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

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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<br />

Just as <strong>the</strong>re are five worlds in reality, which are <strong>the</strong> five Sefirot,<br />

Keter, Hochma, Bina, Tifferet and Malchut, so <strong>to</strong>o are <strong>the</strong>re five<br />

Sefirot, Keter, Hochma, Bina, Tifferet and Malchut in, each and<br />

every world, and <strong>the</strong>re are five Sefirot in <strong>the</strong> smallest particle <strong>of</strong> that<br />

world.<br />

Everything is divided in<strong>to</strong> five parts.<br />

We have stated that this world is divided in<strong>to</strong> <strong>the</strong> still, vegetative,<br />

animate, and human levels. They correspond <strong>to</strong> <strong>the</strong> four Sefirot,<br />

Hochma, Bina, Tifferet, and Malchut; or ra<strong>the</strong>r in <strong>the</strong> reverse<br />

order, Malchut, Tifferet, Bina, and Hochma.<br />

Indeed, even in <strong>the</strong> smallest particle <strong>of</strong> each species in <strong>the</strong> still,<br />

vegetative, animate, and human levels, <strong>the</strong>re are four inner categories:<br />

still, vegetative, animate, and human. The same exists in a single<br />

species, i.e., in one person…, in all <strong>of</strong> us.<br />

Now let us understand what man is. Why should we think about<br />

anything else? We are <strong>the</strong> most active part <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> universe, that which is<br />

destined <strong>to</strong> bring everything <strong>to</strong> <strong>the</strong> Crea<strong>to</strong>r. If we (<strong>the</strong> soul) merge with<br />

<strong>the</strong> Crea<strong>to</strong>r, <strong>the</strong>n <strong>the</strong> halls, <strong>the</strong> clo<strong>the</strong>s, and <strong>the</strong> angels will merge with<br />

Him <strong>to</strong>ge<strong>the</strong>r with us (i.e., <strong>the</strong> entire universe ascends <strong>to</strong> <strong>the</strong> Crea<strong>to</strong>r’s<br />

level). This depends only on our desire and our work. Therefore, we<br />

study <strong>the</strong> level <strong>of</strong> “man” and <strong>the</strong> way he ascends <strong>to</strong> <strong>the</strong> Crea<strong>to</strong>r.<br />

So even in one person, <strong>the</strong>re are also four levels (still, vegetative, animate<br />

and human), which are <strong>the</strong> four parts <strong>of</strong> his will <strong>to</strong> receive.<br />

In all, <strong>the</strong>re are five kinds <strong>of</strong> desires. We call <strong>the</strong>m Aviut zero, one,<br />

two, three and four. All <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong>se egoistic levels <strong>of</strong> a desire, still, vegetative,<br />

animate and human, exist in our world and are characterized by <strong>the</strong><br />

general notion <strong>of</strong> a man’s heart.<br />

The still level is represented by <strong>the</strong> bodily desires for food, sex, family,<br />

and home. The vegetative level is <strong>the</strong> desire for riches. The animate<br />

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