he has to realize<br />
this, he has to be <strong>the</strong> active link. If you listen to this voice and work on yourself, <strong>the</strong>n it will<br />
happen to you. It can be <strong>the</strong> short way or <strong>the</strong> long way with a lot of side-paths. You can go to<br />
your endpoint directly or through suffering. This all depends on you.<br />
And how consistent will you be in following <strong>the</strong> advice. Just like with Jonah, a great prophet<br />
who was assigned to go to <strong>the</strong> Assyrian city Nineveh outside of Yisrael. He had to assist, help<br />
and instruct <strong>the</strong>m. Because <strong>the</strong>y were at <strong>the</strong> point of destruction if <strong>the</strong>y didn’t repent.<br />
During that time Nineveh was a big city, a metropolis. The entire city took this into account<br />
and all <strong>the</strong> rich people repented so <strong>the</strong> city was saved. But Jonah fled by boarding a ship,<br />
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along <strong>the</strong> way <strong>the</strong>re was a storm that threw him overboard. He was swallowed up by a whale<br />
and repented <strong>the</strong>re. Afterwards he was spit out on <strong>the</strong> beach and he went back to Nineveh to<br />
complete his assignment. A lot of Torah. The Torah gives us a lot of events. So he wasn’t able<br />
to escape from <strong>the</strong> assignment he was given from above. But of course, <strong>the</strong> contribution of a<br />
person also counts…<br />
From above it is told what we have to do even though it doesn’t feel good. Before, we o<strong>nl</strong>y<br />
learned once a week and a bit during <strong>the</strong> week. And now, sudde<strong>nl</strong>y we have to learn every<br />
night. Does it feel better? No, it’s exhausting and tiring but we are still doing it.<br />
So rabbi Yehuda left his room and approached <strong>the</strong> young man who wanted to get rich. He was<br />
warned to not send him away. Afterwards ano<strong>the</strong>r man entered <strong>the</strong> school and told <strong>the</strong> rabbi<br />
he was very rich. His fa<strong>the</strong>r had left him thirteen cups – everything is of course spiritually, but<br />
it also happened in real life – in paz, very high quality of gold, platinum but much more<br />
expensive, <strong>the</strong> best that <strong>the</strong>re is, and he showed a cup. This man was rich but he knew that a<br />
person has to also learn <strong>the</strong> spiritual, <strong>the</strong> Torah. He was rich, but not rich of Torah.<br />
It’s written if you can’t learn, for example you’re a business man, you have a busy life in <strong>the</strong><br />
politics etc, <strong>the</strong>n you have to find someone else who can learn for you. You pay him, you<br />
make a professional contract by which he learns day and night and you both share <strong>the</strong> Torah.<br />
The person who is rich supports <strong>the</strong> o<strong>the</strong>r who learns <strong>the</strong> Torah for himself and for his<br />
supporter. How can this be given in our world? When you truly come to an agreement <strong>the</strong>n<br />
it’s possible that ano<strong>the</strong>r person learns for you. Nothing disappears in <strong>the</strong> spiritual. If an<br />
agreement is made, <strong>the</strong>n it will happen.<br />
So this rich man came to <strong>the</strong> school and told Yehuda he wants to learn <strong>the</strong> Torah. Wants to<br />
find someone who can learn <strong>the</strong> Torah for him, but a part has to be given to him.<br />
It’s not enough to be rich without <strong>the</strong> Torah. Why? When someone dies and his soul is set<br />
free, he will be asked what he has accomplished on earth. All <strong>the</strong> material goods stay behind<br />
and isn’t yours anymore. So what remains of him? Then he receives a part of <strong>the</strong> Torah<br />
because he had an agreement with someone.<br />
So rabbi Yehuda went to <strong>the</strong> young man and told him he could learn <strong>the</strong> Torah for someone<br />
else. Of course he agreed because he wanted to get rich. The rich man gave him a cup and he<br />
started to learn <strong>the</strong> Torah for him and for <strong>the</strong> money.<br />
And of course one day, after had had learned <strong>the</strong> Torah for a while, <strong>the</strong> rabbi saw this young<br />
man called Josie crying. So he asked him what was wrong, by that time he had already<br />
learned a lot… and Josie had <strong>the</strong> feeling that by learning <strong>the</strong> Torah this way, he was giving up<br />
his life, and <strong>the</strong> true richness in <strong>the</strong> afterlife.<br />
Whe<strong>the</strong>r we’re learning about <strong>the</strong> right line or <strong>the</strong> left line. We have always said that <strong>the</strong> right<br />
line is mercy, love and eternity while <strong>the</strong> left line is chochmah, din, strictness without mercy.<br />
Someone who strives to get rich in our world has a hard life, you can see it on his face, it’s<br />
like a rock. He is deliberately working on his suffering.<br />
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Also Josie who wanted to get rich by learning <strong>the</strong> Torah realized something, that he was<br />
lacking <strong>the</strong> future world. What does this mean? That he wanted to get rich by learning <strong>the</strong><br />
Torah, and because of this he had his own territory next to <strong>the</strong> territory of <strong>the</strong> Creator. This<br />
was tearing him apart.<br />
So he was crying and <strong>the</strong>n rabbi Yehuda understood that he was finally ready to work in <strong>the</strong><br />
Name of <strong>the</strong> Creator, that he wanted to receive without expecting a reward through <strong>the</strong> Torah.<br />
He had started learning Torah to get rich and by learning <strong>the</strong> Torah, <strong>the</strong> light of <strong>the</strong> Torah<br />
gradually transformed him. The more rewards he got <strong>the</strong> more he understood how great it is to<br />
work on himself without receiving (visible) rewards.<br />
Then <strong>the</strong>y called <strong>the</strong> rich man… and from <strong>the</strong>n he was called rabbi Josie. In <strong>the</strong> beginning<br />
when he started learning Yehuda had given him a different name: Joshie ben pasa, son of<br />
platinum. Because we have already said, <strong>the</strong> intention is also carved in <strong>the</strong> name, so when one<br />
is given an extra name from above <strong>the</strong>n this is part of his destination. When someone wants to<br />
get rich <strong>the</strong>n this is also initiated from above that he gets rich as a phase to his development.<br />
So when he was crying he became aware he didn’t want to learn Torah for a reward, because<br />
<strong>the</strong>n he would have his own territory. So <strong>the</strong>y called that rich man and rabbi Josie – he was<br />
called rabbi from <strong>the</strong>n on, it doesn’t matter if he received a certification or not, how many<br />
rabbis have a certification? But from above he was called rabbi, why? From <strong>the</strong> moment when<br />
someone starts working without expecting a reward <strong>the</strong>n he is seen as rabbi from above. But<br />
when someone still asks and expects a reward <strong>the</strong>n…<br />
So <strong>the</strong> rich man was called and he was told to take his cup back but he would be given more<br />
than half…- because everything he learns in <strong>the</strong> Zohar gives power. He’s not learning words<br />
but powers that are raised through <strong>the</strong> Torah in rabbi Josie and all <strong>the</strong> corrections he does, this<br />
will also be given to <strong>the</strong> o<strong>the</strong>r person in <strong>the</strong> future world when both souls break up from <strong>the</strong>ir<br />
bodies. Then <strong>the</strong>y will be joined toge<strong>the</strong>r for <strong>the</strong> parts that he had learned for him, more than<br />
<strong>the</strong> half of <strong>the</strong> Torah will be transferred to <strong>the</strong> o<strong>the</strong>r soul.<br />
This is hard to understand for us because we’re still trapped in our bodies. He also asked <strong>the</strong><br />
rich man to give <strong>the</strong> cup to <strong>the</strong> poor, this was his condition.<br />
From that moment rabbi Josie started making great progress and he went down in history as<br />
Josie ben Pase, son of platinum. He became a great wise man; also his sons became great<br />
Kabbalists.<br />
So this is <strong>the</strong> story of someone who at first wanted to get rich but afterwards he realized that<br />
<strong>the</strong> highest and greatest pleasure is <strong>the</strong> knowledge of <strong>the</strong> eternal. Then sudde<strong>nl</strong>y you don’t<br />
need rewards anymore, you can give it away. Through this he had obtained one territory with<br />
<strong>the</strong> Creator.<br />
It’s great to experience moments when you are one with <strong>the</strong> eternity. This means that during a<br />
certain moment in <strong>the</strong> day <strong>the</strong> wave lengths in you correspond with <strong>the</strong> wave lengths of <strong>the</strong><br />
eternity and this in broad daylight and not in a dream or a vision. A kabbalist, a person who<br />
works on himself doesn’t need visions; you can do this every day!!!<br />
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By doing this your name will be written in <strong>the</strong> book of life. And when you have a busy day<br />
etc… you have to work, do things… <strong>the</strong>n still you have to find a moment in <strong>the</strong> day to work<br />
on <strong>the</strong> eternal, to bring yourself in accordance with <strong>the</strong> eternal.<br />
Okay, so <strong>the</strong> mass is educated in perfection. Do this and that and you will get a reward in our<br />
world and in <strong>the</strong> future world.<br />
…that even Rashbi (rabbi Shimon bar Yochai) who is stricter in his position than rabbi<br />
Yismael (because we have explained that rabbi Yismael says that one has to do literally<br />
what’s written in <strong>the</strong> Torah while rabbi Rashbi underlines <strong>the</strong> individual work and <strong>the</strong> right<br />
intention.<br />
that it is possible that a person ploughs in <strong>the</strong> time of plough (this means doing individual<br />
work and not o<strong>nl</strong>y for <strong>the</strong> mass), <strong>the</strong>n what will <strong>the</strong> Torah mean for him. Still rabbi Rashbi<br />
says: ‘even when a person says hear, oh Yisrael’ (it’s a short prayer that announces <strong>the</strong> unity,<br />
two times a day, this way he fulfills <strong>the</strong> regulation that is given to him from above) that <strong>the</strong><br />
Torah may not leave your month (We have to talk about <strong>the</strong> eternal every day. There is also<br />
an indication that reading o<strong>nl</strong>y with your eyes is not sufficient. Remember this very well. For<br />
example when I read <strong>the</strong> Zohar, I always read with my lips, by whispering a bit, this way you<br />
don’t disturb anyone. Try doing it also. Because reading with your lips means also making<br />
zivug.<br />
Why? Two elements of your palate touch each o<strong>the</strong>r when pronouncing words and <strong>the</strong>n it<br />
goes outside. Speech has been given to us so we have to use it. Don’t o<strong>nl</strong>y look with your<br />
eyes, that’s not sufficient. <strong>On</strong>ly for <strong>the</strong> spiritual, I’m not talking about certain information in<br />
our world. But for <strong>the</strong> eternal you have to pronounce it with your lips. This will also bring you<br />
in <strong>the</strong> state of now. When o<strong>nl</strong>y reading with your eyes you can be everywhere but when you<br />
pronounce it <strong>the</strong>n it forces you to stay in now. This is very important. Try to do this.<br />
Very quietly, nobody has to know, but you have to pronounce <strong>the</strong> words very quietly.<br />
Therefore it says: it may not leave your month.) this means, as if he fulfilled <strong>the</strong> verse: ‘you<br />
will pronounce it day and night’ (this confirms you have to pronounce it quietly, it doesn’t<br />
have to be loud. This is very important.<br />
So he is emphasizing <strong>the</strong> position of Rashbi about <strong>the</strong> importance of inner work as an<br />
individual and <strong>the</strong> point of work <strong>the</strong> mass does. Because a person can’t be thrown in <strong>the</strong><br />
depths from <strong>the</strong> start. A person can’t work from <strong>the</strong> start for <strong>the</strong> Creator, he has to gradually<br />
work on himself and come to this phase. There are people who are learning <strong>the</strong> Torah for fifty<br />
years and are still doing it for <strong>the</strong>ir wallet and also for o<strong>the</strong>r things. While it has to be <strong>the</strong><br />
o<strong>the</strong>r way around.)<br />
לוכי םדא ןיאש ,עבטהב קוח םיאור ונאו ,תוצמו הרותהב ללכהל הזיחא תויהל הכירצש תויה ,םלוא<br />
םאו ,םיתב ילעב תעד שי ללכהלש תויהו .וישעמב תומדקתה האור אל אוה םא ,רבד םוש תושעל<br />
.םהילא םירבדמש המ וניבי אל וליפא םה זא ,הרות תעד שיש ,םהל ודיגי<br />
Line 37 – (We’re filling our <strong>the</strong> cup of platinum drop by drop. We’re not going to explain<br />
everything in detail, just try listening and your inner will understand <strong>the</strong> content.<br />
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The passage about <strong>the</strong> poor and rich man is very important. If we work on ourselves every<br />
day <strong>the</strong>n we will create a new system in us.) however, <strong>the</strong> mass should stick to <strong>the</strong> Torah and<br />
regulations (It doesn’t matter which intention <strong>the</strong>y have. At first <strong>the</strong>y should stick to it), and<br />
we can see a law in <strong>the</strong> nature (<strong>the</strong> law in <strong>the</strong> nature corresponds with <strong>the</strong> laws of <strong>the</strong><br />
universe, of <strong>the</strong> spiritual. And we see that קוח means <strong>the</strong> law that is eternal, immune.) that a<br />
person is not capable, can’t do anything if he doesn’t see progress in his deeds (he’s saying<br />
that this is a law of <strong>the</strong> nature, <strong>the</strong>refore it’s important for us to go above <strong>the</strong> laws of <strong>the</strong><br />
nature. Because this is what <strong>the</strong> nature says: ‘if I can’t see any progress <strong>the</strong>n I’m not capable<br />
of doing anything. Because he doesn’t receive a reward.)<br />
And since <strong>the</strong> mass follows <strong>the</strong> opinion of <strong>the</strong> landlords (<strong>the</strong> opinion of <strong>the</strong> Torah and <strong>the</strong><br />
opinion of <strong>the</strong> landlords. Landlord means that he’s doing everything for himself, to receive a<br />
reward. He learns <strong>the</strong> Torah for rewards, he’s making a deal with <strong>the</strong> Creator. A person says<br />
to himself: ‘If I go to <strong>the</strong> synagogue in <strong>the</strong> morning, or <strong>the</strong> church, doesn’t matter <strong>the</strong>n my<br />
children will have a good life, be rich and maybe I’ll go to <strong>the</strong> future world etc’. This is what<br />
he’s telling us about <strong>the</strong> mass.<br />
A landlord owns a house, he has a own territory. He benefits from it and doesn’t allow anyone<br />
to enter his house. Do you see, <strong>the</strong>re is nothing wrong about having a house in our world. It’s<br />
about <strong>the</strong> spiritual.<br />
If you have a house or a yacht, <strong>the</strong> point is that you start learning to accept that <strong>the</strong>re is o<strong>nl</strong>y<br />
one territory. It doesn’t matter what you have, that’s given to you, but you have to accept that<br />
<strong>the</strong> Creator is one, that <strong>the</strong>re is o<strong>nl</strong>y one territory and you’re his manager, you have to manage<br />
your property.<br />
Therefore rich people, if <strong>the</strong>y are aware of this, <strong>the</strong>y donate money. It’s obligatory, <strong>the</strong>y feel<br />
<strong>the</strong>y have to do this.<br />
and if <strong>the</strong>y would tell him that <strong>the</strong>re also exists <strong>the</strong> opinion of <strong>the</strong> Torah <strong>the</strong>n <strong>the</strong>y would not<br />
understand what you are talking about.<br />
(Do you see what he’s telling us; when you tell someone who belongs to <strong>the</strong> mass and also<br />
someone who doesn’t belong to <strong>the</strong> mass, because everything is in one person. So <strong>the</strong>se<br />
people won’t understand it.<br />
The opinion of <strong>the</strong> Torah means a person makes <strong>the</strong> effort to get to <strong>the</strong> right<br />
intention/kavannah to learn <strong>the</strong> Torah for <strong>the</strong> Creator and not for o<strong>the</strong>r reasons, but to reach<br />
this point one has to grow.<br />
You can see that I have underlined this in our course from <strong>the</strong> very beginning. In <strong>the</strong> past wise<br />
men learned differently, <strong>the</strong>y had to find this out <strong>the</strong>mselves, step by step, <strong>the</strong> time wasn’t ripe<br />
<strong>the</strong>n. But in our time we can immediately make a person aware of this without giving him<br />
high hopes.<br />
We also saw this with rabbi Josie who wanted to learn for money. Rabbi Yehuda let him learn<br />
at his school because every intention comes from <strong>the</strong> Creator. Maybe his intention will change<br />
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later. Therefore I will never ask your intention, let alone <strong>the</strong> intention of <strong>the</strong> group who o<strong>nl</strong>y<br />
come on Thursdays and don’t learn at night.<br />
Your intention comes from above. It’s not my task to question this. Even you don’t know why<br />
you are doing this, do you understand? It doesn’t matter why you are doing this. If you want<br />
to, <strong>the</strong>n do it, but <strong>the</strong> intention doesn’t matter. The final goal is salvation, complete salvation,<br />
complete unity with <strong>the</strong> laws of <strong>the</strong> universe and this will bring fulfillment to you and <strong>the</strong><br />
entire Creation, it’s all about this.<br />
ומכ .הלימ ףא ןיבי אל יאדוב ,תילגנאה הפשב וילא ורבדי םאו ,תירבע קר רבדמש ימ ,המוד הז יכ<br />
ונייה ,תרחא הפש וניבי אלש חטב , תימצע הבהא לש הפשה קר םיניבמ םהש ,םיתב ילעב תעדש ןכ<br />
. העפשה לש הפש<br />
Line 40 – (He is now going to explain <strong>the</strong> last paragraph in detail. That <strong>the</strong> mass would not<br />
understand if you would say: ‘do it without expecting a reward’. They think: ‘How can you<br />
work without getting something in return?’. This also concerns us. Who can say that he can<br />
work without absolutely expecting anything in return? Nobody, but still we’re trying and <strong>the</strong><br />
quicker you do this, <strong>the</strong> faster you’ll progress.)<br />
Because this resembles to <strong>the</strong> following, for example when someone o<strong>nl</strong>y talks Hebrew and<br />
he tries talking to someone who o<strong>nl</strong>y understands English, of course he won’t understand a<br />
word.<br />
It’s <strong>the</strong> same for <strong>the</strong> opinion of <strong>the</strong> landlords, that <strong>the</strong>y o<strong>nl</strong>y understand one language (Look<br />
how he’s explaining this, simple language. They o<strong>nl</strong>y understand <strong>the</strong> language of self-love.<br />
The mass o<strong>nl</strong>y knows one language. Remember this very well.), of course he would say that<br />
he doesn’t understand ano<strong>the</strong>r language, this means <strong>the</strong> language of giving (Language of<br />
altruism.<br />
They o<strong>nl</strong>y understand one language. What do I gain from this? When I go to a synagogue or a<br />
church. There is o<strong>nl</strong>y one thing on his mind, what do I gain from this. Maybe nothing material<br />
but a great feeling, a pleasant moment, … All for himself.<br />
Do you see what we’re learning? You can’t find this anywhere else. It’s a challenge to<br />
overcome your human aspirations. You have to learn giving, this doesn’t mean o<strong>nl</strong>y in <strong>the</strong><br />
material, but also a part of yourself, of your ego, self-love. Learn step by step <strong>the</strong> o<strong>the</strong>r<br />
language. The language of giving. Because everyone knows <strong>the</strong> language of receiving, all<br />
people, animals, plants, <strong>the</strong>y understand this language from <strong>the</strong>ir birth – <strong>the</strong> language of selflove<br />
– of course <strong>the</strong>re is nothing wrong about this language.<br />
We are made to receive. The point is that we overcome this, <strong>the</strong>n we’ll be like <strong>the</strong> Creator<br />
Himself, and not like children who o<strong>nl</strong>y want to receive. Because you never get enough out of<br />
receiving, nobody. It will always attract us, it tempts us… <strong>the</strong> more you have <strong>the</strong> more you<br />
want. Which business man stops? He continues till he has a heart attack and <strong>the</strong>n he has to<br />
stop.<br />
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I’ve seen this happen to a lot of people. They had heart problems so <strong>the</strong>y were advised to stop<br />
working. For a while <strong>the</strong>y take a rest and once <strong>the</strong>y feel better <strong>the</strong>y start working again. While<br />
this should have been his salvation. A heart attack, hernia or ano<strong>the</strong>r disease one gets, if<br />
someone doesn’t respond to it adequately <strong>the</strong>n something bad is bound to happen, G’d forbid.<br />
So after taking it easy, he’s starting to recover and you can see on his face and attitude that he<br />
learned something from it. But <strong>the</strong> bad element inside him starts chasing him again: ‘come on,<br />
go to work again, <strong>the</strong>re is a lot to do!’ and he forgets what had happened to him and continues<br />
his career till he gets ano<strong>the</strong>r blow, G’d forbid, but this time much worse to get him on <strong>the</strong><br />
right path again.<br />
Remember this very well, work on yourself. Listen to your own ideas but be careful. There is<br />
a memory aid: <strong>the</strong> ideas, inspirations you have are o<strong>nl</strong>y constructive when <strong>the</strong>y lead you to<br />
give more instead of receiving. Then you will receive but in a kosher way. You won’t get any<br />
diseases, or misery etc.<br />
Before, when I was giving private sessions, I met a rabbi from Belgium, a great film maker.<br />
He wanted to take it easy through learning <strong>the</strong> Torah, <strong>Kabbalah</strong>, because he was constantly<br />
having new ideas… ano<strong>the</strong>r film, one more, ano<strong>the</strong>r one, etc.<br />
I’m not trying to say he should stop making movies, but don’t get rushed or hunted by your<br />
bad element, o<strong>the</strong>rwise you will never come to your fulfillment, because he was constantly<br />
wanting more and more… while he wasn’t receiving any blessing. There is no blessing in<br />
‘more’, why? There is no end in ‘more’. <strong>On</strong>e is constantly tempted from inside, <strong>the</strong> bad<br />
element will whisper to do this and that etc, but why? Your bad element profits from material<br />
wishes.<br />
Of course not everything is bad. Everything that people do in our world for <strong>the</strong> economy is<br />
necessary. Even though it’s for <strong>the</strong>m, <strong>the</strong>y also do it for society and its progress. They’re<br />
indirectly forced to also do for o<strong>the</strong>rs. Even in a selfish way <strong>the</strong>y still do for o<strong>the</strong>rs. A baker<br />
for example wakes up at night – 3 o’clock – just like we do, to bake bread. But he does it for<br />
himself, for his family, for his company and children. Never<strong>the</strong>less he also does it indirectly<br />
for o<strong>the</strong>rs because people need bread in <strong>the</strong> morning.<br />
ללכהב תומילש שיש ,ל"נכ ,ללכה תבוטל ץוחנ הזש ,מ"ותב הזיחא םהל<br />
היהתש ידכב ,תאזל יא<br />
ןיאו .מ"ות םייקלמ וקיספי םה חטב זא ,םתדובעב תומילש ןיאש ,םהל ודיגי םאו .יובירה תניחבמ<br />
,דואמ לודג רבד איה ,מ"ותב שיש הזיחא לכש תויה .תמאה םהל םירמוא אלש ,םולשו סח רקש הז<br />
ימש ,הדובע לכ ןכ םא .הזל הז םיברע לארשי יכ ,לודג ןובשחל תפרטצמ<br />
הטורפו הטורפ לכש תויה<br />
.ללכהמ דחאו דחא לכ לש הדובעל תפרטצמ ,ןתונ אוהש<br />
Line 43 – In order that <strong>the</strong> Torah and regulations stay with <strong>the</strong>m (His sentence structure is<br />
often complicated because he’s from <strong>the</strong> Nefesh, <strong>the</strong> lower part of <strong>the</strong> soul, in contradiction to<br />
his fa<strong>the</strong>r whose language was brilliant. Also <strong>the</strong> language Ari used is pure because <strong>the</strong> higher<br />
you go <strong>the</strong> more simple it gets.) it is good for <strong>the</strong>m that <strong>the</strong>y have perfection (<strong>the</strong> mass) and if<br />
one would tell <strong>the</strong>m (to <strong>the</strong> mass) that <strong>the</strong>re is no perfection in <strong>the</strong>ir work, <strong>the</strong>n of course <strong>the</strong>y<br />
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would stop fulfilling <strong>the</strong> Torah and regulations (when you tell <strong>the</strong> mass <strong>the</strong>ir work is selfish<br />
and not for <strong>the</strong> Creator, not for giving and thus not complete <strong>the</strong>n <strong>the</strong>y will stop. Why?<br />
Because this is <strong>the</strong> law of <strong>the</strong> nature; “if I don’t progress <strong>the</strong>n I won’t continue”. How many<br />
students didn’t we have? They came and wanted to see results. And when someone didn’t see<br />
results… maybe he was aiming for ano<strong>the</strong>r goal, maybe he wasn’t ready, it doesn’t matter<br />
<strong>the</strong>n he went somewhere else to learn <strong>Kabbalah</strong>.<br />
Go, if you want! There is no o<strong>the</strong>r Torah and <strong>Kabbalah</strong>. Of course <strong>the</strong>re are o<strong>the</strong>r Kabbalists,<br />
but <strong>the</strong> path we are taking is not pleasant. How did we start our courses, at first I was o<strong>nl</strong>y<br />
talking about general things. Gradually, and now after three years we are working on<br />
ourselves. In a very fast tempo and this guarantees a great progress. But we don’t have to look<br />
at our progress like <strong>the</strong> mass does. They o<strong>nl</strong>y look at <strong>the</strong>ir wallet.<br />
And <strong>the</strong>se are no lies <strong>the</strong>y are taught (Look he’s now going to tell us that it isn’t a lie. Isn’t it<br />
easier to just tell <strong>the</strong>m <strong>the</strong>y have to try giving from <strong>the</strong> start? Look how rabbi Yehuda did it.<br />
Someone came to his school to get rich and he told him he could learn at his school.) this<br />
doesn’t mean that <strong>the</strong> mass isn’t told <strong>the</strong> truth. Since this is already an attachment to <strong>the</strong> Torah<br />
and regulations, (it doesn’t matter in which form, it’s already a good thing.<br />
Even when a person wants to do it in a primitive form, <strong>the</strong>n still it’s a good thing because you<br />
attach to <strong>the</strong> Tree of Life and don’t waste yourself.) because every nickel is added to ano<strong>the</strong>r<br />
nickel till it becomes a large account, (so everything what a person does, you get up at night,<br />
and ano<strong>the</strong>r night and every night is added to <strong>the</strong> rest. It’s not 1 + 1 +1, it’s not like a material<br />
account, like 1 + 1 is equal to 2, but a lot more is added every time…) because Israel (Israelis)<br />
are responsible for each o<strong>the</strong>r (this means all <strong>the</strong> altruistic wishes in a person, this is Israel,<br />
everything that wants to give inside a person, that is Israel, so every spark in you that you give<br />
is added and mixed to ano<strong>the</strong>r spark of giving and it’s <strong>the</strong> same with fulfilling <strong>the</strong> regulations<br />
in <strong>the</strong> Torah and with regard to <strong>the</strong> mass.<br />
Because one goes to <strong>the</strong> synagogue in <strong>the</strong> morning or <strong>the</strong> church, or ano<strong>the</strong>r one visits <strong>the</strong><br />
hospital… do you understand? Toge<strong>the</strong>r <strong>the</strong>y fulfill <strong>the</strong> Torah, clear? The third one does<br />
something else, for example he gives money to <strong>the</strong> poor. But someone who works on himself<br />
– my addition: as an individual, he fulfills <strong>the</strong> entire Torah on his own. Because when a<br />
person tries to fulfill <strong>the</strong> Torah like we do, <strong>the</strong>n everything is integrated, as you’re trying not<br />
to do it for yourself, you’re not expecting anything in return, <strong>the</strong>n all your wishes, this means<br />
all of Israel that is in you plus all <strong>the</strong> people of <strong>the</strong> world that are also inside you, which are<br />
<strong>the</strong> egoistical whishes, <strong>the</strong>y will all work in one direction. You will let <strong>the</strong>m go in one<br />
direction.<br />
This way you work on yourself and this means that you have <strong>the</strong> entire people, <strong>the</strong> entire<br />
humanity inside you while you work on yourself. But <strong>the</strong> mass does it differently. <strong>On</strong>e does a<br />
certain regulation, ano<strong>the</strong>r one does ano<strong>the</strong>r regulation. So <strong>the</strong>y do it toge<strong>the</strong>r, this is what<br />
he’s trying to say) so if this is how it works when someone gives work (In Hebrew <strong>the</strong>y say:<br />
‘to give work’ and not ‘to do work’. So <strong>Kabbalah</strong> says that you have to give <strong>the</strong> work you’re<br />
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doing.) from <strong>the</strong> mass, <strong>the</strong>n <strong>the</strong>y are all connected to each o<strong>the</strong>r and it becomes one huge<br />
work from <strong>the</strong> mass.<br />
(That’s <strong>the</strong> difference between us and <strong>the</strong>m. Every correction that we do affects all our<br />
powers. Even when I work on a very small correction, <strong>the</strong>n my entire system, inner receives<br />
from it, is affected positively by it.<br />
While someone from <strong>the</strong> mass goes to <strong>the</strong> hospital to help sick people, but this is ano<strong>the</strong>r form<br />
of giving. He’s maybe doing it for ano<strong>the</strong>r reason, it doesn’t matter.<br />
Even when an individual does <strong>the</strong> smallest correction <strong>the</strong>n initially it’s for you and <strong>the</strong>n your<br />
environment. Just like when <strong>the</strong>re is an earthquake or a tsunami. The first waves are in <strong>the</strong><br />
epicenter and <strong>the</strong>n it goes to <strong>the</strong> surroundings and after that <strong>the</strong>re are effects fifty or maybe<br />
one hundred, thousand kilometers away, shocks that go fur<strong>the</strong>r and fur<strong>the</strong>r.<br />
It’s <strong>the</strong> same with us. When you work on yourself, <strong>the</strong>n initially it affects you and not o<strong>the</strong>rs.<br />
The point is that you work on yourself and <strong>the</strong>n you also work for <strong>the</strong> entire world. When you<br />
live in Amsterdam <strong>the</strong>n your environment is affected by it first and after that <strong>the</strong> entire<br />
country and <strong>the</strong>n it spreads even fur<strong>the</strong>r. Just like concentric circles, <strong>the</strong> most powerful one is<br />
in <strong>the</strong> middle, even for <strong>the</strong> smallest correction, let alone when you wake up at night to work<br />
on yourself.)<br />
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Lesson 8<br />
אוה תוכיאב רוביג .תוכיאב רוביגו תומכב רוביג ,םירוביג ינש שיש ,ל"צז ר"ומאא רמאש ומכ הזו<br />
ונא ללכהל ,תאזל יא .םהילע רבגתהל השקש חכ שי םהינשלש ,הברא םה תומכב רוביגו ,הירא<br />
,תולימה שוריפ תא םיעדוי אל וליפא ,םיללפתמשכ ,םירמוא הז םושמו .תוכיאב םירוביג םהש ,םיכירצ<br />
יפ לע ףא ,םדאהל ףיקמ תניחבב הריאמש ,הלודג הלוגס םישודקה םילימהב שיש תויה ,לודג ןינע והז<br />
.ימינפ תניחבב שיגרמ וניא אוהש<br />
Page 4, line 48 – (He’s going to give a lot in this paragraph so we’ll have to go through it<br />
slowly. In <strong>the</strong> previous lessons we talked about <strong>the</strong> mass and <strong>the</strong> individual, about <strong>the</strong> ways of<br />
approaching <strong>the</strong> spiritual by <strong>the</strong> mass and by <strong>the</strong> individual. He’s now going to explain this<br />
fur<strong>the</strong>r.)<br />
And like my fa<strong>the</strong>r had said (he called his fa<strong>the</strong>r; ל"צז ר"ומאא, such a long title. Because he<br />
and his fa<strong>the</strong>r were Hasidic, also qua position <strong>the</strong>y belonged to <strong>the</strong> Hasidic community.<br />
Yehuda could not leave <strong>the</strong> community, just like his son. It’s a difficult position <strong>the</strong>y were in.<br />
They lived in a place where <strong>the</strong> mass surrounded <strong>the</strong>m), <strong>the</strong>re are two heroes, hero in quantity<br />
and hero in quality.<br />
The hero in quality is <strong>the</strong> lion (he’s giving us an image) and <strong>the</strong> hero in quantity is <strong>the</strong><br />
grasshopper (It’s understandable, <strong>the</strong> one has <strong>the</strong> power of <strong>the</strong> individual and <strong>the</strong> o<strong>the</strong>r has <strong>the</strong><br />
power of <strong>the</strong> mass, <strong>the</strong> grasshoppers.), and both have powers that are difficult to overcome.<br />
If it’s like this <strong>the</strong>n we need <strong>the</strong> mass, that <strong>the</strong>y are heroes in quality. (I would say that <strong>the</strong>y<br />
are heroes in quantity. Maybe it’s a mistake? We’ll see…<br />
Therefore it is said when <strong>the</strong>y are saying a prayer, even though <strong>the</strong>y (<strong>the</strong> mass) don’t<br />
understand <strong>the</strong> meaning of <strong>the</strong> words <strong>the</strong>y are pronouncing, (and <strong>the</strong> most, <strong>the</strong> majority of my<br />
people don’t know <strong>the</strong> meaning when saying a prayer. Also in Israel, <strong>the</strong> majority doesn’t<br />
understand <strong>the</strong> prayers. Let alone outside <strong>the</strong> land of Israel.) it is still a great thing (he’s<br />
saying that even though a person doesn’t understand <strong>the</strong> meaning of <strong>the</strong> words in <strong>the</strong> holy<br />
language, know that it’s still a great deed that a person pronounces <strong>the</strong>se words) because <strong>the</strong>re<br />
exists a great tool in <strong>the</strong> holy words that shines on a person’s front as or makif (surrounding<br />
light) despite <strong>the</strong> fact he doesn’t feel <strong>the</strong> light as or pnimi. (When <strong>the</strong> light is within him.)<br />
(When a person from within belongs to <strong>the</strong> mass and is not ready to work on himself yet, if he<br />
says a prayer and doesn’t understand a word <strong>the</strong>n still he will receive <strong>the</strong> light of or makif.<br />
If someone doesn’t understand <strong>the</strong> prayer <strong>the</strong>n <strong>the</strong> light shines to him from outside because<br />
<strong>the</strong> light doesn’t enter him. But if someone knows what he’s doing, pronounces every word…<br />
Nobody in our generation knows what a real prayer is. Nobody, also not me. I mean: I know<br />
what I’m talking about, but <strong>the</strong> power… when saying a prayer everyone receives <strong>the</strong> or makif,<br />
surrounding light. The previous generations had <strong>the</strong> power to see <strong>the</strong> connection. With <strong>the</strong><br />
earlier generations I mean tana’im, in <strong>the</strong> years 200 till 500 or maybe even 700 of our era.<br />
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After that people didn’t have <strong>the</strong> power to make <strong>the</strong> connection between <strong>the</strong> spiritual roots<br />
and <strong>the</strong> manifestations of those roots, let alone that we can taste it. For example; for me it’s<br />
enough to read one passage from Hear Israel. I can taste that, but I don’t have <strong>the</strong> power for<br />
more, do you understand?<br />
After a prayer a great chassied can o<strong>nl</strong>y stay three hours in <strong>the</strong> Shechina. Of course <strong>the</strong> light<br />
stays with you <strong>the</strong> entire day… But in our generation and <strong>the</strong> previous generations nobody<br />
can stay in <strong>the</strong> Shechina longer than three hours.<br />
Don’t think <strong>the</strong> unclean powers can’t catch you after saying a prayer. Here in Amsterdam, in<br />
<strong>the</strong> synagogue <strong>the</strong>y are already caught a second after <strong>the</strong>ir prayer. But <strong>the</strong> true holy people<br />
could last up to three hours.<br />
Shechina is <strong>the</strong> divine presence, which is always present, but it cannot stay longer than three<br />
hours in us. When you have <strong>the</strong> feeling <strong>the</strong> light can’t enter you, when you have <strong>the</strong> feeling<br />
it’s around you, just like an aura, <strong>the</strong>n it’s outside of you.<br />
Actually, nothing is outside you. Everything is penetrated by <strong>the</strong> light and <strong>the</strong> holiness; we<br />
think it will shine to us in <strong>the</strong> future. There is no future… that’s <strong>the</strong> spiritual. There is o<strong>nl</strong>y<br />
now, but we feel that it will happen tomorrow, later, because we think it shines to us from <strong>the</strong><br />
outside. But <strong>the</strong> longer you are occupied with <strong>the</strong> spiritual... The whole purpose of our<br />
aspirations is to purify and to build our kelim – on <strong>the</strong> one hand to purify it and on <strong>the</strong> o<strong>the</strong>r<br />
hand to build it – so we can experience <strong>the</strong> light.<br />
Nothing comes inside and nothing is outside of us, we are o<strong>nl</strong>y not capable of experiencing it.<br />
Our kelim are not clean, are not in accordance with <strong>the</strong> light itself and due to this we<br />
experience as if it shines outside of us, when our ego is too strong and doesn’t allow us to<br />
experience it.<br />
The entire purpose is to not break your ego, G’d forbid, it won’t help, nei<strong>the</strong>r running away.<br />
You just need to open yourself for <strong>the</strong> light, you need to surrender yourself because it’s<br />
absolutely not possible with <strong>the</strong> mind!<br />
Question from student:<br />
Is Shechina <strong>the</strong> coordinating light?<br />
Michael’s reply:<br />
All souls that have been here form toge<strong>the</strong>r <strong>the</strong> Shechina. All souls, including <strong>the</strong> souls that<br />
are still in this world and <strong>the</strong> souls of deceased people. The flesh dies, but <strong>the</strong> soul continues<br />
to exist. The soul is eternal. A small piece of light comes to this world and afterwards returns<br />
to its source and unites <strong>the</strong>re, whereas everything that was built and experienced here is taken<br />
above. The body stays behind, toge<strong>the</strong>r with <strong>the</strong> reshimot, traces of your actions.<br />
Question from student:<br />
So <strong>the</strong> Shechina is constantly getting stronger?<br />
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Answer: Of course, everything comes from <strong>the</strong> Malchut of Atzilut. The shining from <strong>the</strong><br />
Malchut of Atzilut is <strong>the</strong> Shechina to us, <strong>the</strong> divine representative. But everything is already<br />
present <strong>the</strong>re, in <strong>the</strong> root.<br />
Student: so it doesn’t get stronger? Or new souls are added?<br />
Michael’s answer: Yes, of course new souls are added. New souls can o<strong>nl</strong>y come into being<br />
as it were through <strong>the</strong> powers of <strong>the</strong> Great Righteous Person.<br />
It’s incredible what has been given to <strong>the</strong> human being. Look, a great righteous person for<br />
example has an enormous power and can work up power by his commitment. How does this<br />
happen? Where do souls come from? Through merging.<br />
Most souls come from <strong>the</strong> breaking of Adam, <strong>the</strong> first person, he had everything in himself.<br />
These are called old souls, who come from Adam. But potentially in <strong>the</strong> course of history<br />
<strong>the</strong>re are also o<strong>the</strong>r powers present that create new souls.<br />
It’s written: ‘I will renew your souls at <strong>the</strong> arrival of <strong>the</strong> Masiach’. We can’t go deeper into<br />
this because o<strong>the</strong>rwise it will become philosophy. But it’s said about Avraham and Sarah that<br />
<strong>the</strong>y made souls in Charan – this is a place in Israel. They created souls.<br />
How? Avraham brought <strong>the</strong> local people to <strong>the</strong> Creator, so <strong>the</strong>y could approach <strong>the</strong> Creator.<br />
Because it’s said when one contributes to <strong>the</strong> awakening of ano<strong>the</strong>r soul he gets a piece of<br />
ano<strong>the</strong>r soul.<br />
This means when one goes deeper in himself you will get assistance from ano<strong>the</strong>r soul. A soul<br />
who has already done his work here. This soul can for example enter you because you have<br />
<strong>the</strong> same structure, <strong>the</strong> same root. Why? There is a law that says everything that is in<br />
accordance with qualities, go towards each o<strong>the</strong>r. So if you have <strong>the</strong> same root as ano<strong>the</strong>r<br />
soul, for example someone who has died or someone who is still alive, <strong>the</strong>n <strong>the</strong> o<strong>the</strong>r can as it<br />
were enter you, after your birth as it were to help you, because <strong>the</strong> higher always wants <strong>the</strong><br />
help <strong>the</strong> lower.<br />
I mean qualitatively higher, not higher in this world. Then he enters your life to help you, but<br />
you have to be very careful to keep him, you have to become <strong>the</strong> throne, <strong>the</strong> wagon, <strong>the</strong><br />
carrier in which <strong>the</strong> soul can reside, who is higher than you. So you need to be careful.<br />
Because if you do bad things, G’d forbid, <strong>the</strong>n he will go away. Why? Because <strong>the</strong>re is no<br />
resemblance anymore.<br />
Remember that everything is within you. If <strong>the</strong>re is accordance with <strong>the</strong> higher within you,<br />
<strong>the</strong>n this will cure you. You need to say you’re smaller than everyone else, but it has to be<br />
constructive.<br />
Persevere when your life is important to you. We overcome our body by getting up at night to<br />
learn. This way you progress. You (students) come all <strong>the</strong> way here from outside while I don’t<br />
have to go outside, I just have to go to ano<strong>the</strong>r room. I’m serious, every effort counts.<br />
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The main point is to overcome your body. A body is good at finding excuses like: I’m not<br />
willing to do it, ano<strong>the</strong>r time, ... Don’t say you will do something later, it’s always a snapshot<br />
in time.<br />
Don’t think about <strong>the</strong> future, I’ve already told you this. Also, don’t make plans for <strong>the</strong> future.<br />
<strong>On</strong>ly quick flashes what you can do in <strong>the</strong> future but don’t think about <strong>the</strong> future, also not in<br />
<strong>the</strong> spiritual.<br />
Do you know <strong>the</strong> feeling, emotions you will have in <strong>the</strong> future. I don’t. I even don’t know<br />
which impulses will be stimulated within me in a minute. It’s not my task, it comes from<br />
above. If I would say: ‘I’m sure I ‘m going to do this and that’ <strong>the</strong>n I would be hindering <strong>the</strong><br />
Shechina as I would be <strong>the</strong> one deciding whe<strong>the</strong>r or not <strong>the</strong> Shechina will enter me.<br />
Why? There exists a law, a principle – you can draw everything into principles – ‘<strong>the</strong>re is no<br />
violence in <strong>the</strong> spiritual’.<br />
The divine presence, <strong>the</strong> Shechina is built so delicately… of course it penetrates you. But <strong>the</strong><br />
entire point of <strong>the</strong> divine presence from above is that you experience it. It’s not enough to be<br />
penetrated by it. Do you understand?<br />
Of course, from above everything is Einsof, every one of us will reach its destination. But <strong>the</strong><br />
entire point is that you attract what is considered as desirable. That you start experiencing it<br />
and are aware that it comes from above. The power, <strong>the</strong> divine light is above, everything is<br />
potentially present <strong>the</strong>re.<br />
Everything what’s below is also present above. But it’s not necessary above. <strong>On</strong>ly Malchut<br />
needs it and <strong>the</strong> Creation which is in essence a product of Malchut. We need a bit of<br />
chochmah. The divine presence is, when <strong>the</strong> Creation experiences chassadim, mercy in which<br />
a bit of <strong>the</strong> light of chochmah is also present. The number thirteen is <strong>the</strong> divine presence in <strong>the</strong><br />
Creation.<br />
Remember this very well, this way you can discover a lot of phenomenons; for example that<br />
<strong>the</strong> higher doesn’t need gadlut. Above <strong>the</strong>re is always a complete rest and serenity. Which is<br />
gadlut but in its smaller state. And how can a small state be serene? Because <strong>the</strong>y don’t need<br />
gadlut, for <strong>the</strong>m it’s <strong>the</strong> same. But for us it’s important to sometimes experience gadlut, but in<br />
short flashes. Then you have ten sfirot, or let’s say you experience thirteen powers and<br />
afterwards you come back to your smaller state. The majority of <strong>the</strong> day we o<strong>nl</strong>y experience<br />
katnut. It’s all up to you.<br />
אל ףוגהש ,האורו ,םילימה שוריפ תצק עדויו ,רמוא אוהש המ ,םילימה תא האור אוה םא ,םדאהל םירמוא אל לבא<br />
,ךל רמוא ףוגהש המ ,תורז תובשחמה םע בשחתת לאו ,ךילא ךייש אל הז ,ול םירמוא זא .רמוא אוהש המל םיכסמ<br />
ונלש םימכחהש המ ,םילימה דיגת התאשכ קר ,ונייה .אובל דובכה ףוס אלא .ןעוט ףוגהש המל םיכסמ התא ןיאש<br />
ןיאש ,ונייה .הז לכל בל םישל ךירצ התא ןיא ,תושקבהו תולפתה לש רדסה לכ תא דיגהל םיכירצ ונחנאש ,והורדיס<br />
.רקש לכה ,הפהמ איצומ התאש המ ,תרמוא תאז .םירקש רמוא התאש ,ןעוט ףוגהש המ בשחתהל ךל<br />
.שקבמ התאש השקבה םע בשחתמ ךמצעב התא ןיא<br />
תמאד אבילאו ,המ רבד שקבמ התאש ,ונייה<br />
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Line 4 – (He’s teaching us <strong>the</strong> spiritual work, this makes <strong>the</strong> book so unique. He is giving<br />
practical things for everyday life and for our Nefesh of course, that we keep stimulating her.<br />
The most difficult part is to stimulate your Nefesh. Stimulating your lowest part is very<br />
difficult. In <strong>the</strong> morning your body wakes up with you. Your body, self love o<strong>nl</strong>y wants to<br />
rest and will always try to convince you to take it easy. But we have to gradually bring up<br />
‘sparks of holiness, of eternity’ and leave <strong>the</strong> rest below. Gradually try doing this because<br />
nothing disappears in <strong>the</strong> spiritual.<br />
If we gradually bring sparks up, every day, every night and we do this with <strong>the</strong> right intention<br />
<strong>the</strong>n <strong>the</strong>re will come a moment that all <strong>the</strong> sparks have been brought up, above <strong>the</strong> parsa,<br />
above <strong>the</strong> separation line, above <strong>the</strong> line where <strong>the</strong> unclean powers are.<br />
Just like Atzilut with regard to Briyah, Yetzirah and Assiah. They are with regard to Atzilut<br />
unclean powers. While Briyah, Yetzirah and Assiah are spiritual worlds for us, but through<br />
<strong>the</strong> eyes of Atzilut unclean powers are still present <strong>the</strong>re.<br />
You have to also build <strong>the</strong>se four worlds within yourself, within your inner. And <strong>the</strong> entire<br />
point is to bring everything to Atzilut. Your own Atzilut that corresponds qua qualities to <strong>the</strong><br />
general Atzilut.<br />
This is <strong>the</strong> entire point. And <strong>the</strong> more we do this, <strong>the</strong> more power we have to overcome our<br />
body. Of course after <strong>the</strong> sins of all <strong>the</strong> generations… <strong>the</strong> inertia increased. In <strong>the</strong> beginning<br />
<strong>the</strong> entire point was that a person would, through his own efforts, bring himself to <strong>the</strong> clean<br />
side, but due to all <strong>the</strong> sins… but that’s okay because what happened was necessary, <strong>the</strong>y<br />
were <strong>the</strong> expressions of <strong>the</strong> free will of <strong>the</strong> people. This triggered suffering, wars, epidemics,<br />
… this was necessary for us to become free afterwards. It could have been different, but it’s<br />
okay, because everything happened in accordance with <strong>the</strong> states, conditions of <strong>the</strong> people, in<br />
accordance with <strong>the</strong> expressions of <strong>the</strong> free will of <strong>the</strong> people.<br />
The free will could have also been expressed in ano<strong>the</strong>r way. Everything is up to us, do you<br />
understand? We could have already been in a much higher level of life. Not everything<br />
depends on fate. Do you understand? Everything is up to us.<br />
But one doesn’t say this to a person (that a person for example receives surrounding light<br />
even though he doesn’t understand <strong>the</strong> meaning of <strong>the</strong> prayer. It’s also a great thing when<br />
someone pronounces a prayer in <strong>the</strong> holy language even without understanding <strong>the</strong> meaning.<br />
Because he has <strong>the</strong> power, sgoula to attract <strong>the</strong> light. Even though it’s surrounding light,<br />
which means you can already experience it from outside.<br />
It’s already a great thing to experience <strong>the</strong> light from outside. At that moment you experience<br />
<strong>the</strong> aura, but not within you. So a regular person who says a prayer and pronounces <strong>the</strong><br />
Hebrew words experiences <strong>the</strong>re is light about to enter him.<br />
We’ll see later on why you need words to understand <strong>the</strong> meaning), and when a person sees<br />
(understands <strong>the</strong> words) what he is pronouncing/saying (he’s now referring to an individual<br />
who works on himself and not <strong>the</strong> mass), and he knows/understands a bit <strong>the</strong> meaning of<br />
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those words <strong>the</strong>n he experiences (<strong>the</strong> individual) that his body doesn’t agree with <strong>the</strong> things he<br />
is pronouncing (what is he saying? Someone from <strong>the</strong> mass says or reads a prayer in a casual<br />
prayer book without feeling anything. He says <strong>the</strong> prayer, feels <strong>the</strong> light surrounding him and<br />
feels complete and perfect…<br />
But an individual feels more than words because he looks at <strong>the</strong>m and confronts himself with<br />
<strong>the</strong> words. He feels resistance, he feels his body resisting to what he’s pronouncing. The mass<br />
doesn’t feel this because <strong>the</strong>y feel complete and perfect. They exist and <strong>the</strong> Creator exists, two<br />
territories.<br />
So a person from <strong>the</strong> mass feels great. But someone who works on himself and understands<br />
<strong>the</strong> words he’s pronouncing, he can also understand <strong>the</strong> meaning <strong>the</strong> great wise men wrote in<br />
<strong>the</strong>ir prayers to bring us to Atzilut through <strong>the</strong>ir prayers.<br />
So <strong>the</strong> prayer is a complete formula. When a person works on himself and learns <strong>the</strong> meaning<br />
of <strong>the</strong> words and <strong>the</strong>ir connection to <strong>the</strong> spiritual worlds, <strong>the</strong>n through that formula he can rise<br />
to Atzilut.<br />
When you wake up in <strong>the</strong> morning, you’re in our world. You wash your hands, say a blessing<br />
and gradually enter <strong>the</strong> world of Assiah. You continue praying and you enter Yetzirah qua<br />
powers, <strong>the</strong>n Briyah and eventually when saying <strong>the</strong> standing prayer you enter Atzilut.<br />
Therefore it’s also called standing prayer. Standing with <strong>the</strong> three parts in you. You have <strong>the</strong><br />
entire partzouf, you experience gadlut in yourself and in <strong>the</strong> morning you have mochin for <strong>the</strong><br />
entire day.<br />
In <strong>the</strong> afternoon you say ano<strong>the</strong>r prayer, because <strong>the</strong>n you have o<strong>the</strong>r powers like gvurot, as<br />
chassadim is starting to get weak in <strong>the</strong> afternoon, around one or two o’clock. In <strong>the</strong><br />
meantime gvurot is getting stronger in <strong>the</strong> afternoon. In <strong>the</strong> evening <strong>the</strong>re is no chassadim<br />
anymore.<br />
The evening is full of gvurot because <strong>the</strong> power of nukvah rulez in <strong>the</strong> evening. This is not<br />
bad because this is also a holy power, it’s o<strong>nl</strong>y more to <strong>the</strong> left and <strong>the</strong>refore you have to say<br />
ano<strong>the</strong>r prayer to soften it a bit. This is how everything is built.<br />
So he’s saying that gradually he understands a bit of <strong>the</strong> prayer but his body is protesting,<br />
doesn’t agree with <strong>the</strong> words he’s pronouncing. For example it’s written: ‘you will love <strong>the</strong><br />
Creator’, but he feels in his heart that this isn’t <strong>the</strong> case. Do you understand what I mean?<br />
I don’t have <strong>the</strong> power to pronounce <strong>the</strong> prayers. I’m telling you straightforward. I o<strong>nl</strong>y say<br />
for example ‘Shma Israel’ on Shabbat. But in <strong>the</strong> week I don’t have <strong>the</strong> power to say more<br />
prayers.<br />
My Zohar study is <strong>the</strong> prayer. But in <strong>the</strong> morning I don’t have <strong>the</strong> power to say a long prayer<br />
like every Jew. I don’t feel it. I can’t pretend, but I just can’t. For whom should I pretend? For<br />
o<strong>the</strong>rs? I take <strong>the</strong> Zohar and immediately I feel <strong>the</strong> connection, light.<br />
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Also on Shabbat I hardly say a prayer. I just can’t do it. However, it would be a good thing to<br />
do it. If you can’t but you still do it, you will receive <strong>the</strong> light or makif. If you don’t have<br />
much time, you have to work etc, <strong>the</strong>n it would be good to do it more often.<br />
It’s not black and white. For <strong>the</strong> mass maybe but since I’m professionally occupied with <strong>the</strong><br />
Torah, for me it’s enough to o<strong>nl</strong>y say one sentence, ‘Sma Israel, hear Israel’. If I say this with<br />
devotion <strong>the</strong>n for me it’s more than enough for <strong>the</strong> entire day.<br />
Question from student:<br />
Like in <strong>the</strong> Amida, <strong>the</strong> standing prayer, <strong>the</strong> part when you ask recovery for o<strong>the</strong>rs… when you<br />
do it with <strong>the</strong> right intention, is it complementary to <strong>the</strong> Zohar study? Or is it already woven<br />
in <strong>the</strong> Zohar study itself?<br />
Michael’s answer:<br />
Of course everything is in <strong>the</strong> Zohar, also <strong>the</strong> prayers etc. But you’re still not dismissed from<br />
saying a prayer.<br />
Ari knew that he would die in a year and half. Nobody knows <strong>the</strong> day of his death. This is not<br />
given to us, o<strong>nl</strong>y <strong>the</strong> last day he will know of course. But Ari felt that he would be dying<br />
soon. He was 36 years old and he did everything. In <strong>the</strong> morning he went to <strong>the</strong> synagogue<br />
and said all <strong>the</strong> prayers and afterwards in Aramaic.<br />
All Jews went back to <strong>the</strong>ir wives but he stayed. He did all <strong>the</strong> extras while he didn’t have a<br />
lot of time. He had to pass <strong>Kabbalah</strong> to humanity. But he was still able to do everything.<br />
Every day he learned <strong>the</strong> Talmud, with all its extras, laws, he did everything, also <strong>the</strong> four<br />
parts of <strong>the</strong> Torah. He found time to do everything.<br />
I o<strong>nl</strong>y take what it is important for me because life is short. Therefore I o<strong>nl</strong>y take Zohar, as<br />
Zohar covers everything from all sides. It’s <strong>the</strong> quickest way. The Zohar gives <strong>the</strong> four kinds<br />
of Torah, on four levels.<br />
When I take Talmud <strong>the</strong>n I get tired quickly, I want to sleep because <strong>the</strong>re are more<br />
lewoushim, it’s covered more, <strong>the</strong> light is coarser. It’s also beautiful, but it makes me sleep.<br />
Do you understand? And ano<strong>the</strong>r person sleeps when Ari talks about <strong>the</strong> spiritual. Not<br />
everyone can endure it.<br />
In <strong>the</strong> beginning I couldn’t endure it ei<strong>the</strong>r. At <strong>the</strong> start of our course <strong>the</strong>re were also people<br />
who couldn’t endure <strong>the</strong> material. People who wanted to use <strong>the</strong>ir head. Do you understand?<br />
So he’s saying that a person who works on himself feels that his body doesn’t agree with what<br />
he’s doing. Just like with me. I don’t experience <strong>the</strong> connection when saying a prayer. I’m<br />
being honest. Who does feel it in our generation? Maybe someone feels it, but that’s not my<br />
task to find out. Even though I understand <strong>the</strong> words of <strong>the</strong> prayer. I enter Atzilut, Briyah,<br />
Yetzirah and Assiah. And still, it’s too much for me.<br />
90
Then it is said to him (<strong>the</strong> person who works on himself, he feels that <strong>the</strong> prayer doesn’t<br />
rhyme with his heart) don’t pay attention to strange thoughts that occur to you because <strong>the</strong>y<br />
don’t belong to you (During <strong>the</strong> prayer. A strange thought comes from above when you say a<br />
prayer to lead you astray. Nobody is immune to strange thoughts.<br />
The first wise men were always an hour too early for <strong>the</strong> prayer to prepare <strong>the</strong>mselves, to<br />
meditate before <strong>the</strong> prayer started.<br />
The prayer itself lasted one hour and afterwards <strong>the</strong> stayed for ano<strong>the</strong>r hour to meditate and to<br />
let <strong>the</strong> powers <strong>the</strong>y had received go to <strong>the</strong>ir place. Not that we can decide where <strong>the</strong>y need to<br />
go.<br />
Who can do this? Ari says that even <strong>the</strong> generations thousand years ago didn’t have <strong>the</strong> power<br />
to see <strong>the</strong> connection between <strong>the</strong> spiritual roots and <strong>the</strong> words.<br />
Let alone that we can understand something. But it doesn’t matter for us. It was written by <strong>the</strong><br />
last prophets in <strong>the</strong> Great Assembly. They wrote it. <strong>On</strong> <strong>the</strong> o<strong>the</strong>r hand we are higher than <strong>the</strong>m<br />
because we are closer to <strong>the</strong> ending. Our ego is finer than <strong>the</strong> previous generations. If we look<br />
at <strong>the</strong> previous generations <strong>the</strong>n we can see <strong>the</strong>y’re rougher than us. We are much lower, our<br />
ego is finer.<br />
We’ve hidden our ego behind culture etc… Before <strong>the</strong>y killed each o<strong>the</strong>r out of self-interest.<br />
Now it’s different. The ego is finer, <strong>the</strong> culture is developing and we grant each o<strong>the</strong>r as it<br />
were more, while we still want to kill.<br />
Our ego adapts itself to <strong>the</strong> spirit of <strong>the</strong> age. Now it’s more difficult to admit which desires are<br />
present in us. Therefore people lie more in our time. Everything is focused on self-love, to<br />
fulfill our wishes so one can feel like G’d, <strong>the</strong>y’re occupied with human desires.<br />
In our time <strong>the</strong>re are very fine angels and <strong>the</strong>re is a reason for this. Gradually more people fall<br />
so low <strong>the</strong>y scream out for help: ‘get me out of here, it’s terrible’. We’re not able to see which<br />
grief is suffered in our time, it’s hidden behind our culture, etc. But everything is structural to<br />
bring us up again.<br />
The finer <strong>the</strong> technology, <strong>the</strong> greater our urge will be to ask for liberation. The novelties will<br />
cause a greater urge to <strong>the</strong> eternal.<br />
because you don’t agree with <strong>the</strong> arguments of your body. (when you’re saying a prayer your<br />
body tells you: ‘don’t act as if you’re saying a prayer’. However, you have to persevere.<br />
Why? The higher you get, <strong>the</strong>n <strong>the</strong> bad side wants to get you. The worst thoughts occur when<br />
you’re saying a prayer. Why?<br />
Because at that moment <strong>the</strong> unclean powers want to profit from your prayer as well. They<br />
want to receive <strong>the</strong> light as well. They don’t have anything of <strong>the</strong>mselves. Just like a parasite<br />
who sucks from o<strong>the</strong>rs to live.<br />
It’s exactly <strong>the</strong> same. When someone doesn’t wash his body <strong>the</strong>n from his sweet and from <strong>the</strong><br />
food of his skin all kinds of parasites, insects come into being<br />
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Question from student:<br />
Is it possible that <strong>the</strong> unclean powers were already present but we start to see <strong>the</strong>m due to <strong>the</strong><br />
prayer?<br />
Michael’s answer:<br />
Of course everything is already present, nothing is added to a person. We just say it this way,<br />
in <strong>the</strong> words of our world. Of course nothing is added to you. All <strong>the</strong> unclean powers are<br />
already present in you, in us.<br />
This means that we don’t have <strong>the</strong> power to experience <strong>the</strong> number thirteen. Do you<br />
understand? We o<strong>nl</strong>y receive a bit of chassadim, but not enough. There is still a lot of<br />
covering and <strong>the</strong>refore… <strong>the</strong>se are <strong>the</strong> places where we experience <strong>the</strong> unclean powers.<br />
But when we persevere and experience <strong>the</strong> number thirteen, <strong>the</strong>n we can absolutely nullify <strong>the</strong><br />
unclean powers. Then we will not experience <strong>the</strong> unclean powers. But if we fall short, <strong>the</strong>n<br />
<strong>the</strong>y will immediately appear again. This is <strong>the</strong> way it’s set up from above. It’s a stimulus to<br />
keep us going; o<strong>the</strong>rwise we wouldn’t be motivated to do anything. Do you understand?<br />
When we fall short <strong>the</strong>n we experience <strong>the</strong> unclean powers. The unclean powers aren’t so bad<br />
as we think, it’s klipot. Klipot means skin. An apple has a skin as well o<strong>the</strong>rwise it would rot<br />
very quickly. It’s <strong>the</strong> same with us.<br />
Try making yourself familiar with <strong>the</strong>se terms, like klipa. Step by step, because unclean<br />
powers is not exactly <strong>the</strong> same as klipa. The words unclean powers feel as if it’s bad, but<br />
<strong>the</strong>re is nothing wrong with <strong>the</strong> unclean powers, it’s just klipa. Klipa is <strong>the</strong> skin/peel that<br />
protects <strong>the</strong> fruit. Remember this very well!<br />
So <strong>the</strong> skin that protects <strong>the</strong> fruit is <strong>the</strong> unclean power. As long as you’re not capable of eating<br />
<strong>the</strong> fruit, taking it in you because you don’t have <strong>the</strong> power, <strong>the</strong>n you will experience <strong>the</strong> skin.<br />
Question from student:<br />
Are <strong>the</strong>re also powers to make masach?<br />
Michael’s answer:<br />
Yes, that’s a sort of surrounding light. Every pure light is always surrounded by some kind of<br />
skin. This protects a person from attracting <strong>the</strong> light of chochmah in his uncorrected state.<br />
Imagine this surrounding skin wouldn’t exist. There would be no protection, a person would<br />
attract <strong>the</strong> light from above to below, to his egoistical desires and he would not see <strong>the</strong> light.<br />
But due to <strong>the</strong> klipot we can step by step experience it. Do you understand?<br />
The truth is inside, <strong>the</strong> power, chochmah is inside but surrounded by all kinds of coverings<br />
that are called unclean powers. We want to work on ourselves to gradually come to<br />
chassadim, which is ano<strong>the</strong>r kind of layer within <strong>the</strong> skin, but it’s still a covering.<br />
The first layer within <strong>the</strong> skin is chassadim and inside <strong>the</strong>re is chochmah. The chochmah is<br />
<strong>the</strong> seed as it were. A person has to go through <strong>the</strong> layers. Therefore when you say a prayer, in<br />
<strong>the</strong> beginning <strong>the</strong> words you are pronouncing hit <strong>the</strong> unclean powers or skin.<br />
92
Do you understand? In <strong>the</strong> beginning it’s like this. At <strong>the</strong> start of your prayer you enter<br />
Assiah. You start building <strong>the</strong> prayer in Assiah and Assiah exists as it were out of 90 % skin<br />
and 10 % fruit (or pit?).<br />
The entire <strong>ladder</strong> is holy but if you look from <strong>the</strong> perspective of Atzilut, <strong>the</strong>n <strong>the</strong>re are klipot<br />
in Briah, Jetzirah and Assiah. You always have to remember from which perspective you are<br />
looking. From our perspective <strong>the</strong> entire <strong>ladder</strong> is holy.<br />
When you’re saying a prayer, at first you come in Assiah. This world is also holy. <strong>On</strong> <strong>the</strong> one<br />
had you receive holiness from Assiah but on <strong>the</strong> o<strong>the</strong>r hand this is <strong>the</strong> first world out of four,<br />
Adam Kadmon not included. With regard to Atzilut it’s 90 % bad and 10 % good in Assiah.<br />
You will also experience this when you enter Assiah. Therefore we experience some sort of<br />
bad thoughts in <strong>the</strong> beginning, bad wishes… And <strong>the</strong>n you will step by step go higher.<br />
When we say Hear oh Israel for example <strong>the</strong>n you enter Briah already. And when we stand<br />
during a prayer, when you say <strong>the</strong> Amida that is derived from <strong>the</strong> word Amad to stand, <strong>the</strong>n<br />
you shouldn’t experience unclean powers anymore. Why?<br />
When saying <strong>the</strong> standing prayer <strong>the</strong>re shouldn’t be any sucking of <strong>the</strong> unclean powers. If you<br />
experience unclean powers before <strong>the</strong> standing prayer, <strong>the</strong>n it’s okay because this corresponds<br />
a bit with <strong>the</strong> imperfections of <strong>the</strong> worlds Assiah, Jetzirah and Briah in respect to Atzilut.<br />
Of course <strong>the</strong> unclean powers will never go away… but when saying <strong>the</strong> standing prayer, <strong>the</strong>n<br />
qualitatively, from inside… it comes down to experiencing it from within.<br />
Saying a prayer is 100 % good. But you have to feel it o<strong>the</strong>rwise it will get mechanical. For<br />
me reading one sentence from Zohar is enough. We’ll be learning Zohar from Aramaic. It’s<br />
<strong>the</strong> most intimate language of <strong>the</strong> Creator and <strong>the</strong> angels don’t understand a word what it<br />
means. What does this mean, also qua powers? Angels are situated somewhere in Assiah,<br />
Jetzirah and Briah but not Atzilut because <strong>the</strong>re it’s face to face qua powers, <strong>the</strong>re are no<br />
coverings in Atzilut.<br />
And <strong>the</strong> power of Aramaic is <strong>the</strong> power that shines through everything. They can’t experience<br />
this because <strong>the</strong> angels aren’t in Atzilut. There are o<strong>nl</strong>y high powers in Atzilut. Chochmah.<br />
And <strong>the</strong>refore <strong>the</strong> language is Aramaic. There is also Aramaic from <strong>the</strong> Babylonian Talmud,<br />
but <strong>the</strong> Aramaic from Zohar… of course both are <strong>the</strong> same Aramaic.<br />
Still <strong>the</strong> Aramaic from <strong>the</strong> Zohar has something special I can’t explain. Step by step we will<br />
experience it. But Hebrew is also great. Later on we’ll see when <strong>the</strong> Creator wants to cover<br />
certain things from <strong>the</strong> angels because he wants to talk to a person in private.<br />
Look, <strong>the</strong> Creator revealed Himself to Avraham in a vision. Why in a vision? Because he<br />
wasn’t circumcised. Not being circumcised doesn’t mean that <strong>the</strong> foreskin was still <strong>the</strong>re. It<br />
means that <strong>the</strong> klipot were still catching him. Therefore Avraham couldn’t see <strong>the</strong> Shechina,<br />
<strong>the</strong> divine presence. <strong>On</strong>ly afterwards when he was circumcised.<br />
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It’s all about <strong>the</strong> accordance with <strong>the</strong> higher. He could o<strong>nl</strong>y see when he was circumcised of<br />
<strong>the</strong> unclean powers. And when <strong>the</strong> Creator called upon him to ‘go somewhere’… when he<br />
had visions; <strong>the</strong>se visions are written in Aramaic in <strong>the</strong> Torah.<br />
The Zohar tells us <strong>the</strong> reason for this, why <strong>the</strong> visions in <strong>the</strong> Torah are written in Aramaic, so<br />
that <strong>the</strong> angels next to <strong>the</strong> Creator couldn’t charge Him, like a prosecutor does, because <strong>the</strong><br />
Creator was talking to a man who wasn’t circumcised. Which means he hadn’t reached his<br />
perfection to talk to <strong>the</strong> Creator face to face.<br />
We can see in <strong>the</strong> Torah when <strong>the</strong> Creator talked to Mozes or someone else, that this person<br />
was in accordance with <strong>the</strong> laws of Atzilut. Then no visions are necessary.<br />
Therefore He talked Aramaic with Avraham so <strong>the</strong> angels wouldn’t understand anything and<br />
say: ‘what are You doing, You’re talking to someone of flesh and blood who doesn’t<br />
correspond with <strong>the</strong> laws of <strong>the</strong> spiritual work… who hasn’t risen to Atzilut’. So <strong>the</strong>refore He<br />
talked Aramaic with him.<br />
So in Aramaic a person is as it were spared. He talks to a person without <strong>the</strong> angels knowing<br />
about it. For example directly from Atzilut to a person with regards to <strong>the</strong> work he’s doing.<br />
Maybe he’s not circumcised at that moment but <strong>the</strong> Creator knows that this person is<br />
circumcised qua effort. Circumcised means being circumcised of three klipot, three heavy<br />
klipot that a person has. We will learn about this later on in <strong>the</strong> Zohar. This is called being<br />
circumcised from within.)<br />
So you don’t have to listen to your body, because eventually honor will come to you. (Having<br />
honor means when you are in accordance with <strong>the</strong> higher and ‘honor’ as it were will shine on<br />
you. This means overcoming your body.)<br />
This means o<strong>nl</strong>y when you say all <strong>the</strong> words that are written by <strong>the</strong> wise men, (we have<br />
already said that <strong>the</strong> book of prayers is perfect and written according to <strong>the</strong> spiritual <strong>ladder</strong>) in<br />
its entire order meaning <strong>the</strong> prayers, questions and requests to <strong>the</strong> Creator.<br />
(We have to say everything because it’s build according to <strong>the</strong> spiritual <strong>ladder</strong>. The prayers<br />
and also <strong>the</strong> Torah.<br />
Especially in <strong>the</strong> first phase of your study you can rise to <strong>the</strong> higher by saying prayers but it<br />
may decrease. However, you have to keep doing it, not o<strong>nl</strong>y with your mouth but also with<br />
you hearth and mind.)<br />
You don’t have to pay attention to <strong>the</strong> things your body is saying. (It’s written by <strong>the</strong> wise<br />
men in a way that a person can go through <strong>the</strong> entire <strong>ladder</strong>, once a day. So you can receive<br />
power. How else can we receive power? O<strong>the</strong>rwise we o<strong>nl</strong>y have a small light to stay alive.<br />
How can you receive more light? If you’re o<strong>nl</strong>y occupied with your work and o<strong>the</strong>r daily<br />
things but not <strong>the</strong> spiritual… You will gradually die out and end up having dementia or o<strong>the</strong>r<br />
misery, etc. but when a person learns <strong>Kabbalah</strong>, learns from within <strong>the</strong>n you will grow every<br />
day from within, not outside.<br />
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And <strong>the</strong> older we get, <strong>the</strong> stronger we’ll become. Do you understand what I mean? The body<br />
doesn’t interest us, but you get stronger qua powers.)<br />
This means you don’t have to pay attention to <strong>the</strong> things your body is demanding from you,<br />
o<strong>the</strong>rwise you would think you are lying. (He’s telling us not to pay attention to what <strong>the</strong><br />
body is saying. Do you see? The body wants to make you believe you are saying lies םירקש –<br />
shekerim. It’s exactly <strong>the</strong> same with our study at night. When you get up your body says<br />
weird things to you. Your body says: ‘you don’t want to get up, you ra<strong>the</strong>r want to sleep, why<br />
are you doing this’. It’s exactly <strong>the</strong> same thing.<br />
Getting up at night is already <strong>the</strong> biggest prayer one can say. Remember this very well.<br />
Getting up in <strong>the</strong> morning and saying traditional things while your body sleeps is much easier.<br />
First coffee, <strong>the</strong>n <strong>the</strong> prayer. This is also good but <strong>the</strong>re are levels, gradations for everything.<br />
When you manage to get up at night <strong>the</strong>n this is already a prayer. Do you understand? Even<br />
without saying one word. However, I want to advise everyone to wash <strong>the</strong>ir hands after<br />
waking up, especially <strong>the</strong> finger tips. While doing it you have to be aware that you’re washing<br />
away <strong>the</strong> klipa, <strong>the</strong> unclean powers that had entered you in your sleep. Don’t think what it<br />
means. Just wash <strong>the</strong> klipa from your hands after waking up.<br />
I’m also advising everyone to wash your hands before eating, especially when eating bread<br />
and not for o<strong>the</strong>r things. You may also do it for o<strong>the</strong>r things but wash your hands before<br />
eating bread.<br />
You should have <strong>the</strong> right attitude from within, that you don’t’ eat for yourself, for your belly<br />
but you eat to serve <strong>the</strong> Creator. People bake bread and it has a certain quality and you bring it<br />
as it were to <strong>the</strong> altar. Swallowing something is just like an altar. So wash your hands before<br />
eating bread. Not because your hands are dirty, but because…<br />
Why? Everywhere where <strong>the</strong> light ends… <strong>the</strong> light enters us. Where does it stop? The light<br />
comes and ends in <strong>the</strong> finger tips. Also <strong>the</strong> toes because light goes down as well. Look how<br />
sensitive our finger tips are, we have also nails on our finger tips.<br />
You need to also cut your nails because this is <strong>the</strong> spiritual place where <strong>the</strong> klipot reside.<br />
Therefore a lot of dirt ga<strong>the</strong>r under <strong>the</strong> nails. I’m not talking about <strong>the</strong> flesh, it’s spiritual.<br />
So when eating bread wash your hands first but don’t o<strong>nl</strong>y think about <strong>the</strong> physical, think you<br />
are washing your hands before making a sacrifice.<br />
In <strong>the</strong> time of Aron and his sons, in <strong>the</strong> Temple next to <strong>the</strong> altar <strong>the</strong>re was also a place to wash<br />
your hands. They washed <strong>the</strong>ir hands and feet. Not because it was dirty, but to purify<br />
<strong>the</strong>mselves.)<br />
This means (your body says) everything that comes out of your mouth is a lie, (Your body is<br />
telling you it’s all a lie, ‘just go and relax’. But you have to overcome this. You’ll see that<br />
nothing is wrong with you. You think you have to sleep more, relax more but <strong>the</strong>se are o<strong>nl</strong>y<br />
suggestions of your body.) you request something (in your prayer) but to be honest you don’t<br />
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consider your intention to match <strong>the</strong> request you’re putting forward. (So in o<strong>the</strong>r words at <strong>the</strong><br />
moment you’re saying a prayer, you think your attitude doesn’t corresponds with <strong>the</strong> request<br />
you’re putting forward. So you submit a request but your body is against it.<br />
So, what you have to do? There is nothing you can do. We’ve already said several times not<br />
to focus on <strong>the</strong> thoughts that occur to you. Try to overcome <strong>the</strong> suggestions of your body.<br />
The Creator created everything for a reason. We have to overcome this and o<strong>nl</strong>y <strong>the</strong>n we will<br />
receive salvation. How can someone receive salvation if he isn’t prepared for it? Can someone<br />
receive salvation if he doesn’t deserve it, hasn’t done anything? No, a person can o<strong>nl</strong>y achieve<br />
something when he makes an effort.)<br />
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Lesson 9<br />
Last time we talked about someone who already started working on himself, an individual and<br />
not a person from <strong>the</strong> mass. An individual doesn’t feel perfect, in comparison to a person<br />
from <strong>the</strong> mass, he feels a discrepancy between <strong>the</strong> prayer he’s saying and his true inner state.<br />
He doesn’t believe his own prayer.<br />
Before, I was like <strong>the</strong> mass pronouncing every prayer in correct order and I felt perfect. But<br />
when you start working on yourself you will notice that something isn’t right: <strong>the</strong> prayer itself<br />
is perfect and complete, written by <strong>the</strong> wise men, but what you say doesn’t rhyme with your<br />
inner feeling. An example will be given now.<br />
ןורסחה יכ ,שקבמ התאש המ וליפא בשוח אל התאו ,"ךיתרותל וניבא ונבישה" רמוא התא ,אמגודל<br />
זא .תויתימא תונעט ןעוט אוה ןכ םא .המודכו ,ףסכו ,דובכ<br />
אוה ,ךל רסחש שיגרמ התאש המ ,ךלש<br />
שקבת התאש ןעוט וניא ,ןעוט אוהש המ ,הזש אלא ,ןעוט ףוגהש המ לכתסהל ךל ןיאש ,ול םירמוא<br />
תנעט ןעוטו ךילא אב אוה ןכל ,ללפתת אלש ,ךתוא לישכהל הצור אוה אלא ,הבושת לע תמאב<br />
.ללכ םהילע לכתסי לאש ,תורז תובשחמ והזש אלא .קידצ<br />
Page 5, line 12- For example, you say ‘bring us back, our Fa<strong>the</strong>r, to Your Torah’ (<strong>the</strong>se words<br />
are written in <strong>the</strong> prayer), but you don’t even think about what you are asking (so you say:<br />
bring us back, but you don’t even think about returning, you’re just saying <strong>the</strong> words),<br />
because everything we say in a prayer is our shortage (you need shortage in order to raise<br />
something with your prayer. O<strong>the</strong>rwise <strong>the</strong>re is no use.<br />
A person who doesn’t experience a shortage from within but asks: ‘do this and do that’,<br />
doesn’t feel what he’s asking for. Is that a prayer? Remember this very well, it’s very<br />
important we have a feeling of shortage, o<strong>nl</strong>y <strong>the</strong>n it makes sense receiving an answer.) and<br />
you don’t even think about what you are asking, that you want to be brought back to <strong>the</strong><br />
Torah, to <strong>the</strong> study because <strong>the</strong> shortage you really feel (so in <strong>the</strong> heart) are honor (with o<strong>the</strong>r<br />
words, lack of attention), money etc. (These are your true shortages and still you’re asking for<br />
something you don’t feel.)<br />
And when your body brings forward its true pretentions, <strong>the</strong>n one says to him (to that person.<br />
Do you see, you have antecedents everywhere. This is done on purpose to make us work.<br />
Therefore, <strong>the</strong> questions asked to Kabbalists are always answered in such a way a person<br />
can’t grasp it immediately. Because it won’t help. I o<strong>nl</strong>y answer as far as I feel your kelim is<br />
ready for it.<br />
The same goes for asking questions, it should be asked in a few words, not more. And o<strong>nl</strong>y<br />
one question, not immediately two. You’re allowed to ask several questions in our world, but<br />
in <strong>the</strong> spiritual you need to learn ask one question at a time. <strong>On</strong>ly <strong>the</strong>n I will give an answer.<br />
But afterwards don’t put forward arguments on what I said, because this means you’re having<br />
a hard time accepting my answer.<br />
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However, you need to see my answer as <strong>the</strong> start for <strong>the</strong> work you need to do and not expect<br />
an obvious, ready-to-use answer, because that won’t help. <strong>On</strong> <strong>the</strong> contrary new and more<br />
questions need to occur to you by which you need to continue searching for <strong>the</strong> answer, etc.<br />
Do you understand? It’s a process. An answer needs to initiate you to search fur<strong>the</strong>r, make<br />
connections and think about o<strong>the</strong>r places in our teaching material to find <strong>the</strong> answer to your<br />
question. But don’t expect a ready-to-use answer. Because it won’t help.<br />
So one says to this person; who experiences in his heart he needs more attention or honor but<br />
never<strong>the</strong>less asks to return to <strong>the</strong> spiritual, to <strong>the</strong> true study.), don’t look (pay attention to)<br />
what your body is demanding, pretending, telling you, because he doesn’t want you to ask for<br />
answers but <strong>the</strong> body wants to trip you.<br />
A body doesn’t want answers. A body wants to trip you. It originates from <strong>the</strong> bad side and<br />
<strong>the</strong> bad side doesn’t have any constructive arguments; it o<strong>nl</strong>y wants you to fall in its trap.<br />
It’s very important we don’t give answers to <strong>the</strong> bad side, because whatever you say, it will<br />
find new arguments; it’s inventive just like a snake. She is very good in <strong>the</strong> argumentation of<br />
our world because she’s submitted to <strong>the</strong> lower powers and o<strong>nl</strong>y wants to trip you. And from<br />
<strong>the</strong> moment you fall, she has food to survive.<br />
Without food she can’t live, she’s like a parasite. If a person regularly washes <strong>the</strong>n <strong>the</strong>re is no<br />
place for parasites, but from <strong>the</strong> moment someone neglects taking a shower <strong>the</strong>n parasites<br />
come into being.<br />
It’s <strong>the</strong> same with your body, because body means <strong>the</strong> wish to receive for itself. We’re not<br />
talking our body of flesh and blood, but about <strong>the</strong> wish to receive for itself.<br />
When someone says his body wants something: my body doesn’t want anything! It’s my wish<br />
to receive that wants something and not <strong>the</strong> body itself.<br />
Your body wants to trip you in many ways. Look it can for example say: ‘Why do you think<br />
Zohar is <strong>the</strong> truth?’ or ‘one sentence from <strong>the</strong> Zohar is enough, it’s worth more than<br />
everything else. It tries to catch you on different levels. He can also suggest you’re too tired<br />
for <strong>the</strong> night study, that Zohar is enough and already gives you enough light etc. Everything is<br />
possible.<br />
Therefore you have to be careful here. How? Everything that comes from within and suggests<br />
you make an extra effort is good. But everything else that suggests you better don’t do<br />
something probably comes from <strong>the</strong> bad side. Like: ‘continue sleeping; don’t be foolish, this<br />
is nothing for you etc’.<br />
And <strong>the</strong> o<strong>the</strong>r way round: <strong>the</strong> bad side will try to push you for <strong>the</strong> good; ‘continue<br />
translating… do this and that so you get tired and don’t have time for o<strong>the</strong>r things. Just be<br />
careful it doesn’t lead you away from your work. Because <strong>the</strong> bad side can be very smart.)<br />
Therefore <strong>the</strong> body comes to you and pretends to be righteous (disguises itself as being<br />
righteous) but <strong>the</strong>y are strange thoughts (weird - תורז means strange to <strong>the</strong> Creator, strange to<br />
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<strong>the</strong> Torah and to <strong>the</strong> holiness), and so in general don’t look at <strong>the</strong>m. (Do you see? It doesn’t<br />
say don’t listen to <strong>the</strong>m, but don’t look at <strong>the</strong>m. Not looking means not paying attention to<br />
something within you, because one can also look inside.<br />
We’re constantly looking inside ourselves. When sudde<strong>nl</strong>y a memory crosses your mind you<br />
can look at it without really being concentrated or when waking up you can be fixed on<br />
thoughts within you. So looking doesn’t necessarily mean outside you.<br />
Therefore he’s telling us not to look at our body that has <strong>the</strong> wish to receive for itself.<br />
Looking means being fixed on something; ei<strong>the</strong>r inside, behind, outside, left or right of you. It<br />
doesn’t matter, don’t pay attention to it.)<br />
ןיאש ,ל"נכ אוה ,תומילש תניחב אוה השוע אוהש המ לכש ,תניחבב תכלל ותוא םיכנחמש הביסהו<br />
םירבדב םיגהונה םירדסה תמגודכ .תומדקתה םש האור אוה ןיאש ,רבד הזיאב דובעל לגוסמ םדאה<br />
,עוצקמהב םדקתמ אוה ןיאש האורו ,תורגנ לש עוצקמ דומלל ליחתמ םדאהשכ ,לשמל .םיימשג<br />
חילצמ וניא ינשה עוצקמב םאו .רחא עוצקמ דמלת אלא ,ךליבשב הז ןיא תורגנ<br />
,ול םירמוא<br />
,ולאה םידומלב תומדקתה םוש ךל ןיאש ןויכ ,הזב ךישמהל לוכי התא ןיא ,ול םירמוא זא ,םדקתהל<br />
.טושפ לעופ קר תויהל לוכי אוה אלא ,עוצקמ לעב תויהל לגוסמ אל אוה אלא<br />
Line 17 – And <strong>the</strong> reason one (a person) is raised to follow this way, <strong>the</strong> way everything he<br />
does is perfect (like <strong>the</strong> mass), as said above, (so one says to a person do this and do that and<br />
you will feel complete and perfect. You will receive everything in this world and in <strong>the</strong> future<br />
world. Then he feels complete in his service because he knows he will receive something in<br />
return for <strong>the</strong> work he’s doing.) because a person isn’t able to do any kind of work if he<br />
doesn’t see any progress (he’s saying it directly). Like in our everyday life for material things.<br />
(like in our material world when someone doesn’t make progress <strong>the</strong>n he doesn’t continue. He<br />
will give an example how it’s in our world).<br />
For example, when a person learns a profession (a carpenter) and notices he doesn’t progress<br />
(in <strong>the</strong> profession he’s learning), <strong>the</strong>n one says to him <strong>the</strong> work of carpenter is not meant for<br />
you, go and learn ano<strong>the</strong>r profession (for one it’s easier than for ano<strong>the</strong>r).<br />
And if he doesn’t make progress in a second profession as well, <strong>the</strong>n one says to him, you<br />
cannot continue this profession because you aren’t making any progress in this study and thus<br />
you are not able to become a professional (have a profession), but you can o<strong>nl</strong>y be a regular<br />
worker (without having a profession) (טושפ לעופ).<br />
(It’s <strong>the</strong> same with a prayer, <strong>the</strong> study of <strong>the</strong> Torah or something else. They say: if you can’t<br />
manage to do something <strong>the</strong>n focus on something else. For example, <strong>the</strong>re is a codex for <strong>the</strong><br />
Mishnah. It says if a person can’t learn <strong>the</strong> traditional study, <strong>the</strong> Talmud, <strong>the</strong> laws etc within<br />
three years <strong>the</strong>n he has to stop because he won’t be able to make progress. The wise men say<br />
one has to do it within 5 years and if he can’t he has to try something else.<br />
Many who learn <strong>the</strong> Talmud think <strong>the</strong>y progress. They are memorizing everything and are<br />
able to reason about logical constructions. They feel <strong>the</strong>y are progressing, but actually <strong>the</strong>ir<br />
progress doesn’t mean anything. Progressing means experiencing <strong>the</strong> spiritual more, when it<br />
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gives life to you. So chassadim with a bit of chochmah, this means progression, when you feel<br />
you’re gradually going deeper. This is progress. But if you are learning <strong>the</strong> traditional Torah<br />
and after three years you don’t experience anything, <strong>the</strong>n one has to stop. What do you have<br />
to do next?<br />
The inner Torah, so <strong>Kabbalah</strong>. It sounds a bit weird, because <strong>the</strong> people who learn Talmud<br />
think you have to master Talmud first before starting with <strong>Kabbalah</strong>. But who masters <strong>the</strong><br />
Talmud? Nobody, but this is how <strong>the</strong>y think. The o<strong>the</strong>r way round.<br />
We o<strong>nl</strong>y have to listen to <strong>the</strong> first wise men, to which Ari also listened, because <strong>the</strong>y saw <strong>the</strong><br />
connection between <strong>the</strong> spiritual roots and <strong>the</strong> people after <strong>the</strong>m didn’t see it anymore. We<br />
have to look at <strong>the</strong>ir deeds, how <strong>the</strong>y experienced things… This should be <strong>the</strong> book of laws<br />
for you and not <strong>the</strong> books that are written by rabbis after <strong>the</strong>m.<br />
And it’s written: when a person starts learning <strong>Kabbalah</strong>, he will succeed more quickly. The<br />
faith of a person isn’t important in <strong>the</strong> <strong>Kabbalah</strong>. If someone doesn’t progress by learning <strong>the</strong><br />
traditional study, if he doesn’t experience <strong>the</strong> spiritual, doesn’t see <strong>the</strong> salvation <strong>the</strong>n he has to<br />
go to <strong>the</strong> essence, <strong>the</strong> core and that’s <strong>Kabbalah</strong>.<br />
We can also see in our time that more people go to <strong>Kabbalah</strong>. Everyone will succeed in <strong>the</strong><br />
<strong>Kabbalah</strong>. This is also written. Why? Because <strong>Kabbalah</strong> talks to your inner self and <strong>the</strong> inner<br />
doesn’t recognize our earthly faith.<br />
From <strong>the</strong> outside a person can be Jew, Christian, Muslim or Buddhist, but <strong>the</strong> inner is like<br />
Adam. Adam was <strong>the</strong> inner person and <strong>the</strong>refore <strong>the</strong> inner of every person recognizes <strong>the</strong><br />
<strong>Kabbalah</strong>. The <strong>Kabbalah</strong> is written for <strong>the</strong> inner person.<br />
The inner person doesn’t know about <strong>the</strong> different religions. Do you understand? Therefore<br />
everyone can succeed in <strong>the</strong> <strong>Kabbalah</strong>. And when you ask my orthodox bro<strong>the</strong>rs <strong>the</strong>y say: no,<br />
<strong>Kabbalah</strong> is for <strong>the</strong> divine people.<br />
The bad side says exactly <strong>the</strong> same, but actually everyone who learns about <strong>the</strong> inner, so<br />
<strong>Kabbalah</strong>, <strong>the</strong> laws of <strong>the</strong> universe will succeed. Absolutely, everyone!<br />
They say you need talent to learn <strong>Kabbalah</strong>. But <strong>the</strong> o<strong>nl</strong>y thing you need is a strong desire<br />
with <strong>the</strong> correct intention/kavannah. Then you will succeed.<br />
אוה םישועש המ לכ תוינחורבש םעטמ ,הדובעב ךישמי ןכ אוהש ,םיצורש ,'ה תדובעב ןאכ ןכ ומכו<br />
לכ ,ול םירמוא אלא .ותדובעב ןורסח הזיא דיגהל רוסא ןכל ,ל"נכ ללכה תניחבמ תומילשה רדגב<br />
השעמ םוש ןיאו ,לודג ןובשחל ןיפרטצמ הטורפו הטורפ לכש םעטמ ,תומילש אוה השוע התאש המ<br />
.ונקתי םישעמה לכ זא ,ןוקיתה רמג לש ןמזה אובישכ אלא ,דוביאל ךלוה תוינחורב<br />
Line 24 – And it’s <strong>the</strong> same here in <strong>the</strong> service for <strong>the</strong> Creator (service for <strong>the</strong> Creator means<br />
that we try to be in accordance with <strong>the</strong> laws of <strong>the</strong> universe. This is <strong>the</strong> o<strong>nl</strong>y service that<br />
gives <strong>the</strong> Creator pleasure, when a person works on himself.<br />
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So when you work on yourself, you also work for <strong>the</strong> Creator. It’s different than in our world.<br />
Do you see? In our world you have to work for your boss and for your boss it doesn’t matter<br />
how you do it, as long as <strong>the</strong> job gets done. He wants to exploit you. Also a king wants to<br />
exploit.<br />
Of course he does everything for his citizens. But still, his citizens have to keep filling his<br />
treasure chest. <strong>On</strong>e has to serve <strong>the</strong> army, follow his plans, etc. While <strong>the</strong> Creator wants us to<br />
try and acquire <strong>the</strong> laws of <strong>the</strong> universe, which are complete/perfect laws and can bring us to<br />
salvation. Through this we give pleasure to <strong>the</strong> Creator.<br />
Just like a mo<strong>the</strong>r who feeds her child. If her child eats <strong>the</strong>n she’s happy. When her child<br />
doesn’t want to eat and <strong>the</strong> mo<strong>the</strong>r asks her child to do her a favor by eating, and if <strong>the</strong> child<br />
listens and eats <strong>the</strong>n of course <strong>the</strong> mo<strong>the</strong>r feels great. It’s <strong>the</strong> same with <strong>the</strong> Creator and us.)<br />
That one wants (<strong>the</strong> ones that educate <strong>the</strong> mass, of course <strong>the</strong>y want…) a person to continue<br />
his service (not like above, when a person wants to become a carpenter but doesn’t succeed<br />
stops. Here, <strong>the</strong>y want a person to continue.<br />
And when you immediately give him difficult work, of course he won’t continue. Do you<br />
understand? Therefore he is given mass work so he feels perfect and feels he gets a reward for<br />
everything he does.<br />
Why is he given this work? Maybe, later on he will grow up and work… realize what <strong>the</strong> true<br />
service for <strong>the</strong> Creator is. So <strong>the</strong>y want him to continue his spiritual work), for <strong>the</strong> reason that<br />
everything one does in <strong>the</strong> spiritual is within <strong>the</strong> context of perfection, in <strong>the</strong> aspect of <strong>the</strong><br />
mass (he’s saying it’s not wrong what <strong>the</strong> mass is doing, o<strong>the</strong>rwise <strong>the</strong>y would stop working.<br />
If <strong>the</strong>y don’t see any progress, perfection in <strong>the</strong>ir work <strong>the</strong>n <strong>the</strong>y will stop.<br />
So what’s <strong>the</strong> starting point of <strong>the</strong> educators of <strong>the</strong> mass? They want <strong>the</strong> mass to continue<br />
<strong>the</strong>ir service for <strong>the</strong> Creator. But <strong>the</strong>y are as it were given more easy things to work on.<br />
Question from student:<br />
But Shabbat is a special day right?<br />
Michael’s answer:<br />
Absolutely. Everything <strong>the</strong>y do is good, it’s not a lie, it’s also a way... all <strong>the</strong> laws, those<br />
thousands of laws made in our time are meant to keep a person from breaking <strong>the</strong> Torah.<br />
At first <strong>the</strong>y made a couple of laws, afterwards a few more etc. But someone who knows <strong>the</strong><br />
principles knows how far he can go. So he doesn’t break <strong>the</strong> laws of <strong>the</strong> Torah. When<br />
someone learns and applies <strong>Kabbalah</strong> <strong>the</strong>n he’s able to live without those laws, and at <strong>the</strong><br />
same time remain loyal to <strong>the</strong> Torah.<br />
All those laws are meant to make <strong>the</strong> mass feel perfect. We have to concentrate on <strong>the</strong><br />
principles. Remember this very well and not <strong>the</strong> special cases, details that don’t help us. From<br />
above o<strong>nl</strong>y principles, general laws are given we have to apply in our world.<br />
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We have to climb up just like nukva, to <strong>the</strong> general principles. The higher, <strong>the</strong> more general<br />
and <strong>the</strong> more eternal. And to understand <strong>the</strong> eternal you have to climb up to <strong>the</strong> principles and<br />
pull <strong>the</strong>m down and apply <strong>the</strong>m in our world instead of holding on to things that are not<br />
important, o<strong>nl</strong>y last for a short while and die out very soon.<br />
Do you understand? People in our world hold on to things that are not important, have a short<br />
life span and that don’t give life power to you. The entire point is to attract <strong>the</strong> laws of <strong>the</strong><br />
universe from above and to cover yourself with <strong>the</strong>m or let <strong>the</strong>m enter you. Through this you<br />
will be protected against short-temperedness, all kinds of wishes you experience that day. The<br />
inner principles you have attracted from above will protect you.)<br />
Therefore it is forbidden to tell such a person (a person from <strong>the</strong> mass who is religious) about<br />
any kind of lack he might have in his service. (Do you see how careful we have to be? This<br />
might also be one of <strong>the</strong> reasons I don’t go to a synagogue. I don’t have <strong>the</strong> flexibility to play<br />
an act with <strong>the</strong>m. They belong to <strong>the</strong> mass, to <strong>the</strong> team spirit. It’s <strong>the</strong> same in every religion<br />
and every culture.<br />
By learning <strong>Kabbalah</strong> you will learn <strong>the</strong> motives of a person. You will know what a person<br />
can get up to, you will know that nobody is resistant to sinning. Therefore you won’t look up<br />
to o<strong>the</strong>rs. King Solomon had said: ‘There is no righteous person who does good and doesn’t<br />
sin’. He didn’t say, some sin and some don’t. This is how it is. There is nobody who is good<br />
and doesn’t sin, do you understand? Even unconsciously… how many sins don’t we commit?<br />
But it’s okay, you have to fall and get up again. But never fall in <strong>the</strong> same pit, but try to<br />
progress.<br />
So you may never reprimand someone for <strong>the</strong> work he’s doing. I remember when I started<br />
learning <strong>Kabbalah</strong>, I was so amazed I wanted to tell <strong>the</strong> entire world. At first my orthodox<br />
bro<strong>the</strong>rs. I even brought people here to celebrate Shabbat toge<strong>the</strong>r and I told <strong>the</strong>m about<br />
<strong>Kabbalah</strong>. But <strong>the</strong>y didn’t understand me. They thought I had brought <strong>the</strong>m here to instruct<br />
<strong>the</strong>m just like a sect…<br />
They are given an enormous assignment, everything depends on <strong>the</strong>m, <strong>the</strong> whole progress.<br />
But one says to him (to <strong>the</strong> person who feels perfect and complete in his work, a mass person<br />
who does mass work for <strong>the</strong> Creator. But he believes in G’d. We’re not talking about<br />
someone who is professor or a mayor, Jew or not Jew. Someone who does some kind of work<br />
and believes in G’d, but like <strong>the</strong> mass who doesn’t work on himself), everything you do is<br />
perfect because every penny is added to ano<strong>the</strong>r penny (eventually it becomes a large amount<br />
of money. Do you understand? <strong>On</strong>e does this, ano<strong>the</strong>r does a bit of something else. With or<br />
without intention <strong>the</strong>y all do a bit of something) and no deed is lost in <strong>the</strong> spiritual. (So even<br />
<strong>the</strong> work my bro<strong>the</strong>rs do, even though <strong>the</strong>y don’t do it for <strong>the</strong> Creator, but for <strong>the</strong>mselves, for<br />
<strong>the</strong>ir family, for this world, <strong>the</strong> future world, to be healthy… it all helps and counts as work<br />
and doesn’t go to waste.<br />
Why? He makes an effort. He gets up early, goes to <strong>the</strong> synagogue or <strong>the</strong> church, doesn’t<br />
matter what exactly. He puts in effort, even though it’s from <strong>the</strong> outside.) And when <strong>the</strong> time<br />
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of Gmar Tikun, <strong>the</strong> final correction will come, all deeds will be corrected. (Also <strong>the</strong> deeds that<br />
are lo lishma, so not for <strong>the</strong> Creator, but o<strong>nl</strong>y to receive for <strong>the</strong>mselves.<br />
‘If I fulfill a certain regulation <strong>the</strong>n I will earn more money, honor or rest.’ Doesn’t matter,<br />
when <strong>the</strong> final correction for <strong>the</strong> entire humanity will come, also <strong>the</strong>se kind of deeds will be<br />
corrected. But we don’t want to wait, we want to consciously work on ourselves even though<br />
it seems too ambitious.<br />
<strong>On</strong> <strong>the</strong> one hand we don’t want to, but on <strong>the</strong> o<strong>the</strong>r hand we are pushed from above. From<br />
above you are given to walk this path, learn <strong>Kabbalah</strong>. Everyone knows this method but<br />
nobody is interested in this short but powerful method that isn’t group related.<br />
To enter <strong>the</strong> true spiritual one needs courage to bring himself, individually to perfection. I<br />
can’t and don’t want to walk ano<strong>the</strong>r path anymore.<br />
לגוסמ אוה ןיאש תביסמ ,תאז הדובע קיפסמ וליבשב אלא ,רקש םולשו סח ול םירמוא אלש ,אצמנ<br />
לגוסמ אוה תמאב םאה ,ונייה ,תרוקבה ךרדב תכלל םדאה תא םידמלמ םשש ,טרפה תניחבב דובעל<br />
אוהש וא ,'המ שקבמ אוהש המב ,םיוש ובלו ויפ םא ,תרמוא תאז ,שקבמ אוהש המ תא םייקל<br />
.יתימאה ובצמ תא תוארל דימת ךירצו .שקבמ אוהש המל םיכסמ ףוגה<br />
ןיאש ,האור<br />
Line 29 – And we we’re not saying a lie to him, (to a mass person. It doesn’t matter he has<br />
said this already. A great rabbi can repeat <strong>the</strong> same thing several times, but in ano<strong>the</strong>r context,<br />
because we’re evolving.<br />
The entire point is that it helps us. And if <strong>the</strong> rabbi thinks repeating is necessary <strong>the</strong>n we have<br />
to follow him. We know that he’s leading us to salvation and <strong>the</strong>refore we have to know that<br />
it’s structurally necessary for us. Look he’s saying that he’s not told a lie…) for <strong>the</strong>m this<br />
work is sufficient (for <strong>the</strong>m personally this is sufficient, for <strong>the</strong> mass. So you don’t have to<br />
give <strong>the</strong>m more. We have already said you don’t have to give someone more than he needs,<br />
do you understand?<br />
Also when you give someone a present: if you know he won’t appreciate it <strong>the</strong>n you don’t<br />
have to give that present. Everything you give has to be appreciated. It’s all about filling <strong>the</strong><br />
shortage of a person. If someone doesn’t have a shortage, what can you <strong>the</strong>n give?<br />
I remember when I was a business man; I was friends with a manager of a big company.<br />
<strong>On</strong>ce, I went to him with my wife and he told us that everything he gives to his wife isn’t<br />
good.<br />
He said: ‘when I buy her a new red Jaguar, she says why it’s not white? And when it’s white,<br />
she says why it’s not blue?’ He was giving an example. Why? If someone doesn’t experience<br />
a shortage, <strong>the</strong>n it’s misery and thus don’t give anything.<br />
It’s <strong>the</strong> same in <strong>the</strong> spiritual. Don’t say: go and learn <strong>the</strong> spiritual or even think one might<br />
have a shortage for <strong>the</strong> spiritual. If someone doesn’t have <strong>the</strong> proper shortage, <strong>the</strong>n don’t ask<br />
<strong>the</strong>m and don’t advertise <strong>Kabbalah</strong>.<br />
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At first I was giving a few interviews because I thought it could be useful for o<strong>the</strong>rs to<br />
discover our website. Last week someone from <strong>the</strong> TV: NCRV called for an interview. But I<br />
told her I don’t give interviews anymore. Then <strong>the</strong>y asked me if I knew someone who did? I<br />
said I didn’t know but could give her advice. I asked if she had a pen ready and told her to<br />
write <strong>the</strong> following: www.kabbalah-<strong>arizal</strong>.<strong>nl</strong> and she also started to laugh. I told her she could<br />
find more on <strong>the</strong> website than interviewing me…<br />
So he’s saying it’s sufficient for <strong>the</strong> mass. Like he said, <strong>the</strong>y feel perfect and it’s important<br />
<strong>the</strong>y continue <strong>the</strong>ir work. Even though <strong>the</strong>y are not doing it in <strong>the</strong> name of <strong>the</strong> Creator, <strong>the</strong>y<br />
still do good deeds, unconsciously. Because every penny is added to ano<strong>the</strong>r penny and it<br />
eventually becomes a large amount. And during gmar tikun everything will be corrected. So<br />
<strong>the</strong>ir work is also useful.<br />
Now look why it’s enough for <strong>the</strong>m.) for <strong>the</strong> reason he is not capable of working individually,<br />
(well <strong>the</strong>n, how can you blame someone for not working as an individual? Do you<br />
understand? It’s important to understand this. Before, I also didn’t have <strong>the</strong> feeling for this.)<br />
because <strong>the</strong> individual is learned (like I learn you) to follow <strong>the</strong> path of verifications (to<br />
examine <strong>the</strong> correctness and truth of his deeds…<br />
A person from <strong>the</strong> mass doesn’t have to do this. He follows a set of regulations. He just does<br />
<strong>the</strong>m. Okay, he does some effort to bring up faith, but his belief stays below knowledge.<br />
While we have to bring up faith above knowledge. Above knowledge means we have to<br />
overcome our doubts etc… A person who works on himself has doubts, so right and left<br />
because <strong>the</strong>re is mercy and din, chasadim and gvurot and <strong>the</strong>y stand against each o<strong>the</strong>r, <strong>the</strong>y<br />
don’t fight but are in confrontation.<br />
And we feel this when doing individual work. We always have right and left, <strong>the</strong>refore we<br />
have doubts. While someone from <strong>the</strong> mass doesn’t feel this, he feels perfect and complete.<br />
It’s great to look at <strong>the</strong>m. I’ve seen it a lot.<br />
Also how <strong>the</strong>y treat each o<strong>the</strong>r and <strong>the</strong>ir children… it’s great to see this. They feel perfect,<br />
like angels, <strong>the</strong>y feel more important, higher than o<strong>the</strong>rs. They think <strong>the</strong>y are doing <strong>the</strong> perfect<br />
service and o<strong>the</strong>rs who are doing individual work are going astray from <strong>the</strong> right path.<br />
I’ve done my best, but after so many years… for me o<strong>nl</strong>y <strong>Kabbalah</strong> can bring completion. We<br />
can’t know why it’s like this. From above <strong>the</strong>y look at you and you are given a sign to walk<br />
this path.<br />
So <strong>the</strong> individual examines his deeds and asks himself:) if he is truly capable of<br />
accomplishing that what he is asking for, (while someone else just says words without<br />
thinking about it.<br />
So <strong>the</strong> individual asks himself, because <strong>the</strong> body says to him: you don’t mean what you are<br />
saying, you want success and money instead, why are you pretending you want something<br />
else?) this means, he asks himself if his month and hearth are on equal basis (because one<br />
says something while his heart desires something else), he wonders if his tong and heart are<br />
on equal footing, if <strong>the</strong>y rhyme with each o<strong>the</strong>r when he asks <strong>the</strong> Creator for something or<br />
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does he notice that his body (<strong>the</strong> wish to receive for itself) doesn’t agree with what he is<br />
asking. And one constantly needs to look if his state is <strong>the</strong> true state.<br />
(Do you see? And individual has to constantly examine his state, while a person from <strong>the</strong><br />
mass feels perfect in what he does. They o<strong>nl</strong>y choose <strong>the</strong> right side, a bit of emouna, a bit of<br />
faith, a bit of under-knowledge but <strong>the</strong>y don’t examine <strong>the</strong>ir deeds, <strong>the</strong>y don’t have a left side.<br />
It’s <strong>the</strong> same if someone walks on one leg. Can someone walk on one leg? Even though you<br />
have one leg you still need an artificial leg, a stick or something else. It’s <strong>the</strong> same with us.<br />
We can o<strong>nl</strong>y walk on two legs. If someone works on himself, <strong>the</strong>n he needs two legs. That’s<br />
reality.)<br />
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