1 TRODUCTIONS TO I KABBALAH AND JEWISH MEDITATION 2 3 ITRODUCTIONS TO KABBALAH AND JEWISH MEDITATION in English "Mikdash" - Kabalistic Jewish Meditation “Ways of Peace" Publishing 4 5 © 2018 Mikdash "Mikdash" - Kabalistic Jewish Meditation “Ways of Peace" Intorduction to Kabbalah מיקד"ש - מדיטציה יהודית קבלית "דרכי שלום" All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmited in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise without the prior permision of the Auther or in accordance with the provisions of the Copyright, Designs and Volume 1 Patents Act 1988 or under the terms of any licence permitting limited copying issued by the Copyright Licensing Angency. Introductions and Kabalistic Meditations by: Rabbi Yakov Shepherd Translations by: Rabbi Yosef Sod, Rabbi Shmuel Gruen, Rabbi Peretz Aurbach, Rabbi Dovid Schwartz, Rabbi Yonatan Payson, Yosef Angarita, Ahdee Shepherd Type Setting by: Ahdee Shepherd Cover Design by: Batsheva Jacobs Distributed by: "Yeshivas Hamekubalim Nefesh HaChaim" Israeli Non Profit Organization580628527 972-(0)58-3208890 kingdavidkabbalah.com We will be happy to recieve comments and feed back so that the next edition will be more exact and user frienly for the bennifit of Klal Israel Rabbi Yakov A Shepherd [email protected] From The Tomb of King Dovid, Mount Zion - Jerusalem 6 7 3 Conditions of the Rashash for Effective Kavanot ar Shalom Sharabi was born in Jewish Sharab, SYemen. He moved to Palestine, then under Ottoman rule, after an unpleasent event that happened while selling jewlery in Yemen, he would go door to door to rerequisites sell jewlery and once he nocked on the door of a gentil woman, she showed interest in what he was selling For she requested that he come in and unfortunatly he P understood her intentions were not pure, not having aother choice he jumped out of her window and knew Successful that she may take revenge on him because he insulted her that he did not want to coperate, so he left Yemen, abbalah to Israel, he went strait to Jerusalem. He went to the kabalist Yeshiva "Bet El" and asked if he could clean Learning the yeshiva in eschange for sleeping there. As the days K went by he would sweep the floor and with out anyone knowing listen to the classes. Everyonce and a while they learned they would come to a point were they could not figure out the answer, the next morning the answer would be written on apaper inside the book they were learning from. This happened again and again. no one had a clue were the answers were coming from. One night the rosh yeshivas daughter said she would find out and when she told her father the secret that the boy cleaning the yeshiva was leaving the answer he was 8 9 shocked. Soon it came that the Rashash (Rav Shalom Sharabi) was the new rosh yeshiva of the famos Bet El . Shedding the Kutnot Ohr: As long as we are Kabalistic Yeshiva. Astill clothed with the “garment of skin”--negative is Siddur was known as the "Siddur Ha- character traits, we will be distanced from fulfilling HKavvanot," and is used today by Kabbalists the Torah and its Commandments. Even if we will in prayer, meditation and study. It has extensive prevail, it will be with much hardship and not for Kabbalistic meditations. His books include "Emet Heaven’s sake. The Torah refers to this person’s Torah va-Shalom", "Rehovot Hanahar", "Derech Shalom" and Mitzvot as a “golden ornament in a pig’s nose”. and "Nahar Shalom", in which he answers questions The Gemara states, “when one merits, the Torah of the Hahamim of Tunis, who were among the becomes a potion of life. When he doesn’t merit it leading Sephardic authorities in the 18th century. becomes a poison”. He alsowrote on the customs of the Yemenite Jews in volumes called "Minhagei Rashash". He is one of the . Strengthen Self to Fight the Yezter Hara: If a main comentairies on the AriZ"l, and some say the Bperson will strengthen himself like a lion to fight reincarnation of the AriZ"l. his Yetzer Hara and cleanse himself from his negative character; and then fulfills the Torah and Mitzvot, 1. Perfecting Ones Character he is called a complete Tzaddik. Additionally he is someone who fears Heaven, is considered a man of In order to advance to the depths of Torah and strength because he who controls his Yetzer Hara. Kabbalah it is an important to work on ridding oneself of bad character traits. In Kabbalah, these . Continual Refinement: If one continues to traits are referred to as “Kutnot Ouhr- a garment of Cconquer his bad character traits and acquires skin”, and one must work to cloth himself with the good character traits--until it becomes second nature cloak of the “613 limbs of good character”; referred to him--and he nullifies all desire for bad as is hinted to as “Kutnot Ohr- a garment of light”. in the verse “remove your shoes from your feet”, then his garment of “Kutnot Ohr- a garment of skin” will This Idea is Divided into Three Aspects; transform into “Kutnot Ohr- a garment of light”. 10 11 was opposition to this, creating problems of peace. With this, his NRNCH”Y (Nefesh, Ruach, Therefore, our Rabbis told him that it is better Neshahma, Chaya, and Yechida), Mochin and his to keep peace and not fulfill that custom of the Tzelem, will illuminate in his Kutnot Ohr- garment Ari”ZL. Only after peace was reestablished in the of light. He will then be clothed in the name of house, would the Rabbis allow him to return to the YHV”H and become a receptacle for Hashem’s customs. presence as the Avot who were considered Hashem’s Chariot. He will then be complete in all realms. He 3. Immersing in the Mikvah will be called a Chassid, loved, loves Hashem, and worships Him with love. he Arizal wrote that the most important thing to Tattaining a spiritual high is being spiritually pure 2. Be Married at all times. This is achieved by immersing in the mikvah. Therefore, one should be very meticulous received from my Rabbis that one embarking about Tvilat Ezra- immersing when emitting seed. I on the road to the study of Kabbalah has to be Also, because there are other times one is susceptible married and have domestic harmony. The major to impurity, such as at midnight and when the reason is that as man grows spiritually and refines Morning-Star emerges, if possible, one should himself; he needs protection against falling, especially immerse in a mikvah daily. with Kabbalah and Kavanot. The Sages said, “one who lives without a woman, lives without a wall of Prerequisites Concerning Using Kavanot protection”. The Sod of spiritual protection comes to a person when he marries. urthermore, if man has marital strife, Heaven Warning Against Avodah Zarah (Idol Worship) Fforbid, there is a weaknesses in his wall. Once in our yeshiva, someone wanted to employ a he main focus of prayer is knowing that one is certain custom of the Ari”ZL, but at home there Tstanding in front of the Throne of Glory and 12 13 praying to the essence of the singular Master, the Ein (Tzedakah) and mercy (Rachamim)--not matter how Sof Who includes all powers. It is forbidden to have little or how much. intention to pray to any specific power and particular Sefirah (attribute). Thus, when it is written for a In a basic sense, the arousal from below creates a blessing to have a specific Kavanot of a particular potential channel tp impact our World (Malchut) Sefirah or a Heavenly Aspect (ZA, ABA, EMA, etc,) with an influx of Divine Blessing (Shefa). The it is not to the Sefirah itself--Heaven Forbid. effectiveness of this channel--how much energy can flow through and the type of energy that flows-- As it is stated, doing so would be considered 'cutting depends on the particular action below. And this is the branches away from the root'…. Meaning, for determined by the effort and purity of the devotion. reasons known only to Hashem, He binds His will to action through certain Sefirot and forces that are Stipulate to Have Intention Only to Fix aspect of the chained order of realms fixed by Him. Therefore, each Sefirah is set to accomplish a specific t is known from the Holy Writings that by using matter in the Worlds. IKavanot and Kabbalistic Meditation if done improperly, Heaven forbid, a person may damage Once again our whole intention in all blessings the Worlds he wished to activate instead of fix. Thus, and prayer must be solely directed to the essence of prior to using Kavanot or Kabbalistic Meditation it is the blessed Infinite One, from the aspect of Him done with this condition: attaching His will to the Worlds – from which comes all the facets of changing titles and names If it is done properly it should be accepted favorably, that act to direct light and flow of holiness from His but if is lacking or adding something unfitting it essence. And that works according to the arousal should be like learning and the meditation should which comes to them from action below (the proper not activate the Worlds. thoughts, intentions, prayers, acts, etc) by each person of the Chosen Nation--whether in kindness Once one says this condition he need not be (Chesed), in judgment (Din/Gevurah), or charity concerned. Hashem knows and understands who 14 15 we are and deals with us accordingly.