The Creator and The Creation - a Collection of Authentic Kabbalah Inspirations

The inspirations contained in this book are derived from the works of authentic Kabbalists. Meaning, only Kabbalists who actually attained the spiritual levels of which they speak. The truth in these inspirations is clearly evident to those seeking the answer to the question, “What is my purpose?”

The Creator and The Creation: A Collection of Authentic Kabbalah Inspirations - compiled by Rob Taylor

Together Forever - a Story for Children and Parents by Michael Laitman

February 22, 2008 at 9:03 am · Filed under Books, Kabbalistic Stories
Together Forever
A Story for Children & Parents by Michael Laitman

In Together Forever, the author tells us that if we are patient and endure the trials we encounter along our life’s path, we will become stronger, braver, and wiser. Instead of growing weaker, we will learn to create our own magic and our own wonders as only a magician can.

In this warm, tender tale, Michael Laitman shares with children and parents alike some of the gems and charms of the spiritual world. The wisdom of Kabbalah is filled with spellbinding stories. Together Forever is yet another gift from this ageless source of wisdom, whose lessons make our lives richer, easier, and far more fulfilling.

Together Forever by Michael Laitman
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* Purchase Hard-Cover Book at the Kabbalah Bookstore

Love, Deciphered

Love - the Unifying Factor Between All Elements in Reality
February 20, 2008 at 5:39 am · Filed under Kabbalah Today, Love
Article in Kabbalah Today Issue 12

Kabbalists explain that there’s a reason why we feel best precisely when we experience “this thing called love”: because what we feel towards another person somewhat corresponds to the innate quality of Nature.

By feeling love, we gain contact with the positive quality that invigorates and binds all parts of reality. Kabbalah calls this quality “love” or “bestowal,” and explains that it is the unifying factor between all the elements in reality: minerals, plants, and animals, as well as all the experiences in man’s inner world. more…

The Hidden Laws Between Us

Everyone knows that we are affected by the laws of nature. For example, take the law of gravity. It is invisible and imperceptible, but it is always affecting us. It’s simply a part of our lives, whether we notice it or not. And the same can be said about all other physical laws.

Moreover, there’s been a lot of talk about other kinds of forces acting in the world, such as the power of thought and intention. Many scientists and philosophers are noticing that these non-physical forces also follow specific laws, and that thinking in a certain way has specific effects on one’s life and well-being.

But what many people don’t realize is that our relationships in the social realm are also affected by permanent and absolute natural laws. Just like the invisible laws of gravity and electromagnetism are always affecting our bodies, there are invisible laws of Nature that constantly affect our human interactions.

What would happen if you tried to ignore the law of gravity and jumped off a cliff? Something not very pretty. Kabbalah explains that in the same way, all our problems in life are caused by the fact that we unknowingly transgress natural laws of a higher order. Hence, we could avoid most problems if we learned about the higher laws of Nature, the invisible forces that regulate our human relationships.

Since we do not know the laws of Nature that regulate human relationships, we think that we can do as we please in this realm. We invent our own rules of relating to each other and establish arbitrary education systems, social institutions and systems of government. But in fact, for all these systems to function flawlessly and to our benefit, we have to study the natural laws of the social realm and build our systems accordingly.

The wisdom of Kabbalah studies the social laws, and other laws that are concealed from our five senses. When one begins studying this wisdom and learns about the laws of Nature, one discovers that they operate only to benefit him and then, naturally desires to comply with them.

What makes one want to act in harmony with the hidden laws of Nature? Kabbalah explains that they influence us with just one purpose: to elevate us to the state of eternity and perfection. In that state, all people act as parts of one integral body, in which they feel the innate quality of Nature itself - complete, unconditional bestowal.

Presently we don’t feel these laws, and therefore we think that our lives are progressing from one coincidence to another. But if we felt the forces of Nature that constantly drive us toward a single, exalted goal, we would know that nothing is coincidental and that our lives are systematically moving toward Nature’s goal. This goal is described by the great Kabbalist of the 20th century, Baal HaSulam, as "The revelation of His Godliness to His creatures in this world."

Bnei Baruch, http://www.kabbalah.info/ is the largest group of Kabbalists in Israel, sharing the wisdom of Kabbalah with the entire world. Study materials in over 25 languages are based on authentic Kabbalah texts that were passed down from generation to generation.

Kabbalah Says: There Is No Coercion in Spirituality

This What’s it like to be a Kabbalist? Can you see through walls? Do you live in seclusion, meditating all day and using just the barest necessities? Can you manipulate other people’s thoughts and feelings? Can you stop a train with just your thoughts?

The fact is that a Kabbalist’s only concern is to be in harmony with the force that enlivens the whole of reality, called “Upper Light.” When one gains contact with this Upper Light, one changes from within and begins to feel new sensations. Actually, what one feels are the qualities that are present in the Upper Light – qualities of love, bestowal, perfection, and eternity. The Kabbalist’s relationship with the Upper Light is called the “Upper World,” a realm beyond time and space.

As a result of the Kabbalist’s internal changes, his relation toward others also changes. He naturally begins to feel love toward other people, as if they were his kin. This is because he is occupied with his relationship with the Upper Light, and since the Upper Light is all love and bestowal, the Kabbalist naturally adopts these qualities as well.

However, this isn’t something that you will necessarily be able to discern on the outside. A Kabbalist doesn’t change because someone teaches him how to behave and preaches moral principles to him, or because he reads about “proper behavior.” Any changes in his attitude occur naturally, without any coercion or external instruction.

Kabbalah maintains that any teaching or activity that restrains a person is faulty. We cannot enforce any kind of behavior on people, since this is simply ineffective. Therefore, Kabbalistic education does not try to suppress any of our habits or preferences. Rather, Kabbalah guides a person on how to achieve balance and harmony with Nature from within, and only if the person desires this. Through Kabbalah, one learns about the qualities of the Upper Light, how to gain contact with it, and how to become similar to it.

Therefore, there is no coercion in teaching people the wisdom of Kabbalah. When Rav Kook, the great 20th century Kabbalist, was asked who could study Kabbalah, his answer was: “Anyone who wants to.” And in fact, it also works the other way around: You can’t really study Kabbalah if you don’t desire it; because what you study - the connection with the Upper Light - is felt specifically through your desire. So it would be incorrect to urge anyone to study, since it can’t bear any fruit.

Today, Kabbalah is available to all, and anyone who wishes is able to learn about the Upper Light, its qualities, and how to achieve harmony with it.

Kabbalah Has Come out of Hiding

Kabbalists explain that the wisdom of Kabbalah has been waiting in concealment for millennia until the present time, when it would be revealed. This is because in previous generations the bulk of humanity was not interested in finding out, “What is the purpose of life?” Whereas now, many people are asking this question and are ready to study the wisdom of Kabbalah, which answers it.

But if Kabbalah wasn’t really necessary until the present day, then why did it emerge thousands of years ago? Why wasn’t it discovered in the modern age, the way quantum physics is being discovered only now?

In fact, the first Kabbalistic knowledge was received about 5700 years ago by a man named Adam. He was one of many people who lived on earth at that time, and he differed from other people in that he felt a desire for spirituality. Twenty generations after him, about 3800 years ago, an inhabitant of ancient Mesopotamia named Abraham became the next person to search for answers and to attain the spiritual world.

Why was the presence of such special individuals in history necessary? After all, the rest of humanity didn’t really ask about the purpose of its existence. It’s only recently that many people have begun looking to the wisdom that those special individuals have developed – the wisdom of Kabbalah. So why did Kabbalists appear so long ago? Why couldn’t they simply emerge today, when others are more receptive to their knowledge?

Kabbalah explains that these special, spiritually developed individuals were necessary in each generation because the wisdom of Kabbalah had to be revealed in different forms over time. It had to be adapted to humanity’s development in each period of time. While most people were not aware of it, those individual Kabbalists were accomplishing tremendous work, researching the universe and their own attitude to reality. In doing so, they perfected the Kabbalistic method from one generation to the next, so that it could reach the modern era as a modern, scientific method of studying the spiritual world.

This is why Kabbalah had to originate in the ancient world, in a simple, archaic form, the way it is revealed in the book Raziel HaMalach (The Angel Raziel), by the first Kabbalist, Adam. Other Kabbalists in subsequent generations adapted it to the changing times, and eventually the descendants of the ancient group of Kabbalists formed by Abraham, dispersed bits of this wisdom throughout the whole world. As a result, Kabbalah was developed in the midst of mankind, albeit in concealment, incorporating the atmosphere of its surroundings in order to become suitable for all of humanity.

Interestingly, the gradual development of Kabbalah throughout history indirectly spurred the development of all humanity in other realms, such as the technological, social and scientific progress. How so? Without our awareness, Kabbalistic knowledge spread throughout the world, permeating all of mankind, and increased our latent desire to connect to the source of our existence, the Creator. This innermost desire we have pushes us forward in everything we do. So for instance, the love songs we write, the works of art we create, and even our scientific research, are all ways for us to express our latent desire toward the Creator.

But the actual wisdom of Kabbalah is intended only for spiritual development, and this is what is now starting to happen for the first time in history. Kabbalists have finally come out of hiding and are openly teaching this wisdom to all. This marks the final point of Kabbalah’s development, and the beginning point of its practical application. Using Kabbalah, any person, regardless of age, gender, religion, or nationality can reveal the spiritual world – a world of perfection, eternity, infinity, and boundless joy.

History of Kabbalah: The Story of The Book of Zohar

History of Kabbalah: The Story of The Book of Zohar by Bnei Baruch

Zohar means Radiance, and The Book of Zohar is the fundamental book in the wisdom of Kabbalah. It is the key enabling one to reveal the spiritual part of the universe, hidden to our five senses, and the Upper Force that governs everything and brings everything into being.
It was written by Rabbi Shimon Bar Yochai, or Rashbi, a great Kabbalist who lived in the 2nd century CE. Rashbi attained all the wisdom that was to be recorded in The Book of Zohar while hiding from the hostile Roman authorities in a cave in Northern Israel. Together with his son Rabbi Elazar, Rashbi spent 13 years living in this cave, eating fruits of a carob tree and drinking water from a nearby source. In that time, the father and son had attained all the degrees of the spiritual world, and were able to feel the Upper Force or the Creator with utter clarity.

13 years later, Rabbi Shimon and his son reemerged from the cave, assembled a group of disciples, and wrote The Book of Zohar along with them. Kabbalah explains that ten men were necessary to write this unique book, because their souls corresponded to ten spiritual forces called "Sefirot." Only together were they able to create the common spiritual vessel able to perceive the highest degrees of the spiritual world.

Therefore, when The Book of Zohar describes Rabbi Shimon and his students, it actually refers to the qualities that exist in the spiritual world. The ten sages had attained these spiritual qualities through their souls and were able to record them in a book.

The book was written in a special way. Rashbi knew that the text had to conceal its spiritual content, because this information was intended for those who would live two millennia later--us. This is why he had one of his students, Rabbi Aba, write it. Rabbi Aba was able to put the spiritual information in a concealed manner. He wrote The Book of Zohar by listening to Rashbi and recording what he said in a way that an uninformed reader could comprehend only the shallowest, most external layer of the text. For instance, here is how the book starts: Rabbi Chizkiyah opened, "It is written, as the rose amongst the thorns." The text is beautiful and poetic, yet requires a spiritual attainment in order to decipher its true meaning.

Hence, when we read The Book of Zohar without the needed preparation, it appears as a series of fantastical tales and legends. And to learn how to read it properly, we should start with the writings of Rabbi Yehuda Ashlag, also called Baal HaSulam, after his Sulam (Ladder) commentary on The Book of Zohar. Baal HaSulam composed a comprehensive, accurate, and systematic interpretation of The Book of Zohar. His goal was to unveil the book to the public and make it suitable for the souls of our time.

The Book of Zohar was to be concealed for two thousand years, waiting for humanity to desire spirituality. And this is happening in our time, when more and more people are asking about the purpose of their very existence. That is why The Zohar is now becoming revealed to all by the great Kabbalists who have concealed it until now.

Kabbalah on Love, Marriage and Family

Kabbalah on Love, Marriage and Family
February 15, 2008 at 5:51 am · Filed under Family, Love, Marriage

Rav Michael Laitman, PhD discusses love, marriage and family in a talk with the principle instructors of the Russian Kabbalah Academy, Michael Sanilevich and Yevgeniy Litvar.

Topics covered in this talk:
* What is love?
* About jealousy
* Love means giving yourself to others
* How can one learn to love?
* Condition of love
* Who invented marriage?
* What is the purpose of a family?
* Who dominates in a family?
* About biblical commandments

Read the Full Talk “On Love and Marriage”