Rabbi Baruch Ahslag was the next phase in the evolution of Kabbalah after his father, Rabbi Yehuda Ashlag. Baruch Ashlag was the eldest son of Yehuda Ashlag. Born in Poland in 1907, he came with his father to Israel at the age of 15. He always worked simple jobs: construction worker, road works, a shoemaker, or a clerk. He was never ashamed to do any work. He treated it as necessity for survival in this world, and nothing more. He was offered quite a few high offices, but never accepted any of them.
He was very knowledgeable in Torah and Talmud, but he never served as a rabbi. His spent his entire life following in the footsteps of his father and advancing in the study of Kabbalah. When his father passed away, Baruch Ashlag took his place and his disciples and continued his work. He published the Zohar with his father’s commentaries as well as several other books.
I came to him in 1979. I had already been in search of a teacher for four years when I came to Rabbi Baruch Ashlag. I was studying by myself and with all kinds of ‘Kabbalists’. I went a long way knowing I needed to study Kabbalah, but not knowing who could teach me. I knew this was the place for me from the first lesson with Rabbi Ashlag. I remained with him for twelve years, until his death. When he died I was there at his bedside.
Rabbi Baruch Ashlag followed in the footsteps of his father. He wrote five books of articles, called Shlavey Hasulam (The Rungs of the Ladder), where he successfully expressed all the inner situations of a person who is on the way for the attainment of the upper world. He studied all the possible situations, every step and movement that a person makes on the way, explained how to exit to the spiritual world, and how to feel and live in it.
He constructed a system for the attainment of the upper world for the individual, something that previous Kabbalists did not do. The uniqueness of his articles is especially significant for those who want to attain the spiritual world. Without them, it is impossible to even imagine an exit to the spiritual world.
He also left us a manuscript of sermons he had heard from his father, which he called Shamati (I Heard). Using these articles, one can define one’s situation, its characteristics and how to continue the spiritual ascent in that situation. The book is the basis for all the situations in the spiritual worlds and their many combinations, which affect the soul of one who aspires to attain them.
The works of Rabbi Baruch Ashlag are essential to us, and to anyone who wishes to open himself to the spiritual world. After the death of Rabbi Ashlag, a group was established, carrying his name – Bnei Baruch (The Sons of Baruch) – that continues to study in the way he paved.