Songs by Rebbe

The following are the recordings of RABASH singing Shabbat songs.

Asader

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Bney Hiyhala

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HaSal

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Yadid Nefesh

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KaChomer

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Mordhe

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Ki Chilazta Nafshi

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LaMenazeach

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Mordehay

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Rahemzio

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Ranenuza

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Bnei Baruch and Kabbalah Center analysis

Very good lecture. In Russian

http://toldot.ru/audio/lessons/lessons_11773.html?template=83

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Authentic Kabbalah Music

Internet is flooded with so called “Kabbalistic music” by people “inspired by Kabbalah”, people with various visions and ambitions. Yet, music is a dangerous tool that if not used correctly can do more harm then good.

Once Kotzker (if I’m not wrong) Rebbe asked his disciples: “What is more important – speech or nigun ([spiritual] tune)”.  The disciples answered: Speech of course! To that the Rebbe said (and I paraphrase from memory) “Speech emanates from brain, goes down to vocal cords and then to throat, while nigun comes from heart to vocal cords and then ascends directly to Heaven.

My personal interpretation/understanding of the story: the Rebbe is talking about Hitorerut DeLitata (Emanation from top to bottom vs. bottom to top – see Zohar for commentaries). Thus the tune represents the awakening from below – lehashipa vs. lekabel.

The audio below has very interesting story to it. It was played by Reb Baruch on cello based on the Baal HaSulam compositions.

The story of Reb Baruch is very unique – he came from Russia to Israel in the beginning of 80th as philharmonic player and played in Israeli philharmonic. He knew nothing of Judaism, and “somehow” found Rav Baruch Ashlag.

He started to attend lessons in Hebrew that RABASH taught Baalei Tshuva – Jews coming back to Judaism. This was a huge effort on the part of the Rebbe as he didn’t speak Hebrew at all (his primary language is Yidish), yet he made himself learn Hebrew to teach those newcomers who were on the path to become religious and observant Jews the Wisdom of Kabbalah. [If I'm not wrong Laitman was part of this group]

Reb Baruch would have a private shiur with Reb Hilllel Gelbshtain after morning davenning (prayers/Shacharit) to catch up on Rebbe’s teachings. After awhile he decided to quit his job (his bread and butter!) in philarmonia as it requiered work on Sabbath, and he couldn’t come to desecrate Sabbath anymore. After a few years, Reb Baruch became very fluent in Talmud Eser Ha Sefirot and played the following music based on Rebbe’s guidance.

Here it is – unaltered by modern instruments, simple and authentic as it came directly from the Rebbe himself.

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Binah – Understanding & Comprehending the Creator

I’ve always struggled with the concept of Creator’s Throne and its reference in Zohar to Binah as I could find the right parallel for it. I therefore would like to share Rabbi’s Kaplan commentaries that clarify how Binah is connected to the Divine Trhone and how we, according to Baal HaSulam, coming closer to our Creator by resembling His actions.

The level of Throne is Binah – Understanding. It’s call a Throne because, in general, the concept of sitting is that of lowering. Therefore, when we say that G-d sits we actually mean that He is lowering His essence so as to be concerned with His universe and comprehended by it.

The Throne is the vehicle through which G-d seats and thus lowers Himself and this is the concept of Binah – Understanding, through which we comprehend G-d. This Throne is mentioned in Ezekiel 1:26, and Issaya 6:21.

Understanding is normally in the head. But it’s counterpart in the lower Sefirot is Gvura – Strength, which parallels the left arm. Thus this Throne is sometimes on the head and sometimes on the arm. This then parallels the Tefilin worn on both the head and the left arm.

Alluded to here are the Tefilin wore by G-d, mentioned in the Talmud. When we wear Tefilin, they parallel those of G-d, and they bring us near to G-d insofar as they help us to resemble Him. Of course, G-d’s Tefilin are not physical but refer to special concepts associated with appropriate Sefirot. In a essence us wearing Tefilin thus lowers G-d towards us and allow us to partake of His essence. This however is the concept of the Throne as mentioned above. This might seem to indicate that we should make a Tefilin in form of the chair and sit on them. But this would not be properly respectful.

The author [BAHIR] that G-d wears His Tefilin in open Mem. This is the concept of Bina – Understanding, the Supernal Mother (Yma Ilaa), when She descents to encompass and protect the lower Sefirot, which are her children. This descent is the mystery of Supernal Womb. The Tefilin worn on the head thus has straps which descent and encompass the body.

The numerical value of Mem is forty, alluding to the forty days in which the embryo is formed in the womb. This forty also parallels to the Ten Sefirot in each of the for boxes of the head Tefilin.

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This is how this blog looks with Worldly

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Bereshit – in the beggining

Many commentaries were written about this word. In fact whole books were dedicated to it. Our sages taught us that this one word encompasses full act of Creation. We won’t be able to explore the full depth of this word, but let’s just get a bit of taste of what spiritual depths it conceals.

Bereshit starts with the letter Beit. Zohar therefore states:

רבי יונה בשם רבי לוי אמר: למה נברא העולם בב’? אלא מה ב’ סתום מכל צדדיו ופתוח מלפניו — כך אין לך רשות לומר מה למטה, מה למעלה, מה לפנים, ומה לאחור; אלא מיום שנברא העולם ולהבא.

Rabbi Yona said in the name of Rabbi Levi: Why was the world created with the letter Beit [the first letter of the story of creation in Genesis 1]? Just as the letter Beit is closed on all sides with an opening facing forwards, so you have no right to say what is below, what is above, what is before and what is behind, except from the day when the world was created and onwards.

Thus we can see that we can have no comprehension whatsoever to what happened before the Creation, we’re only allowed to explore the Creation itself and what happened after it.

I was always puzzled by a commentary that the word Bereshit essentially describes the whole Creation process, until I found commentaries by Rabbi Arie Kaplan on the book of Bahir – Kabbalistic book that proceeded the book of Zohar.

From there we derive that Beit is associated with Sfira Chochma, and we already know that Tav, the last of Hebrew letters is associated with Malchut, thus the word Bereshit describes the Creation of 9 Sefirot – from Chochma till Malchut as well as 4 olamot (spiritual worlds) – Atzilut, Beriya, Yetzira, Asiya.

Sefer Bahir points out that Beit is always associated with sustanance, and now we can understand why, as Beit brings Ohr Chochma to lower Sefirot. Light of Sustenance, Light of Life. And even though we cannot receive Ohr Chochma directly after the Tzhimtzum Beit (second tzimzum), we receive this Light in levush (garment) of Chassadim (Mercy) – sometimes Baal HaSulam uses the term He-arat Chochma – the shadow of Light of Chochma to denote that even though we cannot receive the Light of Chochma directly, we must have at least a tiny ray of it that will sustain our lives. If this ray were G-d forbid to interrupt for only a micro second, no trace of Creation would remain. Therefore Bahir uses allegory that describes Creator as “constantly blowing at our world”, i.e. sustains it with Ohr Chocma.

Now you’re probably asking why does the word describe 9 Sefirot and not 10. Great question! The answer (one of them at least) is already given above. Keter preceded Chochma – it’s the root of everything, part of the Creator Himself. Keter (crown) is always placed above head of person and thus symbolizes that this Sefira is above our comprehension. It is also a clear warning as the word KeTeR can be also rearranged to read KaReT – spiritual death, complete separation from holiness forever.

This is only a tiny bit of this word, with G-d’s help we will explore more in the future…

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Rabbi Baruch Shalom Ashlag RABASH video

Chanuka 1989

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Bahir – one of oldest books in Kabbalah

Since there are so many people who are interested in Kabbalah, but can’t read Hebrew and thus unfortunately come to places that merely squeeze money out of them, I would like to point to a book written in English by well-renowned  Rabbi on the one of the oldest books of Kabbalah – Bahir.

From introduction:

The Bahir is one of the oldest and most important of all classical Kabbalah texts. Until the publication of the Zohar, the Bahir was the most influential and widely quoted primary source of Kabbalistic teachings. It’s quoted in every major book on Kabbalah the earliest being the RAVAAD’s commentary on Sefer Yetzira and it’s sited numerous times by RAMBAN in his commentary on the Torah.  It’s also quoted many times in Zohar.

And something that I specifically wanted to share on the topic of Tzimtzum from the book:

There is however more difficult paradox involved in the tzimtzim. Since G-d removed His Light from the vacated space, it must be empty of his essence. Still G-d must also fill the space, since there is no place empty of Him. This is a most basic paradox and it’s closely related to the dichotomy of G-d’s imminence and transcendence. The main point brought out of this paradox is the fact that this space is only dark and vacated in respect to us, the “Lamp of Darkness” mentioned in the Zohar is Darkness to us, but with relation to G-d it too is a lamp. With respect to G-d, there is actually Light since for Him it’s as if the Tzimtzum never took place. The reason for the Tzimtzum was so Creation could take place and this is required for us, but nor for G-d. Close study indicates that this is precisely the question and answer found in the opening statement found in the Bahir.

Book can be purchased here:  http://www.amazon.com/Bahir-Illumination-Aryeh-Kaplan/dp/0877286183/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1275187634&sr=8-1

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Talmud Eser HaSephirot

I only recently bought the Talmud Eser HaSefirot set published by Rabbi Gotlib and can’t hold my excitement. Besides the original text of Baal HaSulam, the book includes key comments of RABASH that were translated from his lessons + many charts that make the learning much easier. I highly recommend the set for anyone who wants to study the material in depth – they have free International shipping and the books arrive from Israel within only few days.

http://www.kabbalah-source.com/product.asp?productid=4

Here is one shot that I made from the book – has bunch of my handwriting. I picked this specific chart as it summarizes the key aspects of Kabbalah that was taught by Baal-HaSulam. Click on the image to enlarge

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In the Shaddow of the Ladder

I have been asked many times about authentic literature in English. Unfortunately besides BB & KC books, one without Hebrew will be lost.

Here is one book that I would like to recommend that comes from reliable source:

What is my essence? Do I have a soul? If I do, why can’t I experience it? Why do I feel alienated? It is with these deeply personal questions that Rabbi Ashlag opens his Introductions. Moving easily from the experience of the individual to the role of humankind in Creation and back again, he teaches the interplay of light with its vessel. It is this dynamic that makes up the drama of the Creator in relationship to the creation. Evil, suffering, compassion and joy, are shown to each have their place as the path unfolds from concealment of the Source to the full experience of Divine love. Rabbi Ashlag teaches Kabbalah, not as an esoteric study limited to the mystically inclined, but as a universal pathway of the spirit. There are many books available now about Kabbalah. This book is Kabbalah itself. Its uniqueness lies in that it contains authentic texts of Kabbalah, yet it is accessible to the general reader as a result of the clarity of the translations and the easy style of the explanations.

 

You can acquire the book here with free International shipping:  http://www.kabbalah-source.com/product.asp?productid=86

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