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
mission. So deep is my grief that I am unable to continue speaking
about it.
In items 155 and 156 of the Introduction to The Study of the Ten
Sefirot, Baal HaSulam explains that without the study of Kabbalah one
cannot achieve even the minimal NaRaNHaY. Kabbalah has been neglected
since the destruction of the Second Temple, i.e., for about 2000 years.
The great Kabbalist begins his Introduction with the following words: “I
have found a great need to break down the iron wall which separates us
from the wisdom of Kabbalah. Unless we do that we will end up by falling
into abyss. All our problems, all our sufferings are caused by our inability
to attract the Upper light of correction with the help of Kabbalah”.
Then he proceeds to explain the reason that led to neglect of
Kabbalah.
58. Indeed I have known the reason: that it is mainly because faith has
generally diminished, especially faith in the holy men, the wise men of all generations.
And the books of Kabbalah and the Zohar are full of corporeal parables.
That is, the language of the Kabbalistic books is so confusing that
man imagines that Kabbalah speaks about our world and not about the
Upper worlds. The language uses the words of our world.
Therefore people are afraid lest they will fail by materializing (making
idols) and will lose more than they will gain (from studying the
books in this way).
That is people would think that the world is ruled not by the Creator,
but some Supreme forces are in the objects of our world. The reader
thinks that all the books of the Torah speak of this world.
And that is what prompted me to compose a thorough interpretation
of the writings of the ARI and now to the holy Zohar (
the HaSulam
Commentary). And I have removed completely that concern (the
fear of imagining our world instead of the spiritual one),
for I have proven the spiritual message behind everything, which is
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