To ascend from its original level, a soul needs to reincarnate to do its Tikun. This Tikun of the soul is realized by the Gilgul (reincarnation) and/or by the ‘Ibur (attachment). While Gilgul is the reincarnation of a soul into a body from the time of its birth until its death, the ‘Ibur is an attachment of another soul to his own soul, that could come and leave at anytime.
If man does not do the Tikun for the level of his soul for which he came, he comes back and reincarnates in a new body for a new life. As long as he undertakes the Tikun of his soul in three reincarnations, he will come back again and again as needed, to complete his Tikun. However, if he maintains his wrong behavior and neither performs nor advances in his Tikun, he will not return after the third reincarnation.
There are different reasons why a soul might have to come back and reincarnate. It could be to repair or rectify an act for some damage he caused by his wrongdoings, or by not accomplishing the Mitsvot – commandments. The secret and reasons behind the accomplishment of the Mitsvot is to help, or make the Tikun of the soul.
As there are 613 parts to the soul, and 613 veins and bones to man, similarly, there are 613 Mitsvot and 613 lights in each Sephira or configuration. Each Mitsva corresponds to one part of the soul and of the body; by performing a positive commandment or avoiding a negative one, the corresponding part of the soul is reinforced and repaired. Failing to perform the positive Mitsva or to avoid a negative commandment causes direct damage to one’s soul and requires repair in this life or in a future reincarnation.
It is only by getting another chance to do or undo what he should have done or not do, that man makes the necessary Tikun of his soul, which can now rise to the higher realms and rejoin its source.
In Hebrew, the word “Tikun” has different meanings. It can be understood as reparation or rectification, and also as function, relation or action.
There are different types of Tikunim:
– Tikunim that took place in the first emanations to repair the worlds.
– Tikunim for the construction and inter-relations of the Sephirot and Partsufim (configurations).
– Tikunim of certain Partsufim (function or action) for the guidance of the worlds.
– Tikunim (rectifications) for the souls.
For more on Tikun, see Tikun under Kabbalah studies
Since the intention of the Creator is to bestow goodness on His creatures, all the levels of creation were put in place so His kindness could emanate to them, yet in such a way that they would be able to receive it. Complete rigor will be the destruction of anything not perfect, while complete kindness will permit everything without restriction. However, these two aspects are necessary to make the guidance of kindness and justice and to give man the possibility of serving the Creator by their free will.
After the Shvirat HaKelim (breaking of the vessels) with the emanation of the lights of the name MaH (45) and BaN (52), G-od could have done the Tikun (repair) of all the worlds, but then, there would not have been a reason for the participation of man in this Tikun and a possibility to acquire merit.
For man to have a possibility to act and repair the creation, G-od restrained in a way, his outflow of kindness to this world, to give men the merit of doing the Tikun with their free will. It is by their free will to get closer to their Creator and learn His ways, that men merit their place in the higher worlds when they depart.
“Ein Sof” is the Name of G-od that is the most used in the Kabbalah. His light is perfect, and cannot be measured by any definition or limiting terms. If we think about definitions, we introduce a notion of limit, or absence of its opposite. Being ourselves distinct separate beings, we cannot grasp the concept of the “non-distinct”. Everything we know is finite, by having a measure or an opposite.
We therefore use the name “Ein Sof” (without limit) since we know and admit that G-od and the concept of limitlessness or without end is beyond our human comprehension.
The Kabbalah is the mystical and esoteric explanation of the Torah. All the profound secrets explained in the Kabbalah, are alluded in the letters, words and different stories narrated in the Torah.
The Torah contains four levels of comprehension, of which the highest is the Sod (secret). At this level, we understand that our Tefilot (prayers) and the accomplishment of each one of the Mitsvot (commandments), has a direct influence on the superior worlds and on their guidance.
The Torah has 248 positive and 365 negative commandments. Similarly, there are 613 veins and bones to man, 613 parts to the soul, and 613 lights in each Sephira or Partsuf (configuration), this number is not arbitrary, as there are important interrelations and interactions between them.
Through the knowledge of Kabbalah, we can get to a level of true understanding of the will of the Creator, and in a way “decode” the profound secrets of our holy Torah.
The essential knowledge is the one of the will of the Creator and His ways of guidance in this existence, as explained in the Kabbalah. The other writings explain in the least details “how” to do, but only the Zohar and the Kabbalah explain to us the exact reasons, and effects of all our prayers and actions.
I believe that most yearn to serve at their best the Creator, but have been accustomed to execute and not seek further, or were kept away from this knowledge. It is now time to know and learn and make known this magnificent science, as it is written and recommended .
It is the “other” type of Kabbalah, where names or combinations of names of angels are used with special signs or incantations, sometimes written on parchment, to invoke particular powers and alter normal states of events. It is also called magic
By writing various permutation of letters or names of angels, one could make these superior forces act according to his will. There is danger of using these names without a proper preparation and a good knowledge of their forces and limits.
This decree was canceled about 450 years ago, as it was confirmed and written by Rav Avraham Azulay :
“What was decreed from above; not to study the Kabbalah openly, was for a limited time only, until the end of the year 5260 . From there and after, it was allowed, and from the year 5300 it was decreed that it is a “Mitsvah” (commandment). (Or Ha’Hamah, introduction).
Also two of the most important Kabbalists of all times; the Ari Z’al and the Ram’hal started very young as they both died before the age of forty
All the rabbinical authorities have always agreed on the ultimate importance and truthfulness of the Kabbalah, they just did not agree on the way this knowledge should be disseminated. Some insisted that only a very selective group should be allowed to learn Kabbalah, and only after attaining a high level of purity and comprehension of all the other writings.
Others believed that it should be more accessible and taught to most Jews. During the 16th century with the coming of Shabbetai Tsevi who was called the “Kabbalistic Messiah”, the Jewish community was divided between his followers and the “non-believers”. After converting to Islam, this false Messiah caused a big deception and mistrust in the teachings of the Kabbalah. The rabbinical authorities of the time became even more severe with the learning of Kabbalah and some were even persecuted for learning or writing on the subject
The word Kabbalah comes from the verb Lekabel (to receive), but to receive it is first necessary to be prepared, and to be a Keli (recipient) able to receive and contain this knowledge.
A Kabbalist is a person who is accepted to receive this knowledge, and is able to hold it by living in the path of Torah and rightness to strengthen himself constantly. He is a spiritual person who will give utmost importance to the higher meaning of things, and continually try to advance in his learning. For him, the main goal of this existence is to get closer to the Creator and serve him to the best of his possibilitie
Firstly, to understand what is expected of me, how I can better accomplish His commandments, the purpose of my prayers and actions.
Secondly, to get closer to my creator by learning His ways, and understanding the different emanations of His lights and powers in this world, and the others.
Thirdly, to “connect” with G-od, by deepening my understanding of His presence and manifestation in this existence, to have a fuller spiritual life and find meaning to our lives.
Through the knowledge of Kabbalah, one can get to a level of true understanding, and in a way “decode” the profound secrets of this existence as found in our holy Torah.
In the Kabbalah we learn how and why G-od created the world, in what way He governs it, the provenance of the souls and angels, the purpose of the existence of evil, the systems that are put in place for the true guidance of the worlds, and more.
The Kabbalah teaches the unfolding of the worlds, the various powers of influence on these worlds, the role of man in the creation, the will of the Creator and so on. It explains in details; the creation of the present and previous worlds, the different lights or energies that make their guidance, the final goal of man and the creation.
The Kabbalah explains often allegorically, the beginning of creation as well as all the dynamic systems that are put in place to interact with man, and for the guidance of the worlds. These systems make us understand the purpose of our actions, their interactions with the superior realms, the hidden messages and meanings in the Torah. With a deeper understanding of the reasons and goals of all these actions, one could definitely ascend to a higher level of service and closeness to his Creator.
In the Kabbalah, one can find all these answers and the exact reasons, and effects of all our rituals, prayers and actions. When one decides that he wants to know his Creator, in learning this science he ascends to a higher level of action and superior understanding and thus live and feel a more intense relation with his Creator. He will also realize his smallness compared to these incredible forces, the perfection of the Lord and His infinite love for His creatures.
The goal of this book is to provide a genuine picture of the true Kabbalah. The study of Kabbalah involves a good comprehension of its general idea, as well as its concepts. The Kabbalah explains often allegorically, the beginning of creation as well as all the dynamic systems that are put in place to interact with man, and for the guidance of the worlds. These systems make us understand the purpose of our actions, their interactions with the superior realms, the hidden messages and meanings in the Torah.
There are different levels of serving and getting closer to the Creator. In the Jewish religion there are many types of prayers and physical acts that we are asked to accomplish regularly, as well as numerous Mitsvot– commandments. With a deeper understanding of the reasons and goals of all these actions, one could definitely ascend to a higher level of service and closeness to his Creator. However, this level can not be attained overnight and without a serious investment of time to study and reflecting on this profound knowledge.
In this book, the reader will find most of the basic concepts as well as some more advanced, to get on the right path of truly understanding the Kabbalah. I have also added a glossary of terms and a dictionary of acronyms often found in the Zohar and other Kabbalah texts.
I sincerely do hope that this work will help to clarify these concepts and be a good contribution towards an understanding of what is the real Kabbalah.Kabbalah concepts2
These cases are perfectly simple and easy to distinguish. In a free hour, when our power of choice is untrammelled and when nothing prevents our being able to do what we like best, every pleasure is to be welcomed and every pain avoided. But in certain circumstances and owing to the claims of duty or the obligations of business it will frequently occur that pleasures have to be repudiated and annoyances accepted. The wise man therefore always holds in these matters to this principle of selection. But I must explain to you how all this mistaken idea of denouncing pleasure and praising pain was born and I will give you a complete account of the system.
“To live is the rarest thing in the world. Most people exist, that is all.”Oscar Wilde
Nor again is there anyone who loves or pursues or desires to obtain pain of itself, because it is pain, but because occasionally circumstances occur in which toil and pain can procure him some great pleasure. But I must explain to you how all this mistaken idea of denouncing pleasure and praising pain was born and I will give you a complete account of the system, and expound the actual teachings of the great explorer of the truth.
But I must explain to you how all this mistaken idea of denouncing pleasure and praising pain was born and I will give you a complete account of the system, and expound the actual teachings of the great explorer of the truth, the master-builder of human happiness. No one rejects, dislikes, or avoids pleasure itself.
More into summer fashion
Denouncing pleasure and praising pain was born and I will give you a complete account of the system, and expound the actual teachings of the great explorer of the truth, the master-builder of human happiness. No one rejects, dislikes, or avoids pleasure itself, because it is pleasure.
Nor again is there anyone who loves or pursues or desires to obtain pain of itself, because it is pain, but because occasionally circumstances occur in which toil and pain can procure him some great pleasure.
- Which is the same as saying through shrinking from toil and pain.
- But in certain circumstances and owing to the claims of duty or the obligations of business it will.
- The wise man therefore always holds in these matters to this principle of selection.
Because it is pleasure, but because those who do not know how to pursue pleasure rationally encounter consequences that are extremely painful. Nor again is there anyone who loves or pursues or desires to obtain pain of itself, because it is pain, but because occasionally circumstances occur in which toil and pain can procure him some great pleasure. To take a trivial example, which of us ever undertakes laborious physical exercise.
These cases are perfectly simple and easy to distinguish. In a free hour, when our power of choice is untrammelled and when nothing prevents our being able to do what we like best, every pleasure is to be welcomed and every pain avoided. But in certain circumstances and owing to the claims of duty or the obligations of business it will frequently occur that pleasures have to be repudiated and annoyances accepted. The wise man therefore always holds in these matters to this principle of selection. But I must explain to you how all this mistaken idea of denouncing pleasure and praising pain was born and I will give you a complete account of the system.
“To live is the rarest thing in the world. Most people exist, that is all.”Oscar Wilde
Nor again is there anyone who loves or pursues or desires to obtain pain of itself, because it is pain, but because occasionally circumstances occur in which toil and pain can procure him some great pleasure. But I must explain to you how all this mistaken idea of denouncing pleasure and praising pain was born and I will give you a complete account of the system, and expound the actual teachings of the great explorer of the truth.
But I must explain to you how all this mistaken idea of denouncing pleasure and praising pain was born and I will give you a complete account of the system, and expound the actual teachings of the great explorer of the truth, the master-builder of human happiness. No one rejects, dislikes, or avoids pleasure itself.
More into summer fashion
Denouncing pleasure and praising pain was born and I will give you a complete account of the system, and expound the actual teachings of the great explorer of the truth, the master-builder of human happiness. No one rejects, dislikes, or avoids pleasure itself, because it is pleasure.
Nor again is there anyone who loves or pursues or desires to obtain pain of itself, because it is pain, but because occasionally circumstances occur in which toil and pain can procure him some great pleasure.
- Which is the same as saying through shrinking from toil and pain.
- But in certain circumstances and owing to the claims of duty or the obligations of business it will.
- The wise man therefore always holds in these matters to this principle of selection.
Because it is pleasure, but because those who do not know how to pursue pleasure rationally encounter consequences that are extremely painful. Nor again is there anyone who loves or pursues or desires to obtain pain of itself, because it is pain, but because occasionally circumstances occur in which toil and pain can procure him some great pleasure. To take a trivial example, which of us ever undertakes laborious physical exercise.
These cases are perfectly simple and easy to distinguish. In a free hour, when our power of choice is untrammelled and when nothing prevents our being able to do what we like best, every pleasure is to be welcomed and every pain avoided. But in certain circumstances and owing to the claims of duty or the obligations of business it will frequently occur that pleasures have to be repudiated and annoyances accepted. The wise man therefore always holds in these matters to this principle of selection. But I must explain to you how all this mistaken idea of denouncing pleasure and praising pain was born and I will give you a complete account of the system.
“To live is the rarest thing in the world. Most people exist, that is all.”Oscar Wilde
Nor again is there anyone who loves or pursues or desires to obtain pain of itself, because it is pain, but because occasionally circumstances occur in which toil and pain can procure him some great pleasure. But I must explain to you how all this mistaken idea of denouncing pleasure and praising pain was born and I will give you a complete account of the system, and expound the actual teachings of the great explorer of the truth.
But I must explain to you how all this mistaken idea of denouncing pleasure and praising pain was born and I will give you a complete account of the system, and expound the actual teachings of the great explorer of the truth, the master-builder of human happiness. No one rejects, dislikes, or avoids pleasure itself.
More into summer fashion
Denouncing pleasure and praising pain was born and I will give you a complete account of the system, and expound the actual teachings of the great explorer of the truth, the master-builder of human happiness. No one rejects, dislikes, or avoids pleasure itself, because it is pleasure.
Nor again is there anyone who loves or pursues or desires to obtain pain of itself, because it is pain, but because occasionally circumstances occur in which toil and pain can procure him some great pleasure.
- Which is the same as saying through shrinking from toil and pain.
- But in certain circumstances and owing to the claims of duty or the obligations of business it will.
- The wise man therefore always holds in these matters to this principle of selection.
Because it is pleasure, but because those who do not know how to pursue pleasure rationally encounter consequences that are extremely painful. Nor again is there anyone who loves or pursues or desires to obtain pain of itself, because it is pain, but because occasionally circumstances occur in which toil and pain can procure him some great pleasure. To take a trivial example, which of us ever undertakes laborious physical exercise.
The goal of this book is to provide a genuine picture of the true Kabbalah. The study of Kabbalah involves a good comprehension of its general idea, as well as its concepts. The Kabbalah explains often allegorically, the beginning of creation as well as all the dynamic systems that are put in place to interact with man, and for the guidance of the worlds. These systems make us understand the purpose of our actions, their interactions with the superior realms, the hidden messages and meanings in the Torah.
There are different levels of serving and getting closer to the Creator. In the Jewish religion there are many types of prayers and physical acts that we are asked to accomplish regularly, as well as numerous Mitsvot– commandments. With a deeper understanding of the reasons and goals of all these actions, one could definitely ascend to a higher level of service and closeness to his Creator. However, this level can not be attained overnight and without a serious investment of time to study and reflecting on this profound knowledge.
In this book, the reader will find most of the basic concepts as well as some more advanced, to get on the right path of truly understanding the Kabbalah. I have also added a glossary of terms and a dictionary of acronyms often found in the Zohar and other Kabbalah texts.
I sincerely do hope that this work will help to clarify these concepts and be a good contribution towards an understanding of what is the real Kabbalah.