Introduction to the Book of Zohar (PDF) - Kabbalah Media Archive

I N T RO D U C T I O N T O T H E B O O K O F Z O H A R
Philosophy states that man’s existence depends on his knowledge
of nature.
What is contained in this knowledge? It is just an understanding of
what exists outside of me. First, is this knowledge absolute? Even through
research, we understand that the world we feel around us is nothing
more than the result of our subjective perception. If we had different
senses, we would feel the world quite differently, not as air, solid bodies
or liquid, gaseous and plasma states of matter. The world would have a
completely different degree of density and other perceived qualities.
The way the world exists around us is merely a consequence of our
internal states. That is why philosophy's stipulation that man's life is dependent
upon his conception of the outer world cardinally contradicts
the opinion of Kabbalah.
It is also unaccepted by the heart, and anyone who ever tried to
acquire some knowledge knows and feels that the mind itself is a possession
and not the possessor.
Nevertheless, as we have said, all the substance of the renewed creation,
both the substance of spiritual objects and the substance of
corporeal objects, is no more and no less than a will to receive.
Our essence is the will to receive. Moreover, any difference between
one essence and another lies in their respective desires to receive
that generate needs within every essence, which in turn create certain
thoughts and knowledge that are sufficient to satisfy those needs. Therefore,
desires are the very core of whatever is within us. Our mind is created
to satisfy these desires. Our essence is not the mind; it is the will to
receive.
Just as human desires differ from one another, so are their needs,
thoughts and ideas. For instance, those whose will to receive is limited
to beastly desires, their needs, thoughts and ideas all aim to
satisfy those desires.
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