Soul, Mind and Character

Q: What happens to a soul that is dressed in a smart person and how is it affected by such a mind and character?
A: The body and the evolution of intelligence in no way affect the soul and its development, meaning the correction and fulfillment with the Light of the Creator. The fact that the soul and the body are “linked” in one person does not mean that the body influences the soul, because the soul is a desire to give (bestow), something which does not exist in the body’s nature. In principle, the soul must change in a person, it must be corrected. This is why it is sent to the lowest level of creation – this world.
The body gives the soul something “extra” that allows it to exist until a person is able to identify with the soul rather than with one’s corporeal body: the mind and character. Every habit and characteristic that has to do with this world and exists in all people requires no correction.
A person should not suffer because of one’s characteristics and should not change them in any way, but instead should make contact with the Creator, which is our goal. Character has no bearing on that.
I advise everyone to research the Creator, study His deeds, His powers and the spiritual laws, instead of delving within self. “One is where one’s thoughts are.” Therefore, one who is adhesive with the Supreme is in the Supreme, and one who lowers self to lower attributes and suffers from them, “eateth his own flesh.”
Salvation and correction come from Above. A person must only extend upon self the influence of the Upper Light, and that Light will correct everything that needs to be fixed.
The character does not change. Man’s characteristics remain the same, because the will to receive exists in us. The will to receive takes a different form in each of us, in character, in perception of life and in desires. The form of the will does not change, only the aim and the use of it, from receiving “for myself” to an aim “for the Creator.”
The conception and the birth of man and everything he does in this world arouse no response in the spiritual worlds. They have no effect whatsoever on the soul, because everything in our corporeal world is born and reveals itself before us by evolution from the movement of Upper Forces from up downward, as described: “There is not a grass below that does not have an angel above, that strikes it and says to it: Grow”.
Only our desires to draw near the Creator have any effect on Above. A desire to draw near the Creator is a desire to equalize with Him in His desire to bring us pleasure. These desires are called “raising MAN.” If we want to do everything for the Creator, as He wants to do for us, if we ask of Him to give us a chance to do it, than that prayer is felt in Him and He responds to it.

Q: What is the connection between our body and the spiritual bodies?

A: Anything that happens to the physical bodies in our world corresponds with what happens to the spiritual bodies in the spiritual world, or in spiritual desires. Outside the corporeal world there are only desires called forces, bodies, souls, Partzufim, etc.
A spiritual body is a desire with an aim “for the Creator.” It thus turns out that to the ordinary person in our world with a corporeal body, there is no spiritual body. But a spiritual body, that intent, can be acquired through the wisdom of Kabbalah, which teaches how to acquire a screen, the aim “for the Creator.”
A spiritual body evolves gradually, according to the correction, in the following steps:

• Conception - when a person is willing to nullify the self completely before the Creator, be dependent on Him and totally accept His Rule;
  
• Delivery - the ability to perform the actions alone, instead of through the Creator;
  
• Infancy – the period when a person gradually begins to perform certain actions, while the rest are still left for the upper Partzuf - the Creator;
  
• Adulthood - a state of complete equivalence of form with the Creator in the current degree.
  

Birth and Correction

Q: Man is born in our world through the joining of a physical body with its spirit, which may already
be at a certain level in the spiritual worlds, meaning, by definition, it can already have a screen. Why, then, is there a need to start from the beginning in the physical world?

A: Every birth in our world signifies a correction of the corporeal level of desires. Even if a person studied Kabbalah in the past and reached a certain level, but not a final one, that person must be born as a baby, suffer, learn, and arrive at Kabbalah from the beginning. But the student will very quickly return to the level of the previous life and continue from there. There is never a repetition, only new corrections and additions to the previous life.

The Corporeal World Has Its Own Laws

Posted on May 19th, 2011 at 3:51 pm

Question: What should my attitude to corporeal problems be?
Answer: Both corporeal and spiritual problems originate from the same source since “there is none else besides Him.” We have to view everything as parts of a single whole.
However, the corporeal world has its own additional laws. If we still see corporeality, we have to overcome these obstacles and battle them according to the laws accepted in this world and in human society. After all, these laws are also a result of our corruptness, and therefore, we are obliged to follow them.
If I live in a human society, regardless of what a great Kabbalist I may be, I have to behave in this society according to its laws. We all have to abide by these laws and cannot ignore them even though they do not have any relation to spirituality. For example, if someone is going to kill me, I have to protect myself and fight him down.
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From the 1st part of the Daily Kabbalah Lesson 5/16/2011, Shamati #8
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If You Want To Be Good – Prove It!

Posted on May 19th, 2011 at 5:38 pm

In order to receive the Light that reforms, the force that will make us similar to the upper force, the Creator, and that will return us to the source of goodness and abundance so we would become just as good, bestowing, and loving, we have to place ourselves in the right conditions.
How can I prove to myself and prepare myself to make the right request from the upper Light so it would influence me? Only through the environment. I don’t have any opportunity in our world to prove that I want to become bestowing and good unless I organize the right connection with the environment to the best of my ability.
That is why before and during the lesson, especially while reading The Book of Zohar, every one of us must constantly feel that he has an unceasing connection with others, that he is in a net of connection where he loses himself and only feels everyone together. He must try to feel with all his might that he does not have his own “I,” but there is only “WE.” This is called the assembly of the souls of Israel (Knesset Israel)—the unification of all those who aspire to reveal the Creator.
If they unite together in order to reveal Him, that means the broken souls desire to unite together and ascend through their request for unification to Malchut of the world of Atzilut. Malchut of the world of Atzilut takes these desires, which aspire to unite and make mutual efforts to unite, and raises this request to Zeir Anpin. He, in turn, works on this request, corrects them, and then all who participate in it acquire the force of mutual bestowal and begin to feel closer, more connected together. Thus, gradually, step by step, very slowly they reveal the net of connection between them. When this net attains its first realization, we begin to feel that we are on the first degree of the spiritual ladder.
Therefore, while reading The Book of Zohar we must constantly aspire only toward unity among us so inside of it we would reveal the form of our connection called “the Creator.” After all, the Creator is the form of connection among us.
From the 2nd part of the Daily Kabbalah Lesson 5/17/11, The Zohar

Unity That Will Find Response In All The Worlds

Posted on May 19th, 2011 at 6:45 pm

Question: What is the difference between our unity with the group, with all of humankind, and with nature?
Answer: The fact is that everyone who begins to engage in spiritual work becomes more individualistic. The group also becomes rough, clearly defined in itself; everything is mixed and bubbling inside. The groups have difficulties merging with each other.
When this mixture starts to connect, especially during the conventions, it gives a tremendous spiritual force because suddenly, within a few days, everybody coalesces together in the same material, in a single burst, in the same songs, in the same daily schedule. This affects everybody and releases a huge amount of spiritual energy. This is why the conventions make such a strong impression.
In other words, the more we are opposed to each other, egoistic—each of us individually and the groups as a whole —the greater spiritual potential our unity passes on to the world. This immense potential truly shakes everybody up.
We cannot imagine that our unity injects such a strong reviving infusion into the world, and the world charges forward without even knowing where and how. This infusion gives the world powerful energy for the next state. Accordingly, we advance as well because we cannot move forward faster than the world.
In the past, Kabbalists could reach the world of Infinity and our world kept on rotating as it was. But we are in a period of global correction and should realize this correction. So, our movement will be only in accordance with the movement of the world! And for that reason, we must take this fact into account during our conventions and to think as much as possible about everybody, not just about our friends everywhere, but about the entire world.
The world is beginning to sense that problems exist, and these problems cannot be solved. Anxiety is seizing the world, and humanity feels that it simply distracts itself to avoid becoming frightened and going insane. We know how it’s done: It’s better to give painkillers to the terminally ill in order for them to feel no pain and leave quietly. The world is preparing itself for this state and would even wish it. If people knew that they could take such a pill and not wake up tomorrow, evidently, it would be salvation for them… But it’s not that easy.
We have to understand that our unity is necessary for the world. A huge responsibility is placed upon us! Thus, we are uniting not only to spend a good time together. We have very serious goals. We don’t even realize how global and universal they are, and how they find response in all the worlds.
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From the Virtual Lesson, Fundamentals of Kabbalah Series 5/15/2011
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