Morning Lesson December 13, 2023
Transcription is made from simultaneous translation, which leaves a possibility for differences in the audio.
Part 2:
Baal HaSulam. The Wisdom of Kabbalah and Philosophy
Reading Item. (00:22) “How Can a Spiritual Beget a Corporeal?”
1. S. (03:29) Is it true to say that in Kabbalah, spiritual is in order to bestow and corporeal is to receive?
R. It is also correct, but not our corporeal but rather spiritual, otherwise it turns out that we are dividing reality to corporeal and spiritual according to qualities.
S. Again, I didn't get it?
R. What is corporeal, these are forces that we seemingly can attain in this world according to our nature.
S. And spiritual?
R. Spiritual is that which we can attain only under the condition that we receive spiritual sensors, or senses.
S. So how can the spiritual beget the corporeal if at all?
R. That's what he's asking, and we need to read onwards.
S. How according to the Kabbalah is there a connection between spiritual and corporal?
R. Let's read, I don't want to limit you and not let you think.
Reading Again. (05:11) “How Can a Spiritual Beget a Corporeal?”
Reading Item. (08:26) “Materialistic Psychology”
2. S. (10:42) What are we talking about when we speak about materialistic psychology, who wrote about it, what is he talking about?
R. Here it speaks of the psychology that talks about the perception of a person, and that comes and moves philosophy from where it was before, in its height, and seemingly took its place somewhat, that's it. Because the whole thing has to do with the perception of reality, and philosophy served as a means, a tool, a vessel for perception of reality until psychology came along. And when psychology started to explain how a person grasps reality, then not much room remained for philosophy because philosophy is all a result of the characters of a person.
3. S. (12:40) Can we say that the entire difference between the wisdom and psychology, you make experiment and philosophy you don't make any experiments, only based on imagination?
R. That too.
S. We know that psychology is an imprecise science, meaning even if it’s not a precise science when you make experiments?
R. Look, every science has its boundaries, and even if you measure something and you’re certain that your measurements are correct, there is in their foundations something that there's an assumption, an axiom that is put up there. And that's why there's nevertheless, a big difference between philosophy and psychology because psychology at least is coming from experience.