"Kabbalah Revealed" Episode 1 -- A Basic Overview

Summary

This video introduces the authentic study of Kabbalah, tracing its lineage from Abraham to modern-day practitioners. The speaker explains that Kabbalah is a hidden science, not mysticism or religion, but a spiritual wisdom that reveals the forces governing reality. The script debunks myths about Kabbalah and emphasizes that it teaches how to connect with the upper world by transforming one's inner nature. With modern texts now available to help seekers, Kabbalah provides a path to understanding the meaning of life and achieving spiritual fulfillment.

Takeaways

• 📜 Kabbalah has a long teaching lineage, tracing back through practitioners like Rabbi Michael Laitman, Rav Baruch Shalom HaLevi Ashlag, and Yehuda Ashlag, the 'Master of the Ladder.'
• 🔍 Authentic Kabbalah focuses on practical, spiritual study, not scholarly theory, and helps seekers grasp deep truths about reality beyond traditional religious interpretations.
• 📚 Kabbalah is often misunderstood or misrepresented in popular culture. Many books on Kabbalah are based on imagination and don't reflect authentic teachings.
• 🔒 Kabbalah was deliberately hidden for centuries due to the inability of people to comprehend its spiritual depth after the destruction of the Second Temple.
• 🌍 Kabbalistic texts use the 'language of branches,' where physical words describe spiritual forces. This makes the texts difficult for untrained readers to interpret correctly.
• 🧠 Kabbalah teaches that physical actions in this world have no effect on the higher, spiritual worlds, and true change only comes from understanding and connecting with these spiritual roots.
• 🛤️ Kabbalah describes a spiritual process involving descent from the upper world into this physical world and offers a path of 125 steps to return to the source of reality.
• ❌ Kabbalah is not mysticism or religion; it is a science of inner transformation and cannot be used for selfish or material purposes, unlike magic or other esoteric practices.
• 📖 The books of Kabbalah, particularly those written by Bala HaSulam, are now available to everyone since 1995 and are designed for those seeking to enter the spiritual world.
• 🌟 The ultimate goal of Kabbalah is to help individuals achieve spiritual perfection, peace, and boundless joy by transcending the limitations of time and space while still living in this world.

Q & A

What is the lineage of teaching in Kabbalah mentioned in the script?

The teaching lineage starts with Abraham and continues through Rabbi Yehuda Ashlag, also known as the 'Master of the Ladder.' This lineage is significant because it ensures the authenticity of Kabbalistic teachings passed from teacher to student.

What is Kabbalah, according to the speaker?

Kabbalah is described as an ancient, authentic wisdom focused on understanding hidden forces that influence our reality. It is not a religion or mysticism but a science that connects practitioners with spiritual causes, transcending our physical world.

Why is Kabbalah called a 'hidden science'?

Kabbalah is called a 'hidden science' for three reasons: it was purposely hidden by practitioners for 2,000 years, the books are written in a special 'language of branches,' and it deals with forces beyond our five senses, beyond the physical world.

What is the 'language of branches' mentioned in the script?

The 'language of branches' refers to the metaphorical language used in Kabbalistic texts. Everyday objects and events like family, land, and wars are used symbolically to describe abstract spiritual forces that exist in higher worlds.

What is the primary focus of Kabbalah's teachings?

Kabbalah focuses on connecting with the 'upper worlds,' which are the spiritual forces that influence our reality. The teachings guide practitioners in aligning with these forces to understand life's purpose and navigate their spiritual ascent.

How does Kabbalah explain the relationship between our physical world and the spiritual world?

Kabbalah explains that our physical world is an outcome of spiritual forces from the upper worlds. Our actions in the physical world do not directly affect the spiritual world, but understanding and connecting with spiritual causes can influence outcomes here.

Why did Kabbalah become hidden for 2,000 years?

Kabbalah became hidden after the destruction of the Second Temple because the souls of that era could no longer understand its teachings. This lack of spiritual sensitivity led to the rise of religions and speculative philosophies, making Kabbalistic wisdom inaccessible.

How does the speaker differentiate Kabbalah from religion and mysticism?

Kabbalah predates religion and is not related to mysticism. Religion emerged from a disconnection from spiritual truth, and mysticism often deals with manipulating hidden forces, whereas Kabbalah is about personal inner transformation and connecting to higher spiritual forces.

What are the misconceptions about Kabbalah that the speaker addresses?

The speaker addresses misconceptions that Kabbalah is Jewish mysticism, that it requires being Jewish to study, and that it involves magical practices or amulets. He clarifies that Kabbalah is open to anyone with a sincere desire for spiritual understanding.

What is the role of moral transformation in Kabbalistic study?

Moral transformation is essential in Kabbalistic study. One cannot connect with the upper worlds or spiritual forces without changing their inner nature. Kabbalah teaches that personal spiritual growth is required to access higher levels of understanding.

What is the goal of studying Kabbalah, according to the speaker?

The goal of studying Kabbalah is to trace one's spiritual path back to its roots in the upper worlds, reconnecting with the total reality of existence. This journey allows individuals to attain spiritual perfection, tranquility, and transcendence, while still living in the physical world.

Outlines

00:00

📜 Introduction to Kabbalah Revealed

In this introductory segment, Tony Kosinec, a student of Rav Michael Laitman, outlines the authentic teachings of Kabbalah. He emphasizes that true Kabbalah is transmitted through a lineage of practitioners, not scholars. Kosinec mentions that the series will cover key concepts of Kabbalah, aimed at giving viewers a practical understanding. He clarifies that while many books claim to explain Kabbalah, most are speculative and miss the true essence of this ancient wisdom, which deals with the hidden forces of the universe.

05:01

📚 The Hidden Nature of Kabbalah

Kosinec explains why Kabbalah is called a 'hidden science,' primarily because it has been intentionally concealed by practitioners and uses a special 'language of branches.' This language refers to spiritual forces through metaphorical terms from our world. Kabbalistic texts, such as the Torah, may seem like they are describing worldly events, but in reality, they address higher, spiritual realities. Only those with the right inner qualities and proper teachings can truly understand these texts, as physical actions in this world do not influence the spiritual realm.

10:04

🔑 Misconceptions about Kabbalah

Kosinec addresses common misconceptions surrounding Kabbalah. He refutes the idea that it is Jewish mysticism or magic, stating that Kabbalah is a science concerned with inner transformation, not manipulating forces for selfish gain. He also dismisses the notion that one must be Jewish to study Kabbalah, or that one needs prior study in other religious texts. The true requirement is an inner desire to find deeper meaning. He also warns against the commercialization of Kabbalah through objects like red strings and amulets, which he deems idolatry.

15:05

🌌 Kabbalah and Spiritual Worlds

In this section, Kosinec introduces the concept of spiritual worlds, explaining how Kabbalah provides answers beyond the limitations of our five senses. He describes a multi-layered structure of reality, with five spiritual worlds leading to our current, disconnected physical state. The purpose of Kabbalah is to guide a person through 125 steps, reconnecting with their spiritual source and ultimately understanding the full scope of reality. This awareness allows one to live in harmony with the forces that govern life.

20:09

🚪 The Path to Spiritual Ascension

Kosinec concludes by explaining that Kabbalah teaches a method for spiritual ascension, allowing individuals to retrace their descent from the spiritual world back to their divine source. He emphasizes the importance of recent Kabbalistic writings, especially from Baal HaSulam and his successors, which have made this wisdom more accessible. These texts are designed for people seeking entry into the spiritual world. Kosinec promises that future lessons will explore the key qualities needed for this spiritual journey and how Kabbalah offers a practical path toward understanding life's purpose.

Keywords

💡Kabbalah

Kabbalah is the central theme of the video, presented as a hidden, ancient wisdom originating 4,000 years ago with Abraham. It is a spiritual science that deals with understanding the hidden forces behind the physical world. The video emphasizes that Kabbalah is not mysticism or religion but a practical method for attaining a connection with higher realities.

💡Language of Branches

The 'Language of Branches' refers to the symbolic language used in Kabbalistic texts, where everyday words like 'family' or 'land' represent higher spiritual forces rather than physical objects. This concept is crucial in the video because it explains why Kabbalistic writings can be difficult to understand without proper guidance.

💡Hidden Science

Kabbalah is called a 'hidden science' for three reasons, as described in the video. First, Kabbalists purposely kept it hidden from the general public. Second, the texts are written in a symbolic language that only those with the right inner qualities can comprehend. Lastly, it deals with realities beyond the perception of our five senses, addressing deeper questions like the meaning of life.

💡Upper Worlds

The 'Upper Worlds' refer to the spiritual realms that Kabbalah teaches about. The video describes these worlds as the source of everything that happens in the physical world. Attaining awareness and connection with these Upper Worlds is a key goal in Kabbalah, allowing individuals to affect their spiritual reality and understand the forces behind their lives.

💡Descent and Ascent

The concepts of 'descent' and 'ascent' describe the spiritual journey of the soul. According to the video, humans descended from a higher spiritual state into this physical world, and Kabbalah provides the method for ascending back through 125 steps to reunite with the spiritual source. This ascent is a central part of the spiritual work in Kabbalah.

💡Barrier (Machsom)

The 'Barrier' (or Machsom) is the dividing line between the spiritual and physical worlds. The video explains that humans are currently below this barrier, disconnected from spiritual realities. Kabbalah teaches how to cross this barrier and perceive higher, spiritual worlds, which is the goal of the student's journey.

💡Spiritual Attainment

'Spiritual Attainment' in Kabbalah refers to achieving a direct understanding and connection with the higher, spiritual forces that govern the universe. The video states that this attainment is only possible through inner moral transformation and cannot be achieved through physical actions or intellectual knowledge alone.

💡Teaching Lineage

The 'Teaching Lineage' in Kabbalah is emphasized in the video as important for ensuring the authenticity of the wisdom being taught. It refers to the direct transmission of Kabbalistic knowledge from teacher to student, tracing back through notable Kabbalists like Abraham and Yehuda Ashlag. This lineage ensures that what is taught remains true to the original wisdom.

💡Sensation Beyond Five Senses

This refers to Kabbalah’s teaching that there is a reality beyond what we perceive with our physical senses. The video explains that true Kabbalistic study allows individuals to perceive these hidden aspects of reality, which include the spiritual forces that govern life. This is key to answering existential questions like the meaning of life.

💡The Creator

In Kabbalah, 'The Creator' is not a being or a deity in the traditional religious sense but a force that governs and sustains the entire system of creation. The video explains that Kabbalah aims to reconnect individuals with the Creator, helping them understand their purpose in life and their relationship to this higher, benevolent force.

Highlights

Introduction to authentic Kabbalah, focusing on the perspective of practitioners rather than scholars.

Kabbalah is a wisdom that deals with understanding hidden forces and connections beyond the material world.

Kabbalah started with Abraham around 1947-1948 BCE and was openly taught until the destruction of the Second Temple.

The destruction of the Second Temple marked a period where Kabbalah was hidden from the masses, giving rise to religions and other speculative philosophies.

The language of Kabbalistic texts is called the 'language of branches,' which uses worldly terms to describe spiritual forces, not material things.

Kabbalah teaches that no action in this physical world affects the spiritual world. True influence comes from connecting to spiritual roots.

The concept of 'upper worlds' and 'lower worlds,' where the upper world refers to the realm of causes and the lower to the realm of outcomes.

Kabbalah is neither a religion nor mysticism but a science, and its purpose is to connect with spiritual reality through inner transformation.

Misconceptions about Kabbalah, such as it being limited to Jewish practitioners or requiring mastery of preliminary religious texts, are incorrect.

The only requirement to study Kabbalah is a genuine desire to understand the meaning of life.

Since 1995, the teachings of Kabbalah have been opened to the public, and the only qualification for studying is the need for answers.

The idea that Kabbalah leads to madness is a myth; what may seem irrational to others is simply the result of a different level of spiritual awareness.

Kabbalah explains that our current world is disconnected from the total reality, which can be understood by ascending through spiritual levels.

The system of worlds in Kabbalah represents levels of consciousness, where individuals can ascend to their spiritual roots by following a path.

Modern Kabbalistic books, particularly those by Baal HaSulam and his son, are written to guide new students through this process of spiritual ascent.

Transcripts

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hello and welcome to Kabbalah revealed

I'm Tony cosmic I'm a student one of the

students of Roth Michael Lightman who is

the direct disciple of Rev Baruch

Shalom Halevi a Schlag who is the son

and direct disciple of Ravi Hooda a

Schlag vollis alum better known as the

master of the latter who was

acknowledged as the preeminent cop list

of the 20th century I give you those

credentials because there is such a

thing as a teaching lineage within

Kabbalah and what we are going to speak

about is authentic Kabbalah and we're

going to give you a perspective not of

scholars but of practitioners people who

are Kabbalists and in this series you'll

get not only an overview of authentic

Kabbalah

but also the keys the basic concepts the

ways of approaching this wisdom so that

it can open to you because it is a way

of study a way of thinking and a way of

feeling very different from our normal

sense of things and it requires as any

skill does a mastery of the of the

basics and in our series of 20 years so

lessons we will cover all of the ones

that are important for you to know but

let's start with an overview of Kabbalah

because there's a great deal of

confusion about it there's a a lot of

information about Kabbalah out there

there are I think maybe a thousand books

a year are published on the subject and

almost none of them have anything to do

at all with Qabalah they're just some

kind of a mishmash of people's

imaginations of what they think it could

be what it should be their intuition

their imagination and it's not their

fault there's a great longing to know

what Kabbalah actually is because there

is a sensation that it's important that

it's powerful and then it has

a grasp of something that is hidden in

this world it's called a hidden science

for three reasons one it has been

purposely hidden by the practitioners of

Kabbalah themselves by the kabbalists

Kabbalah started four thousand years ago

with Abraham around the Year 1947-1948

before the Common Era and for that

period of time 2,000 years until the

beginning of the Common Era the

destruction of the of the Second Temple

it was not hidden it was it was widely

taught you know the stories of Abraham

sitting in the door of his tent and

welcoming travelers to come and and and

he would show his hospitality well what

he was actually doing was he was feeding

them and he was teaching them about the

wisdom of Kabbalah and the type of souls

that lived at that time in this world

were a little bit more refined than then

the souls that live now and they

understood it more naturally but

something occurred at the beginning of

the Common Era at the destruction of the

temple that made it impossible for

people of that generation and for the

2,000 years that followed to really

understand anything in Kabbalah that's

the point at which religions appeared

that's the point at which speculation

about how this world works what the

universe is what the Creator is and so

on grew up in the imaginations of people

according to a particular principle that

that left to the forefront within the

human being in their development and

this quality within people prevented

them from understanding and so the

Kabbalists hid it so if you don't have

access to something you still have the

books the problem is that it's also

called a hidden wisdom because the books

themselves are written in a very special

language unbeknownst to the people who

were reading them all the books of

Kabbalah are written in a language

called language of branches in which

they use words from our world objects

cup book table

family travels Wars all of these things

that you see in the in the five books of

Moses and all the other Kabbalistic

books but they're not speaking of

anything in this world not a single word

of any Kabbalistic book is referring to

anything in this world it only refers to

the forces above which create and

sustain the things that appear in this

world and so the Kabbalists used a

special language that would indicate

that what they were really speaking

about and only a student who had

attained a certain wisdom would be able

to understand and hear it that way now

you have to understand that the world

that we live in is not a world of causes

it's a world of outcomes

there is nothing that we do in this

world that has any effect whatsoever on

the upper world where where our source

comes from where the things that we see

in this world take their roots no

physical action has any effect on it and

that's why any of the things that we do

in order to solve our problems here in

this world have any effect whatsoever on

their outcome only a connection to the

roots to the causal level of things can

have any effect whatsoever and this is

what Kabbalah deals with our reality as

a whole is structured in such a way that

there is a world that exists above so to

speak in a world that exists below and

the language of branches points to what

exists in the world below it speaks

about this object let's say a family you

read about it in the tour and the tour

appears to be the story of the Jewish

people well a family will move to a

location called a land but the

Kabbalists are not speaking about this

at all they're speaking about the

abstract forces above that actually

create these things and make them occur

and only a Y student can understand

what's really going on here

is the branch level and this is the root

level so unless a person learns how to

read and understand the key to this

language called language of branches

they will continue to see things as they

exist in this world

so as a result of those two aspects of

hiddenness of cibola and because of a

lack of contact with the teaching

lineage and the real methodology people

have still needed to know but they've

had to fantasize they've had to make

concoctions of things and they've gone

according to what they could understand

without a correct teaching and without

the proper inner properties that would

allow them to understand it and so a lot

of myths have grown up now we will deal

with these in a little more detail when

we talk about some of the other basic

concepts of Cibola but just a couple of

the major ones are that that Qabalah is

Jewish mysticism well it is neither a

religion nor is it mysticism Kabbalah

predates religion religion is a

phenomenon of disconnection from the

upper force of speculation and a

misunderstanding of Kabbalah even though

it has a formal similarity with it

because the kabbalists created allaha

they created the books that that we

study and consider to be holy books and

our traditions and so on come from them

but the purpose the meaning of them what

the books are right are actually written

for and what they speak about we are not

very well in touch with these things so

the relationship with Judaism is like

Kabbalah and amnesia now as far as

mysticism goes Kabbalah is a science it

is not a mysticism it's a way of making

a direct connection with things that

seem to us magical and infallible only

because we in our current state of

awareness don't understand how they work

and it's the same as if you brought a

lighter to

to some tribe that lived in on a desert

island that had never seen any

technology at all you would be the god

of fire some mystical creature that can

produce fire out of your hand I mean

it's simply a matter of what is hidden

and what is revealed that that it's

magic well magic implies the using of

hidden upper forces in order to

manipulate people to get what you want

and to cause certain outcomes for your

benefit or against other people and so

on but it's impossible to make any

contact with the upper forces at all

unless a person changes their moral

inner nature the attainment within

Kabbalah is a matter of inner

transformation and it is impossible to

be in contact with the forces without

that so this has simply has nothing to

do with anything except somebody's vivid

imagination

that only a few people are allowed to

study a kabbalah and there are

conditions the conditions being you have

to be Jewish this is not so because the

Kabbalists all along taught people who

were not Jewish by birth some of the

greatest kabbalists in fact were

Gentiles people of other nations uncle

owes Rabbi Akiva the list goes on and

the hid and all kabbalists took students

who were worthy students but not based

on some kind of physical attribute but

on an inner attribute that is called you

could or you hood and we'll explain that

later that you have to have a lot of you

have to master preliminary wisdom damara

Mishnah and so on before you can you can

study Kabbalah well if you don't

understand what's written in in Torah or

or Gomorrah or then you're not going to

understand Kabbalah either so it's not

that you need these preliminary wisdoms

it's that if you cannot find

spirituality in these preliminary

wisdoms you must move to books that talk

directly about spirituality in a way

that they can't be

stakin for things of this world like the

language in which the Torah is written

or the language of stories of gada and

so on and amulets and protection and the

the use of number and letter

manipulations in order to create stuff

and to protect people from evil well

this is the complete and total opposite

of what Kabbalah deals with in fact it's

completely forbidden esc' it's

considered idolatry that one should use

the upper forces for some selfish

personal reason here and besides that

there is nothing to be protected from so

holy water amulets red strings and so on

are our psychological things and they

have absolutely nothing to do with

Kabbalah and finally there's the mixture

of Kabbalah with Eastern religions where

since we didn't know anything we made an

association with Buddhism or with

aspects of Hinduism that deal openly

with with spirituality and that's only

because spirituality from the the books

of of the kabbalists were not open

however that's changed as of 1995 all

books of the of the Kabbalah were open

the only requirement for Kabbalah to be

accepted as a student and to feel and

that you should feel safe and and

comfortable in looking at at Kabbalah

and seeking the thing that you need the

only requirement for becoming a student

of Kabbalah is that you have a need for

it that your answers as to why things

happen and to the meaning of your life

and your role in it if these things

cannot be answered anywhere else that's

the requirement and all the great

cobblers have said so from the time of

the Ariane he said the only requirement

was this desire Roth kook who was

himself a great cop list and even the

the chief rabbi of Jerusalem when he was

asked who can study Kabbalah he said

everyone so it's not so and finally my

favorite is that if you study Kabbalah

you'll go mad

it's my favorite because it's like

everything else it's just the way that

things appear the kinds of interchanges

that a person goes through as a result

of of attainment in Cibola of the

understanding and connection with

reality the pleasure that they get the

source of the pleasure that they get is

very different from a normal way of of

thinking its opposite because it is the

kind of thought that exists in the

spiritual world

so to somebody who has a who has an

opposite goal from spirituality a person

may appear insane but not really so the

third reason that the Kabbalah is called

a hidden science is because it deals

with what is hidden from our five senses

it answers a question that can't be

answered any other way it answers

basically what is the meaning of life

and this is a deep and a severe question

because for a person who has this

question who cannot find the answer in

what their traditions tell them in what

their science tells them in what art and

literature tells them in what psychology

tells them a person who simply cannot be

satisfied with anything but the answer

to this question what is the meaning of

my life this is a person who is ready to

sense beyond the five senses the books

of Kabbalah tell us that we live in the

whole of reality there was a totality of

reality and that's where we actually

exist except that we have no sense of

that we have a completely restricted

sense of what we are and where we are so

much so that we don't know what will

happen in the next moment of our lives

we do not know why things happen when

they happen well

came from where we are and where we're

going there exists a complete and total

reality and this reality is divided and

reduced into a system called worlds by

means of five worlds the complete

reality an unending light becomes

reduced to a brightness by which we can

perceive this first world is called the

world of Adam Kadmon the next world is

absolute the next is Maria then the

world of yet Sarah then Asiya you can

think of these as levels of

consciousness closeness or distance as

it descends from this complete reality

from connection and awareness to it

until finally we reach a disconnecting

point called Maxim or the barrier

these are spiritual worlds and below

this barrier is our world here we have

absolutely no sensation of the spiritual

worlds of the place that we actually

live and where we came from here we have

limited sensations that are called

corporal or physical this complete light

and whole of reality by which if we knew

this and was connected with it we would

be able to direct our destiny we would

stop making mistakes we would understand

the forces that that guide us we would

become connected with them to such a

degree that we would be able to live

life in its fullest and for the benefit

of all life and yet just as Kabbalah

itself has been hidden from us so has

this force this complete reality been

purposely hidden from us reduced through

these levels by a system of 125 steps

into this world

what kabbala is meant for is to allow a

person to trace their steps from descent

into this world back through a hundred

and twenty five steps all the way to our

route in the spiritual world our source

and connection with the total of reality

but in order for us to be able to

achieve that this benevolent force which

we call the Creator has purposely

created a system for us in other words

this map of creation is not the end of

creation it's the halfway point it's a

process by which we descended from our

roots in the spiritual world to the

state that we're in now in order to

fulfill the plan of the creation itself

in order to rejoin this total of reality

all of the books of Kabbalah including

our Torah Mishnah and Gemara speak only

about the states that are found at these

levels both of the reduction as our soul

fell from this complete connection and

of the states that we find on the ascent

back up and the method of Kabbalah is

the means by which a person can begin to

sense and enter the spiritual world

now

in order to do that a person needs to be

taught what their what they are made of

what it is that prevents them from the

entry into this world and how they can

gain a sense of the spiritual again and

this takes a very special very special

material very directly created for the

purpose of allowing a person to enter

the spiritual world so the books of

Kabbalah are written in the language of

branches and they're very difficult for

us to understand it's no wonder that we

have great difficulty being able to use

them on the surface level to learn

anything about how we can enter this

higher reality but the great gift of

Kabbalah is that in our generation since

1995 when the wisdom was opened to the

world as a whole and to those who really

needed special books have been prepared

for us these books were written

commentaries written by Bala Salaam and

by rubbish his his son and his disciple

that for the first time were not written

for people or Kabbalists already in the

spiritual world they were written for

people who wish to enter the spiritual

world they're written in a special

language that allows a person to get a

foothold on the first rung of the ladder

and it's from these books in the lessons

to come that we are going to take our

sources we are going to look at what the

quality is that keeps us out of the

spiritual world what it is that allows

us to enter the spiritual world

and the method revealed in the science

of Kabbalah through the works of Bala

Salaam the wisdom of Kabbalah ba teaches

a practical method of attaining the

upper world and the source of our

existence by realizing our true purpose

in life man attains perfection

tranquility unbounded enjoyment and the

ability to transcend the limits of time

and space while still living in this

world join us next week as we begin this

exciting journey

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