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

P R E FAC E T O T H E B O O K O F Z O H A R
to research such things one needs to rise to the level that is above “The
Book of Zohar”, i.e., reach higher that the book’s purpose.
“The Zohar’s” purpose is very concrete; it must lead us to the Final
Correction. Our path completely changes after that. We will continue
researching the universe in our corrected properties. This research is impossible
to describe in books because no spoken or written word can
express it.
Therefore, “The Zohar” exclusively speaks of things pertaining to
our Souls, i.e., what should be corrected at the present moment. The rest
is none of its concern.
We find that a man in this world must receive nourishment from
all the four levels (the still, vegetative, animate and speaking) of this
world, in order to grow. Even in man's food there are four ingredients
from all the four degrees that are a consequence of his body having
four degrees (still, vegetative, animate and speaking). These are:
• The will to receive in order to sustain oneself;
• The will to receive in excess of the need to sustain oneself, looks for
excesses, but is capable of restraining only the beastly desires;
• The yearning for pleasures that society provides, such as universal
respect and posts in government;
• The aspiration to the sciences.
We usually say that man consists of four levels of desire: for bodily
pleasures, wealth, power, fame, and knowledge.
• The will to receive in order to sustain oneself, which corresponds
to the still level of desire;
• The will to receive beastly desires is the vegetative level of desire;
the will to receive that is given in order to increase and fill one with pleasure
in his vessel – flesh (Basar) of the body;
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