Introduction To The Book of Zohar – Part II
Josia Nakash
May 19, 2006
If you want to skip the pleasantries and go straight to the advanced material then this is for you. This is what people who study authentic Kabbalah read to draw the light to themselves and all of humanity.
The following excerpt taken from the Introduction To The Book of Zohar – Volume 2, is from the Preface To The Book of Zohar article written by the last great Kabbalist to grace the earth. The italics are foremost Kabbalist Michael Laitman’s commentary on the text during a live kabbalah lesson that is watched by thousands of people around the world every day. An e-book version of the entire book is available on the kabbalah.info homepage in the Free Kabbalah eBooks section:
The depth of wisdom and learning contained in the Holy Book of Zohar is concealed behind a thousand locked gates.
Why is it “concealed behind a thousand locked gates”? In actual fact, no one conceals anything; everything exists within the framework of the natural laws of the creation. Unlike in this world, there is no key that can unlock the gates to enter where one may or may not be. The spiritual world is completely open; a person just advances from one spiritual level to another, and leaves one realm to enter the next in accordance with the way he changes his own properties.
In our world an object can be moved from one place to another by way of mechanical displacement, whereas in the spiritual world we need to make an inner motion in order to pass from one part of the world to another. This is what they call a locked gate; as long as the person is confined to one part, the next one remains concealed, “locked” from him.
What can be done to open it? Transform yourself in accordance with the part you wish to enter, and then you will get inside. It is pretty simple. Everything exists within man. By inwardly using his potential abilities, anyone can easily move in spiritual space, from his present state to the state of perfect infinity and merging with the Creator.
All wisdom consists in the method of advancing in spiritual space. Hence it is said that the depth of wisdom is “concealed behind a thousand locked gates”. It is not concealed behind any kind of external gate. All the locks and keys are within us. Carrying out inner actions correctly and opening the locks with our own inner keys is our method. This is the purpose of studying “The Book of Zohar” and the wisdom of Kabbalah as a whole.
Human language, being poor and meager, can serve us neither as a suitable instrument, nor a sufficient means of expression for uncovering the full meaning of even a single sentence in “The Book of Zohar”.
This means that even if we take the smallest phrase from “The Zohar”, which seems quite clear to us, the interpretation of it will definitely depend on our level of attainment. By gradually developing our inner potential, by adapting ourselves to various spiritual laws and properties, we will begin to discover great depth in every word, phrase, or sentence of the book, and not the actions and phenomena that we perceive today. Depth of perception depends solely on the researcher’s level of attainment.
My explanations are only the rungs of a ladder.
The structure of the commentary to “The Book of Zohar” resembles a ladder. This does not mean that the first volume of the book is intended for beginners and the last for the most advanced students. Every sentence, every word in the text includes inner levels of attainment of all the described actions and states.
The text is composed in such a way that the reader gradually discovers an increasingly clearer picture. He should only aspire for discovering some inner information concealed in the book. That is all man can understand at this stage, but this initial tune up is quite sufficient for the book to begin affecting us in this way.
I intended to help the student attain the heights from which he may see and investigate what the Book itself expounds. Therefore, in this preface, I find it necessary to prepare the student interested in Zohar” by providing him with correct definitions, to demonstrate how to study the book and learn from it.
In other words, the goal of studying “The Zohar” is to attain the Upper World, to feel and control it, to begin living not just within the limits of this world, but to enter a greater, eternal and perfect realm.
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 excerpt taken from the Introduction To The Book of Zohar – Volume 2, is from the Preface To The Book of Zohar article written by the last great Kabbalist to grace the earth. The italics are foremost Kabbalist Michael Laitman’s commentary on the text during a live kabbalah lesson that is watched by thousands of people around the world every day. An e-book version of the entire book is available on the kabbalah.info homepage in the Free Kabbalah eBooks section:
The depth of wisdom and learning contained in the Holy Book of Zohar is concealed behind a thousand locked gates.
Why is it “concealed behind a thousand locked gates”? In actual fact, no one conceals anything; everything exists within the framework of the natural laws of the creation. Unlike in this world, there is no key that can unlock the gates to enter where one may or may not be. The spiritual world is completely open; a person just advances from one spiritual level to another, and leaves one realm to enter the next in accordance with the way he changes his own properties.
In our world an object can be moved from one place to another by way of mechanical displacement, whereas in the spiritual world we need to make an inner motion in order to pass from one part of the world to another. This is what they call a locked gate; as long as the person is confined to one part, the next one remains concealed, “locked” from him.
What can be done to open it? Transform yourself in accordance with the part you wish to enter, and then you will get inside. It is pretty simple. Everything exists within man. By inwardly using his potential abilities, anyone can easily move in spiritual space, from his present state to the state of perfect infinity and merging with the Creator.
All wisdom consists in the method of advancing in spiritual space. Hence it is said that the depth of wisdom is “concealed behind a thousand locked gates”. It is not concealed behind any kind of external gate. All the locks and keys are within us. Carrying out inner actions correctly and opening the locks with our own inner keys is our method. This is the purpose of studying “The Book of Zohar” and the wisdom of Kabbalah as a whole.
Human language, being poor and meager, can serve us neither as a suitable instrument, nor a sufficient means of expression for uncovering the full meaning of even a single sentence in “The Book of Zohar”.
This means that even if we take the smallest phrase from “The Zohar”, which seems quite clear to us, the interpretation of it will definitely depend on our level of attainment. By gradually developing our inner potential, by adapting ourselves to various spiritual laws and properties, we will begin to discover great depth in every word, phrase, or sentence of the book, and not the actions and phenomena that we perceive today. Depth of perception depends solely on the researcher’s level of attainment.
My explanations are only the rungs of a ladder.
The structure of the commentary to “The Book of Zohar” resembles a ladder. This does not mean that the first volume of the book is intended for beginners and the last for the most advanced students. Every sentence, every word in the text includes inner levels of attainment of all the described actions and states.
The text is composed in such a way that the reader gradually discovers an increasingly clearer picture. He should only aspire for discovering some inner information concealed in the book. That is all man can understand at this stage, but this initial tune up is quite sufficient for the book to begin affecting us in this way.
I intended to help the student attain the heights from which he may see and investigate what the Book itself expounds. Therefore, in this preface, I find it necessary to prepare the student interested in Zohar” by providing him with correct definitions, to demonstrate how to study the book and learn from it.
In other words, the goal of studying “The Zohar” is to attain the Upper World, to feel and control it, to begin living not just within the limits of this world, but to enter a greater, eternal and perfect realm.
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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