Foreword to The Book of Zohar

(Modified by Dr. Michael Laitman)

Every concept discussed in Kabbalah concerns the ten Sefirot called KaHaB (Keter, Hochma, Bina), HaGaT (Hesed, Gevura, Tifferet), NHYM (Netzah, Hod, Yesod, Malchut), and their derivatives. They are entirely adequate for uncovering the essence of any object or learning. But the beginner should be aware of a few rules for the correct study of the wisdom of Kabbalah.

1. There are three limitations, for whose boundaries we must be at the height of our vigilance not to cross, while studying Kabbalah.

There exist 4 categories of knowledge called:

Matter;
Form of matter;
Abstract form; and
Essence.

It is the same with regard to the ten Sefirot.

First limitation. The wisdom of Kabbalah does not concern itself at all with such concepts as the Essence of the Sefirot or their Abstract Form. Rather, since the Form is the carrier of Matter, it discusses either the Form of the Sefirot or the Matter they contain.

Everything existing in the Divine reality, that is concerned with the creation of souls and their forms of existence, is conditioned by the following three states:

The World of Infinity;
The World of Atzilut; and
The three Worlds called Beria, Yetzira and Assiya (BYA).

Second limitation. Kabbalah investigates only the worlds of BYA and nothing else. It touches on the worlds of Infinity and Atzilut only to the degree that the worlds of BYA receive from them.

In each of the worlds of BEA, there are three aspects:

Ten Sefirot, whose light shines in every world;
The human souls; and
The rest of reality below the human souls.

Third limitation. In any case, one should know that, although the wisdom of Kabbalah meticulously explains every minute detail of every world, its main concentration is always focused on those aspects of the human souls found in their respective world. Any other aspect, that may be expounded or explained, is done so only for the purpose of understanding what it is that souls receive. The Kabbalah does not utter even a single word about anything that does not relate to what souls receive.

These three fundamental aspects serve as our point of departure. If the student does not continuously keep them in mind, or passes beyond their framework, he will immediately become confused.

2. The ten Sefirot are called Keter, Hochma, Bina, Hesed, Gevura, Tifferet, Netzah, Hod, Malchut. Often the six Sefirot, Hesed, Gevura, Tifferet, Netzah, Hod and Yesod, are combined in one Sefira, also called Tifferet. In this case, we refer to the ten Sefirot as Keter, Hochma, Bina, Tifferet and Malchut, shortened as HuBTuM.

These ten Sefirot constitute the entire universe and include all the worlds:

Sefira of Keter; includes the World of Adam Kadmon;
Sefira of Hochma – the World of Atzilut;
Sefira of Bina – the World of Beria;
Sefira of Tifferet – the World of Yetzira; and
Sefira of Malchut – the World of Assiya.

Not only does every world contain these ten Sefirot, HuBTuM, but also even the smallest detail of every world contains the same ten Sefirot, HuBTuM.

3. In the Book of Zohar, these ten Sefirot, HuBTuM, are called by the names of four colors:

White corresponds to the Sefira of Hochma;
Red corresponds to the Sefira of Bina;
Green corresponds to the Sefira of Tifferet; and
Black corresponds to the Sefira of Malchut.

This is similar to an optical instrument that has four lenses with colors corresponding to the ones mentioned above. In spite of the fact that the light is unified, while passing through a lens, it acquires a color and becomes one of the four lights: White, red, green or black.

Thus, the light, which is found in each of the Sefirot, is the light of the Creator. This light is simple and unified, from the beginning of the world of Atzilut to the end of the world of Assiya. The differentiation of this light happens in the Sefirot HuBTuM. Each Sefira is like a thin partition through which the light of the Creator passes to the receiving souls. This is the way each Sefira imparts a different color to the passing light:

The World of Atzilut passes white light, i.e. the upper light does not suffer any changes while passing through it. This is because everything in the World of Atzilut is similar to the upper force.

The light passing through the worlds of Beria, Yetzira and Assiya to the receiving souls changes and darkens:

The light becomes the red light of the Sefira Bina in the world of Beria;
The green light of Tifferet in the world of Yetzira; and
The black light of Sefira Malchut in the world of Assiya.

The allegory of the four lights contains an additional important hint: The wisdom (Hochma) contained in each book is not revealed to the student in the white color of the Sefira of Hochma, but only in three colors, i.e. the pigments used to write the letters of the book, in unity with the Ohr (light) of Hochma:

Red;
Green; and
Black.

The white color contained in the book corresponds to the world of Atzilut, whose essence is Hochma. In other words, we do not attain it, because the whole of any possible revelation contained in the Book of Heaven, is from the Sefirot Bina, Tifferet and Malchut. These three Sefirot, which are the three worlds of BYA, are the colors in which the Book of Heaven is written. The letters and their permutations are revealed through the three colors mentioned above. The revelation of Divine light is mediated only through them.

However, we should discern the following: While the white color in a book is its foundation, all the letters are “wedded” to it. Therefore, without the color white, neither the letters nor the revelation of the wisdom contained in them would be possible. It is the same with the world of Atzilut, which is the Sefira of Hochma. It is the foundation of the revelation of the light of Hochma, which is manifested through the worlds of BYA.

As the second limitation states, the wisdom of Kabbalah does not talk about the world of Atzilut, because this is the color white in the book. It discusses its luminescence in the three worlds of BYA. These three worlds are the colors, the letters, and their permutations of the book. This is manifested in two ways:

While in their place, the three worlds of BYA receive luminescence from the world of Atzilut. Then, the light is diminished many times. This happens to the extent that it becomes merely the luminescence in the worlds of BYA; or
The worlds of BYA rise to the place of Sefirot Bina, Tifferet and Malchut of the world of Atzilut, and receive the light in the place where it shines.

All the same, this allegory does not completely reflect the essence, because the book of wisdom of this world consists in a white background and the color of the letters, in which there is not the spirit of life. The revelation of wisdom is not within their essence, but outside of them, i.e., in the intellect of the one studying them.

On the other hand, with regard to the four worlds of ABYA, of which the Book of Heaven is comprised, the entire wisdom that exists in both the spiritual and the material realities is contained within them, and flows from them. In accordance with this, one must be aware that the color white, contained in the book, is a subject of study in and of itself. The function of the other three colors is to manifest it.

4. There are four categories of knowledge, which were mentioned above in the first limitation, namely:

Matter;
Form of Matter;
Abstract Form; and
Essence.

Let’s explain them first, using actual examples from this world. For example, when we a say, “liar,” we discern between the following:

The matter the person consists of, i.e. the body;
The form into which this matter is shaped, i.e. strong, truthful or false;
The abstract form, i.e., it is possible to comprehend an abstract form of strong, truthful and false, irrespective of the matter of a person, study these three forms as such without their manifestation in any matter or body. In other words, it is possible to investigate the qualities of strength, truthfulness or falsehood. It is possible to discern their merits or baseness, when they are abstracted from any matter at all; and
The essence of a person.

The essence of a person, as such, is absolutely impossible to perceive without his material embodiment, as discussed in the first limitation. This is because our five senses and our imagination do not offer us anything more than the revelation of the actions of the essence, but not of the essence itself.

For example:

Our vision perceives only the waves from the essence of what we see, according to the light it reflects;
Our hearing is simply the power of influence of sound waves, transmitted through the air from some essence. This air, reflected under the influence of a sound wave, exerts pressure on the membrane of the eardrum. This is how we are able to hear that something is near us;
Our sense of smell is the irritation of our nerve receptors reacting to smells, by the air emanating from the essence, and this is how we sense a smell; and
Our sense of taste is only a derivative from a contact between some essence and our taste receptors.

The four senses above offer us nothing but the revelation of actions emanating from some essence. It never reveals the essence itself.

Even our strongest sense, the sense of touch, which is able to discern between hot and cold, firm and soft, is nothing but the revelation of actions within an essence. However, these too are only the manifestations of the essence. It is possible to cool down something hot, or warm up something cold. It is possible to melt something solid into a liquid. It is possible to evaporate a liquid and bring it to a gaseous state, so that it would become impossible to sense it with the help of our five senses. Nevertheless, the essence is preserved and we can again transform the gas into a liquid, or bring the liquid to a solid state.

It is as clear as a sunny day that our five senses will not reveal to us any essence at all, but only instances of manifestation of the essence’s actions. We must also know that whatever we are unable to perceive through our senses, cannot be present to our imagination. What we are unable to imagine will never exist in our thoughts, and there is no way for us at all to perceive it.

Overall, it is impossible to perceive essence through thought. Moreover, we do not even have the ability to perceive our own essence. I feel and know that I occupy a certain volume in this world, that I am solid, hot, that I think, and so on. All of these are the result of manifestations that influence my essence. However, if someone were to ask me, “What is the essence from which all these manifestations emanate?” I will not know how to answer. After all, Supervision prevents us from attaining the essence. We only attain the manifestations and mode of action originating from the essence.

We are capable of fully comprehending Matter, which we discussed in the first limitation, i.e., manifestations of the action of any essence. This is because they explain to our complete satisfaction the essence that matter encompasses. This explains why we do not suffer at all from the lack of any possibility to perceive the essence itself. Moreover, we do not desire it. In the same way, we do not feel the need for a sixth digit on our hand. In other words, the comprehension of matter, i.e., manifestation of the essence’s actions, is sufficient for all our requirements and investigations, both in the attainment of our own essence and in the attainment of any external one.

We also comprehend the form of matter, that is described in the second limitation, in an absolutely clear and satisfactory way, for we do so based on the experience of concrete actions that we derive from matter’s response. Thus, we acquire all of the sublime knowledge that one can indeed rely on.

The third limitation is abstract form. This means that, after the form reveals itself to us in matter, the power of our imagination allows us to detach it completely from matter. Then, one can observe abstractedly or detached from any kind of matter, for example, the virtues and laudable qualities that books on moral subjects speak about. When we touch upon qualities of truth, falsehood, anger, heroism, etc., we have in mind their abstract form, free from any matter whatsoever. We endow such abstract form with virtues or flaws.

In addition, know that serious scientists regard the third limitation with the utmost caution, for it is impossible to rely upon it with one hundred percent assurance. This is because it is easy to err in something that is detached from matter. For example, a non-religious idealist, who praises the abstract category of truth, can conclude that he would not intentionally utter an untrue word, not even for the sake of saving people’s lives. Be it that the world perishes.

Indeed, had he examined truth and falsehood when they are cast into matter, he would judge these categories according to the right or wrong they give rise to in matter. Then, having conducted numerous experiments in the world, he would see the multitude of victims and losses that liars and their untruths cause. Moreover, he would perceive the great benefit to those that uphold the truth and those who observe the rule of speaking only the truth. He would then come to an agreement that there is no value higher than truthfulness, and nothing lowlier than falsehood.

If an idealist understood this, he would certainly agree with the opinion of Torah and accept that a falsehood, even if it delivers one human life from death, is immeasurably greater in value and importance than any abstract truth. It is because abstract categories, belonging to the third restriction, absolutely lack clarity. It is not worth discussing abstract forms that have not yet materialized in this world; this is but a waste of time.

Now that we have thoroughly explained these four categories:

Matter;
Form of matter;
Abstract form; and
Essence,

with simple examples, it is clear that:

In principle, we lack any possibility of grasping the fourth category, which is essence;
Studying the third category can lead into fallacy; and
Only the first kind of knowledge – matter, as well as the second kind – form cast in matter, is there for our clear and sufficient attainment of the Upper Providence. With their help, one can also grasp the reality of the spiritual levels of the Upper worlds of ABYA. Even the smallest component will fall into these four categories. For instance, every component in the world of Beria has its red colored vessel (matter, desire) whose light translates to those existing in the world of Beria.

The vessels of the world of Beria, that have the color red, represent a form that is “dressed” onto an essence. This refers to the first way of attainment. Although it is but a color, meaning a detail and manifestation of the actions of the essence, we shall never be able to grasp the essence itself, only the manifestation of its actions. We call such a manifestation “essence”, “matter”, a “body”, or a “vessel”.

The light of the Creator “dressing” and passing through the color red represents a form that is “dressed” onto the essence. This is the second way of attainment. That is why it appears as a red light that points to it being “dressed” and emanating through the essence, that is, the body and matter of the red color.

However, if a person still wishes to separate the Upper light from its essence, from its red color, or if he begins to study the light alone, immaterialized, this belongs to the third way of attainment, i.e. the abstract form, and it will result in fallacies. Accordingly, the most stringent ban prohibits the study of the Upper worlds, and no true Kabbalist would do it.

There is no use in mentioning the “essence” of even the smallest part in creation, for we are incapable of comprehending it. Since we fail to comprehend the essence of objects in our corporeal world, we will fail even more when trying to comprehend spiritual manifestations.

Thus, we have before us the four aspects:

The vessel of Beria, which represents the red color and is defined as essence or the matter of the world of Beria;
The filling of the vessel of the world of Beria with the Upper light, which is the form of matter;
The Upper light itself, detached from the matter of Beria; and
The essence.

Thus, we have clarified the first restriction in detail: Kabbalah only speaks about the first and the second kinds of knowledge. Concerning the third and the fourth kinds, not a single word is mentioned in the Kabbalistic books.

As we explained everything pertaining to the world of Beria, so it is true in general with respect to the four worlds of ABYA, where the colors red, green and black in the three worlds of BYA, are matter and essence. The white of the world of Atzilut is form cast into matter, i.e. into the three worlds called BYA. The world of Infinity, as such, is essence.

As we have said in the first restriction, the essence is beyond our grasp; it is the fourth kind of knowledge that each being conceals within itself, even in the beings of our world. The white color stands alone and is not “dressed” into the three colors of the three worlds of BYA; meaning, the light of Hochma is not “dressed in Bina, Tifferet and Malchut, but is an abstract form that we disregard.

There is nothing said about it in Kabbalah. It speaks only of the first kind, i.e. the three colors of BYA, considered as matter, and representing the three Sefirot: Bina, Tifferet and Malchut. Kabbalah also speaks of the second kind, representing the illumination of the world of Atzilut, “dressed” in the three colors of BYA, i.e. the light or Hochma, “dressed” in Bina, Tifferet and Malchut – the form when it “dresses” itself in matter.

Accordingly, if a student is not utterly conscientious that, when studying Kabbalah his thoughts and comprehension are always within the limits of these two kinds of knowledge, he will immediately become confused on all issues, for it will strip the words of their true meaning.

What we explained about the four worlds of ABYA is in general true with regard to each one of the worlds. As it is in relation to every small component of each of them, such as in the beginning of the world of Atzilut, so it is in the end of the world of Assiya, for it includes HuBTuM. It also has Hochma as the form, and Bina, Tifferet and Malchut as the matter in which the form has materialized. It also has the first and the second definition, whose objects the wisdom of Kabbalah examines, as well as the Sefira Hochma, when it is vacant of Bina and TuM, which is the form that is free of matter. This Kabbalah also does not mention. Therefore, it most certainly does not discuss in that small component, the essence – the world of Infinity.

Thus, we are only studying Bina, Tifferet and Malchut of each component. Even in Atzilut, we avoid studying the abstract. Keter and Hochma stand alone, irrespective of where they are located, even in Malchut in Sof of the world of Assiya. We only study them to the extent they are materialized in Bina and TuM.

Therefore, the constraints of the first and second restrictions have been made sufficiently clear: Those who study Kabbalah examine either matter and the form of matter, that is, the first restriction and the worlds of BYA, or the luminescence of Atzilut in these worlds, that is, the second restriction.

We shall now explain the third restriction. Although the science of Kabbalah examines each world only from the point of Sefirot, which are the illuminations of the Upper light in these worlds, and each component on the degrees (still, vegetative, animate and speaking, or the creations of the respective worlds), the main object of Kabbalah’s examination is, nonetheless, the degree of speaking in each of the worlds.

Let’s take examples from our corporeal world. We have mentioned the four degrees:

Still,
Vegetative,
Animate, and
Speaking,

which represent the four degrees of the will to receive in each of the worlds, even in ours. In addition, each of them has four degrees of their own – still, vegetative, animate and speaking.

A man in this world must receive nourishment from all the four degrees, from 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; and
The aspiration to the sciences.

These are rooted in the four degrees of his will to receive:

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 of the body;
The will for human pleasures, which corresponds to the animate level of desire; and
Te aspiration to the sciences is the speaking level of desire.

We find that a reception from Behina Alef (stage one), the measure of the need to sustain oneself, and from Behina Bet (stage two), the degree of animate desires that exceed the need to sustain oneself, are for him, reception and nourishment from the degrees still, vegetative and animate, all of which are lower than his. However, in the case of Behina Gimel (stage three), representing the pleasure derived from social recognition such as distinction and power, he receives and becomes filled by those equal to him.

He receives pleasure from Behina Dalet (stage four) and becomes filled by those above him, i.e. from the essence of wisdom and intelligence, which are the categories of the Upper spiritual world.

Since all the worlds are imprints of one another from upper to lower, and all that is on the degrees still, vegetative, animate and speaking in the world of Beria, is impressed upon the degrees still, vegetative, animate and speaking of the world of Yetzira. Moreover, all that is on the degrees still, vegetative, animate and speaking in the world of Yetzira, is impressed upon the degrees still, vegetative, animate and speaking of the world of Assiya. Again, the degrees still, vegetative, animate and speaking in the world of Assiya, are impressed upon the degrees still, vegetative, animate and speaking of this world.

The science of Kabbalah clarifies it in this way:

The still degree in the spiritual world is called “palaces”;
The vegetative level is called “robes”;
The animate is called “angels”;
The speaking level consists of the souls of people in their respective world; and
The ten Sefirot in each world is Divinity (the Upper Light).

The souls of people are the center of each world and receive fulfillment from the entire spiritual reality of the corresponding world. Likewise, a person in the corporeal world receives fulfillment from all the corporeal reality of our world.

It transpires as follows:

In Behina Alef, which is the will to receive in order to sustain one’s existence, he receives illumination from palaces and robes, which are there;
In Behina Bet, which is the excess of the animate desires that bring up his body, he receives spiritual light from angels who are there in quantities above what is needed to sustain his existence, in order to develop the spiritual vessels in which his soul is vested. The reason is that he receives from behina alef and bet, which are lower in relation to him, and are palaces, robes and angels, what is there, and their level is lower than that of human souls;
In Behina Gimel, representing the human degree of the will to receive that develops the spirit (ruach) of a man, in this world he receives from equals. Thus, he receives from equals there also; meaning all of the souls that find themselves in that world. With their help, he magnifies the light of ruach filling his soul; and
In Behina Dalet of the will to receive, that is aspiration for sciences, he receives from sefirot of the respective world, receiving from them HaBaD of his soul.

The human soul has to develop and perfect itself, in each of the worlds, using everything that is in that world. This is the third restriction that one needs to be aware of; that the entire wisdom of Kabbalah speaks about every component of the Upper worlds that we study, whether it be Sefirot, souls, angels, robes or palaces. And although we study them as they are, the student must always bear in mind that they are mentioned only in relation to a man’s soul, which receives and is filled by them. It means that they all serve the needs of that soul. If you follow that line in your studies, you will comprehend everything and be successful in your path.

With the help of the ten Sefirot, one encounters all the material images in Kabbalah. Such images are upper and lower, rise and fall, diminishing and expanding, small condition and large one, separation and unification, numbers and so on – in a word, everything that the lower ones cause in the ten sefirot with their good and bad actions. At first sight, it seems peculiar: How is it possible that the changes in the Upper worlds can be caused by the actions of the lower ones?

Even if you find it necessary to declare that nothing in the Upper light is of the sort that “dresses” itself and shines in the ten sefirot, that it is only in the vessels of Sefirot, which are not divine, they are nevertheless created only with the creation of souls. This is in order to conceal or reveal the degree of attainment, to the measure and with the swiftness that are required for the souls to reach the desired Final Correction. It is as in the example mentioned above, with an optical device that consist of the four pieces of tinted glass – white, red, green and black.

It is similar to the case where the white color in a book, and the material that forms its letters, are all possible in the three worlds of BYA, where there are vessels of the Sefirot, which have been created, but not the divinity. However, it would be utterly groundless to opine that they exist in the world of Atzilut, where the vessels of the ten Sefirot as well represent the utter divinity, merged with the Upper light that fills them, according to the known rule: “He, the light and His actions are one”, whose import is:

“He” means the essence of the Sefirot;
“His light” is the light that fills the Sefirot; and
“His actions” means the vessels of the Sefirot.

That being true, how can we comprehend all the changes that are there, which are caused by the actions of man?

In order to understand the above, we must recall what was said in paragraph 17, which stated:

The essence that creates reality is a mystery substance, which cannot be comprehended by us, neither in the essences of the material world, in our own essences, nor in the One Who Creates the Reality;

The world of Atzilut is the form;

Three worlds of BYA—is the matter; and

The luminescence of Atzilut in BYA is the form dressed onto matter.

Here we must understand that the name of the World of Infinity is not the name of the essence that creates reality, for, “how can you name something that is not comprehended?” Moreover, since our imagination and five sensory organs are not capable of reproducing anything related to the essence, not even in the material world, how can any thought exist concerning Him who creates reality? Nevertheless, one should understand the name of the World of Infinity, as the definition given to us in the third restriction, says everything expressed in Kabbalah relates only to souls.

Therefore, the name of the World of Infinity expresses not the essence of the One Who Creates Reality per se, but points out that all the worlds and souls are included in Him. This is reflected in the intent of the creation, about which it is said, “The completion of the action is in its initial design,” connecting of all Creation with Him until complete correction. This is what is called the World of Infinity.

This is what Kabbalah calls, “first condition of souls”, when all the souls exist in the Creator, filled with all pleasures, full volume of which will be received at the condition of Final correction.

Let me give an example from our world. Let us say a person wants to build a nice house. His first thought pictures a house with all the rooms and amenities just as it will be when its construction is finished. After that, he lays out the plan of construction in all of its details to explain it to the builders one detail at a time: Wood, bricks, metal frames, etc. Only after that does he begin building the house for real, and continues building it until it is done just as he planned it initially.

You should know that in the World of Infinity, which is the mystery of initial design, all of the Creation is prepared in its complete perfection. However, this allegory does not entirely convey the meaning, because the future and the past are one for the Creator, and the initial design is being implemented in Him. He does not need any instruments for action, as we do. Therefore, the true reality is in Him.

The World of Atzilut is like a thoughtful and detailed plan that will be realized. Later, the building of the house will start for real. You should know that both the initial design, which is the World of Infinity, and deliberative detailed plan, which in its own time will be realized in reality, do not have anything to do with creatures. Everything is still in the design stage where nothing yet has been implemented into practice.

Similarly, a person does this, although he has thought out all the details (bricks, metal pieces, wood) that he will need during construction, he does not yet have anything except for his own mental image of the house. The main difference is that the mental plan of a person is not reality, while the Creator’s design is the reality itself and is incomparably greater than the reality of creatures.

Thus, we have explained the mystery of the World of Infinity and the World of Atzilut; everything that they convey relates only to the creation of creatures, as they all exist in the design, but their essence has not yet been revealed. Just as in our example with a house, there is nothing yet in humanity’s construction plan: No bricks, no wood, no metal pieces.

The three worlds of BYA, along with this world, are the embodiments of a planned action, just like construction material is needed before construction is complete. Correspondingly, the Upper Light shines into the worlds of BYA to the extent that souls must receive it in order to reach their completion. The Upper Light “dresses” itself into ten Kelim, KaHaB, HaGaT and NHYM, which are the real Kelim relative to the Creator. That is, they are not related to the Creator, but rather newly created for the souls’ needs.

From the example above, one should understand how the three components in the house builder's design are related to one another by causes and consequences, where the root of everything is in the initial design. There will be no element in the plan that is not aim at the completion of the action, taken in accordance with the initial plan; nothing will be put into practice during construction that was not already included in the initial plan.

You should understand that there does not exist even the slightest new element that was not originated in the World of Infinity. That is, the souls in their initial state are in their perfect state of Complete Correction, which is consistent with saying, “Completion of action is in the initial plan.”

Everything that will be revealed in the Final Correction exists there, and initially emanates from the World of Infinity into the World of Atzilut. This is the same way as the mental plan in the example above, where the initial design is realized as the house is being built in reality.

Therefore, there is not the smallest component in this world that did not emanate from the World of Infinity, and this defines the state/condition of all souls in the initial state. The World of Atzilut emanates from the World of Infinity, which is the personal relationship toward every new component existing in our world. From the World of Atzilut, every new emanation into the three worlds of BYA unfolds into action, into the worlds of Yetzira, Assiya and the lowest level in our world. There is nothing new existing in this world that did not emanate from the common root in the Creator’s World of Infinity, and his personal root in World of Atzilut, that came down into worlds of BYA and became the creation by unfolding into our world.

At the same time, we need to understand that all the changes that take place in the World of Atzilut have nothing to do with the Creator himself. We are speaking only about souls, to the extent of their receiving from the World of Atzilut through the three worlds of BYA. This world corresponds to the World of Infinity, just as the mental plan correlates to the initial design. However, these two worlds (the World of Infinity and World of Atzilut) do not contain any souls yet. As it is in the mental plan of a person, there is no real wood, nor iron pieces, nor bricks.

Souls start emerging in the World of Beria. That is why the kelim of the ten Sefirot, which measure the volume and pace of souls, are undoubtedly not divine. Rather, they are newly created, because the Upper Light does not contain any changes or quantitative characteristics. That is also why we correlate the kelim of the ten Sefirot of three Worlds of BYA with the colors red, green and black. Moreover, it is impossible to even think that they are divine, because the Upper Light does not undergo any changes.

However, the light that is “dressed” in the ten Kelim in worlds of BYA is a divine, simple unity without any disturbance. Even the light, filling the lowest kli in the World of Assiya, is simple divinity without slightest change, because light has only one nature. Any change is done by the Kelim. The Sefirot are not divine and therefore have the three aforementioned colors. These three colors form the basis for numerous combinations.

It is obvious that the Kelim of the ten Sefirot, of the Worlds of BYA, receive all their parts and details from the World of Atzilut. They exist there as the mental design of all the parts, which will be realized in a corresponding order when Worlds of BYA are built.

According to this, we discern that the Kelim of the ten Sefirot HuBTuM, of the Worlds of BYA, receive from the corresponding kelim HuBTuM of the World of Atzilut; that is, from the mental design. Therefore, any single part of the plan implemented in reality is a consequence of a corresponding part of the mental plan; therefore, we call the color of the vessels of Atzilut white, which is not even a color — it is colorless.

However, white is the source of all colors. Similar to the white color of the pages of a book (notwithstanding the fact that nothing can be comprehended through the white color), it is the carrier of everything that is in a Kabbalistic book. That is why it shines around every letter and inside every letter, giving them their peculiar shape and determining a special place for every combination.

So we may describe this in an opposite way. We cannot attain anything in the material of letters (red, green or black). All the comprehension and knowledge we receive from the material of letters in the book comes through the color white. The luminescence around and inside every letter gives them their shape, which reveals all the information of the wisdom of Kabbalah to us.

This is the essence of the ten Sefirot of the world of Atzilut. They are similar to the white color, and nothing can be known of them: Neither quantity, nor changes. However, at the same time, the shining of white onto the Worlds of BYA, which are the three colors of letters, creates the vessels of the ten Sefirot of Atzilut.

From the above, one should understand that the splitting of the World of Atzilut into three components are, “He, His light and His actions which are one.” This is in spite of the fact that there exists only a simple unity with nothing from creatures:

He—means Divinity itself, whose essence we do not comprehend; and
“His actions” means the ten Kelim of HuBTuM existing in Him, which were likened to color white in a book of wisdom. Even quantity is impossible to discern in the white, for nothing there would make any quantity, as it is all white.

However, we not only give quantitative characteristics, but we also find every variety of change in the Worlds of BYA (which are the material for letters) that were initially in the Kelim of HuBTuM in the World of Atzilut. However, this is done only with the help of color white, which gives the letters their shape but which itself has no shape. We find that the color white has many shapes, although it does not possess any shape of its own.

The ten Sefirot in the World of Atzilut reveal themselves in numerous changes, according to their shining in the World of BYA, which is similar to the way a mental design is implemented in reality when a house is built. In a way, all the changes taking place in the Worlds of BYA occur only under the influence of the shining of the kelim of the ten Sefirot HuBTuM of the world of Atzilut. Relative to those receiving in the worlds of BYA, we can differentiate all the numerous changes taking place in white. As for the world of Atzilut itself, it is just as the color white; it does not acquire the colors of the letters. Indeed, there is neither quantity nor anything else in it.

“His Light” refers to the light inside of the white light that constitutes the vessels. This light is understood by us only as it concerns the souls receiving from the World of Atzilut. However, we do not mean the essence of Divinity per se, which is designated by the word “He.” That is to say, when the three Worlds of BYA ascend to Atzilut, with the souls of people, the light that they receive there is referred to as the light of the souls.

All three of these components are discussed only as they concern those who receive, where “actions” means the luminescence (diminished light) of the Kelim in the place of the Worlds of BYA, under the Parsa of the World of Atzilut, because the light of Atzilut will never descend below the Parsa.

“His Divine Light,” is the luminescence of the World of Atzilut, i.e. when BYA rises to Atzilut. “He,” is the completely incomprehensible Divine Essence. Although, we who receive this, and discern these three components in the world of Atzilut, they are relevant only to those who receive. However, regarding the World of Atzilut, even “His actions,” means “Him,” the Divine Essence. That is why it is impossible to comprehend the World of Atzilut per se. That is the mystery of the expression “white light,” which cannot be comprehended by itself and everything it contains is simple unity.

The fact that the Kelim of HuBTuM, in the world of Atzilut, increase or decrease as the result of people’s actions, means that in the Upper Light itself, there is nothing but its simplicity, because no changes are possible in it. And, since the initial plan of the creation is to give pleasure to His creature, we comprehend that He has a desire to bestow.

From what we see in this world, where the giving one is growing when the number of receiving from him grows, we say that the light in the World of Atzilut is growing when lower ones are worthy to receive the abundance of the World of Atzilut, or in other words when they feed it. And vice versa, when lower ones are not worthy to receive His abundance, to the same degree wisdom is diminished, that is there is nobody who would be receiving from Him.

This is similar to a candle for which it makes no difference whether you light up tens of thousands of other candles from it or none. There will be no change in the candle itself. Similarly, in the World of Atzilut there are no changes, whether the souls receive the light from it or not. All of the growing (advancement) concerns only the souls.

Why then is it necessary to describe all these changes inside the world of Atzilut? Would it not have been better to describe it in relation to receiving in the worlds of BYA, and not to pile up so many definitions in the world of Atzilut, to which we would have to look for some kind of excuses?

That thought contains a big secret. All of these images, that create an impression only in receiving souls, will show them how the Upper force participates with them in order to increase comprehension of the souls to the maximum. It is similar to the father, who is hiding himself from his favorite little son in grief and in happiness, and it does not matter that he does not have in him any grief or happiness. He does that only to force his favorite son to widen his understanding, and to play with him. Only when he grows up and gets smarter he will find out about everything that his father did for him.

The same attitude comes toward us too. In spite that, all images and changes start only in the impressed souls and also end in them. Manifestation of the Creator creates an imaginary picture, as if they exist inside of Him. The Creator widens and increases the maximum comprehension of the souls, according to the law of the thought of creation, “In order to give pleasure to the created beings.”

We find similar phenomena in His laws governing the material world. Take our vision, for example. When we see the whole world before us in all its beauty, we do not see it as it is in the reality, but only as it is inside ourselves. This means that in the back of our brain, there is some kind of “photo camera” that portrays everything we see, but not what is outside of us.

Furthermore, the Creator made in our brain something resembling a smooth mirror that turns everything we see upside down, so we could see this from outside, outside our brain. Although what we see outside of us is not reality, we should still be grateful that the Creator, in His supervision, made this smooth mirror in our brain that allows us to see and to comprehend everything that is outside of us. By doing so, He gave us the capacity to learn, to get complete and clear knowledge, and to measure every object from inside and from outside. But for that, we would fail to attain anything and to develop our sciences.

The same is true in relation to Divine wisdom. In spite of all the changes that happen inside receiving souls, they see everything in the Giver. Only in this way are they privileged to receive all knowledge and all pleasures in the plan of creation. Other than that, judge by the example. Despite that, we practically see everything in front of us. In any case, every sensible person knows precisely that everything we see is only inside of our brain. The souls are same way. Though they see all images in the Giver, they know that everything is only inside of them and not Him.

Так и в отношении знаний высшего мира: несмотря на то, что все эти изменения происходят внутри получающих душ, все же видят они все в самой дающей высшей силе, так как только таким путем они получают все знание и все наслаждения замысла творения. Кроме того, судя по приведенному примеру, несмотря на то, что практически мы видим все находящимся перед нами, в любом случае, каждый здравомыслящий человек точно знает, что все, видимое нами, находится лишь внутри нашего мозга. Так и души, несмотря на то, что все образы они видят в высшей силе, все же, нет у них никакого сомнения в том, что все это только внутри их, а совсем не в высшей источнике.

קבלה מדיה

קבלה מדיה

איזור אישיכדאי להיכנס כדי להוסיף לייק לסרטונים, לשמור תכנים ולהירשם למינויים.

סיכום של מדרגת המדבר

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קבלה מדיה© כל הזכויות שמורות 2003-2026 בני ברוך - קבלה לעם

איזור אישי
כדאי להיכנס כדי להוסיף לייק לסרטונים, לשמור תכנים ולהירשם למינויים.

קבלה מדיה
© כל הזכויות שמורות 2003-2026 בני ברוך - קבלה לעם