1 of 273 The Path of Kabbalah Kabbalist Michael Laitman 2 of 273 Part One: The Beginning .............................................................................................5 Chapter 1.1 - The Great Illusion................................................................................... 6 Chapter 1.2 – Between Creator and Creature........................................................... 8 Chapter 1.3 – The Evolution of the Soul................................................................... 12 Chapter 1.4 – The Awakening of the Point in the Heart....................................... 15 Chapter 1.5 – Kabbalah as a Means .......................................................................... 19 Chapter 1.6 – Land Marks........................................................................................... 21 Chapter 1.7 – From Above Downward ..................................................................... 25 Chapter 1.8 – Cause and Consequence ..................................................................... 27 Chapter 1.9 – What is Between This World and the Next?.................................. 29 Chapter 1.10 – Faith Above Reason........................................................................... 31 Chapter 1.11 – Freedom of Choice – To Operate Above Nature........................ 33 Chapter 1.12 – Questions and Answers..................................................................... 35 Part Two: Phases of Spiritual Evolution ...................................................................49 Chapter 2.1 – The Purpose of Creation .................................................................... 50 Chapter 2.2 – Persistence ............................................................................................. 55 Chapter 2.3 – The Recognition of Evil ...................................................................... 59 Chapter 2.4 – The Attributes of the Light................................................................ 63 Chapter 2. – 5 Building an Inner Attitude ................................................................. 66 Chapter 2.6 – Discovering Spiritual Properties ...................................................... 68 Chapter 2.7 – Correcting the Desires ........................................................................ 69 Chapter 2.8 – The Right Way to Advance................................................................ 72 Chapter 2.9 – Spiritual Reward.................................................................................. 75 Chapter 2.10 – The Sensation of the Light............................................................... 78 Chapter 2.11 – Linking the Worlds............................................................................ 82 Chapter 2.12 – The Body at the end of Correction................................................. 84 Chapter 2.13 – Questions and Answers..................................................................... 86 Part Three: The Structure of the Upper Worlds........................................................97 Chapter 3.1 – Altruism.................................................................................................. 98 Chapter 3.2 – What Does Kabbalah Deal With? ..................................................101 Chapter 3.3 – The Structure of the Upper Worlds...............................................104 Chapter 3.4 - Fundamentals ......................................................................................106 Chapter 3.5 - The Four Phases in the Evolution of the Vessel...........................111 Chapter 3.6 - The First Restriction – Screen – Partzuf.......................................115 Chapter 3.7 - Expansion And Withdrawal of Light.............................................121 3 of 273 Chapter 3.8 - Entrance and Exit of Lights in the Partzuf...................................125 Chapter 3.9 - The Birth of the Partzufim ...............................................................132 Chapter 3.10 - Reality in General.............................................................................135 Chapter 3.11 - Nekudot DeSAG................................................................................138 Chapter 3.12 - The second Restriction ....................................................................141 Chapter 3.13 - The World of Nekudim ...................................................................144 Chapter 3.14 - The Division of Rosh DeSAG to Five Phases..............................146 Chapter 3.15 - The Birth of a Partzuf From the Upper One .............................148 Chapter 3.16 - The World of Correction ................................................................151 Chapter 3.17 - The World of Atzilut........................................................................156 Chapter 3.18 - The Worlds of BYA..........................................................................159 Chapter 3.19 - The First Man....................................................................................161 Chapter 3.20 - The Rising of the Worlds ................................................................163 Chapter 3.21 - The Formation of the Worlds of ABYA ......................................167 Chapter 3.22 - The First Man....................................................................................171 Chapter 3.23 – Basic Terms.......................................................................................173 Chapter 3.24 – Questions and Answers...................................................................178 Chapter 3.25 – English Meaning of Hebrew Terms.............................................185 Part Four: Proper Study...........................................................................................188 Chapter 4.1 – About the Study..................................................................................189 Chapter 4.2 – The Beginning of a Kabbalist’s Way.............................................209 Chapter 4.3 – From a Kabbalist’s Table.................................................................211 Chapter 4.4 – Questions and Answers.....................................................................216 Part Five: Religion, Prejudice and Kabbalah..........................................................224 Chapter 5.1 – Religion or Science?...........................................................................225 Chapter 5.2 – Kabbalah In Our Lives.....................................................................226 Chapter 5.3 – Uprooting Prejudice ..........................................................................228 Chapter 5.4 – Questions and Answers.....................................................................230 Part Six: Genesis.......................................................................................................235 Chapter 6.1 – The Seven Days of Creation.............................................................236 Chapter 6.2 - Abraham the Patriarch .....................................................................241 Part Seven: The Inner Meaning...............................................................................248 Chapter 7.1 – Prayer ...................................................................................................249 Chapter 7.2 – The Meaning of the Jewish Holidays.............................................255 Chapter 7.3 – The Reception of Light on Holidays ..............................................260 4 of 273 Chapter 7.4 – A Holiday as a Means For Correction ..........................................263 Chapter 7.5 – Questions & Answers ........................................................................267 Chapter 7.6 – Talk........................................................................................................272 5 of 273 Part One: The Beginning 6 of 273 Chapter 1.1 - The Great Illusion “Thou shalt have no other gods before Me. Thou shalt not make unto thee a graven image, nor any manner of likeness” (Exodus 20, 3). Judaism forbids idolatry and any kind of fetishism. This prohibition hides behind it the most fundamental principle in Judaism, which states that everything we see is only a figment of our imagination. Over the years, this principle has been consciously and sometimes unconsciously adopted by many of us after realizing that the ability to change our perspective might serve as a good tool in coping with our day-to-day problems. That perspective determines our reactions, our feelings, and ultimately our reality. What then is the actual reality around us? After having been concealed for thousands of years by Jewry, Kabbalists can now state that there is no reality at all, but something called “His Essence,” the “upper force.” That force operates in such a way that one sees Him as an image of a certain reality, which we denominate “my world.” One can see and feel varying images and sensations depending on one’s sensory organs and inner properties. All our sensations are subjective and exist only with regards to our feelings. In the sensory organs of a different creature, such as an alien’s for instance, that world would appear completely different. It is possible that that creature’s sensory organs are so different to our own, that it might exist here, but in a different dimension, without colliding with us. All this is stated only to stress the fact that all our sensations are personal and might change in time. The closer one’s