Introduction To The Book of Zohar – Part I
Josia Nakash
May 19, 2006
For the first time in human history the secrets of the universe buried deep within the holy books for thousands of years are being revealed to the world in a language that they are familiar with -- English.
The following is an excerpt from the first pages of Introduction To The Book of Zohar -- Volume 1, The Science of Kabbalah. An e-book version of the entire book is available on the kabbalah.info homepage in the Free Kabbalah eBooks section:
For many centuries, the wisdom of Kabbalah was inaccessible to anyone who could not read Hebrew. Now, for the first time in the history of the Western World, readers of the English language and serious students of Kabbalah have the opportunity to learn the Wisdom of Kabbalah from the 20th Century's greatest Kabbalist, Baal HaSulam. In this text, the student will find a systematic, graduated exposition of Kabbalah unlike any treatment found in other available texts. This text comes with a brilliant commentary by Michael Laitman, a scientist and Kabbalist who received the Tradition from that illustrious chain that includes the Ari, Baal HaSulam, and his teacher, Rabash.
The book contains a special foreword by Michael Laitman:
If you still ask yourself, "Where am I from?”, “Where has everything around me come from?", you cannot manage without this book.
If you are interested in the world where you live and want to know what it is like – you cannot manage without this book.
If you want to study Kabbalah or at least take an interest in it – you cannot manage without this book.
If you have been studying Kabbalah for a long time or even started teaching it, again you will not manage without this book
"The Preamble to the Wisdom of Kabbalah" is the principal article that helps man enter the world of Kabbalah. One of the greatest Kabbalists of all times, Rabbi Yehuda Leib Alevi Ashlag, wrote it as one of the introductions to The Book of Zohar. Without the comprehension of this article, it is impossible to understand correctly a word in The Book of Zohar.
Without this book, one cannot succeed in Kabbalah. It is the key to all Kabbalistic literature: to “The Study of the Ten Sefirot”, the principal modern Kabbalistic textbook, to the Book of Zohar, to the books of the great Ari. It is the key to the door that leads from our world to the spiritual world.
For a long time, I could not begin its translation and commentaries. My second book was an attempt to show the basic structure of the universe. It was published in 1983. In recent times, it has become very urgent to publish a textbook in English on the birth, basic structure, and correction of the worlds and souls.
It is hard and "clumsy" to describe Kabbalistic terms in translation, to relate Kabbalistic notions in another language. A Hebrew word contains endless information: its numeric meaning, transposition of letters, their inscription, and substitution of one kind of letter with another according to certain laws – all this makes it impossible to render in a different language.
To be honest, I had to receive my Teacher’s permission. My Teacher is Rabbi Baruch Shalom Alevi Ashlag -- Baal HaSulam’s eldest son and the last Kabbalist of past generations. The period of the Descending Upper Wisdom stopped with him, and a new personal, group period of apprehending the creation has begun; it is the last stage of correction and its obvious manifestation.
I spent 12 years with my Teacher and he instructed me to continue the great mission of spreading Kabbalah in the world. I called my Kabbalistic School Bnei Baruch, in his honor. This school is open to anyone who really wants to study and devote himself to the ascent to the Upper worlds.
The material of the book was tape-recorded during my studies. A great spiritual wealth needed for self-knowledge and advancement to spirituality is found in this book. The rest depends on the reader!
My students and I are grateful to the Creator for the opportunity to publish this book, for the chance to reveal Kabbalah to the English reader, opening thereby the source of attaining Perfection, Happiness, and Eternity.
We invite you to travel to the unknown upper worlds, which are awaiting you and to reveal their secrets to all those, who really desire it.
Josia Nakash is a marketing consultant and copywriter in Israel. Having searched for meaning for many years and found it in Kabbalah, Josia is dedicated to promoting the hidden wisdom that is now available to all. You are welcome to visit her blog Kabbalah For Women and contact her with feedback or questions at josia@kbb1.com. © Copyright 2006 by Josia Nakash
The following is an excerpt from the first pages of Introduction To The Book of Zohar -- Volume 1, The Science of Kabbalah. An e-book version of the entire book is available on the kabbalah.info homepage in the Free Kabbalah eBooks section:
For many centuries, the wisdom of Kabbalah was inaccessible to anyone who could not read Hebrew. Now, for the first time in the history of the Western World, readers of the English language and serious students of Kabbalah have the opportunity to learn the Wisdom of Kabbalah from the 20th Century's greatest Kabbalist, Baal HaSulam. In this text, the student will find a systematic, graduated exposition of Kabbalah unlike any treatment found in other available texts. This text comes with a brilliant commentary by Michael Laitman, a scientist and Kabbalist who received the Tradition from that illustrious chain that includes the Ari, Baal HaSulam, and his teacher, Rabash.
The book contains a special foreword by Michael Laitman:
If you still ask yourself, "Where am I from?”, “Where has everything around me come from?", you cannot manage without this book.
If you are interested in the world where you live and want to know what it is like – you cannot manage without this book.
If you want to study Kabbalah or at least take an interest in it – you cannot manage without this book.
If you have been studying Kabbalah for a long time or even started teaching it, again you will not manage without this book
"The Preamble to the Wisdom of Kabbalah" is the principal article that helps man enter the world of Kabbalah. One of the greatest Kabbalists of all times, Rabbi Yehuda Leib Alevi Ashlag, wrote it as one of the introductions to The Book of Zohar. Without the comprehension of this article, it is impossible to understand correctly a word in The Book of Zohar.
Without this book, one cannot succeed in Kabbalah. It is the key to all Kabbalistic literature: to “The Study of the Ten Sefirot”, the principal modern Kabbalistic textbook, to the Book of Zohar, to the books of the great Ari. It is the key to the door that leads from our world to the spiritual world.
For a long time, I could not begin its translation and commentaries. My second book was an attempt to show the basic structure of the universe. It was published in 1983. In recent times, it has become very urgent to publish a textbook in English on the birth, basic structure, and correction of the worlds and souls.
It is hard and "clumsy" to describe Kabbalistic terms in translation, to relate Kabbalistic notions in another language. A Hebrew word contains endless information: its numeric meaning, transposition of letters, their inscription, and substitution of one kind of letter with another according to certain laws – all this makes it impossible to render in a different language.
To be honest, I had to receive my Teacher’s permission. My Teacher is Rabbi Baruch Shalom Alevi Ashlag -- Baal HaSulam’s eldest son and the last Kabbalist of past generations. The period of the Descending Upper Wisdom stopped with him, and a new personal, group period of apprehending the creation has begun; it is the last stage of correction and its obvious manifestation.
I spent 12 years with my Teacher and he instructed me to continue the great mission of spreading Kabbalah in the world. I called my Kabbalistic School Bnei Baruch, in his honor. This school is open to anyone who really wants to study and devote himself to the ascent to the Upper worlds.
The material of the book was tape-recorded during my studies. A great spiritual wealth needed for self-knowledge and advancement to spirituality is found in this book. The rest depends on the reader!
My students and I are grateful to the Creator for the opportunity to publish this book, for the chance to reveal Kabbalah to the English reader, opening thereby the source of attaining Perfection, Happiness, and Eternity.
We invite you to travel to the unknown upper worlds, which are awaiting you and to reveal their secrets to all those, who really desire it.
Josia Nakash is a marketing consultant and copywriter in Israel. Having searched for meaning for many years and found it in Kabbalah, Josia is dedicated to promoting the hidden wisdom that is now available to all. You are welcome to visit her blog Kabbalah For Women and contact her with feedback or questions at josia@kbb1.com. © Copyright 2006 by Josia Nakash
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