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
Kabbalah. The opposite is true also. All the afflictions that have
befallen Israel and the world are due to their neglecting the study of
Kabbalah (as compared to the external rituals) and treating it as
something superfluous.
70. This is what “The Book of Zohar” says: “Come and wake up for
the sake of spiritual ascent. Your heart is empty and you lack wisdom
and the understanding of the Creator”.
In other words, “The Zohar” states: whatever you may be doing should
only be for the sake of achieving equivalence of form with the Him.
This way, we rise to the level of eternity and perfection. Only Kabbalah
can guide and correct us, whereas all other teachings and even the
outer part of the Torah increases egoism. The nations with a higher level
of egoism are greedy, resourceful, craving for pleasures of this world.
Why is this so?
It is because instead of elevating their soul, they focus more on the
body. Naturally, since this is not what they are supposed to do, although
successful in their undertakings, they push themselves and the whole
world to a catastrophe.
It is said about this generation that the Upper spirit (light) disappears
and never returns. This is the spirit of Mashiach which is necessary
for redeeming all people from suffering. This spirit disappears and
stops shining in the world. Woe to those people who cause the light
of Mashiach to depart and leave the world by making the Torah dry
and tasteless, without Upper understanding and knowledge. They
confine themselves to the practical aspects of the Torah and make
no effort to try and understand the wisdom of Kabbalah. They do
not wish to contemplate the secrets of the Torah, grasp the meaning
of man’s actions and attain the Creator. Woe to them, who by their
actions cause poverty, war, violence, pillage, killings and destructions
in the world.
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