The Correct Order Of Studying

When a person comes to study Kabbalah with the question, "What am I living for and why?" it's necessary to explain to him the following:
1. What is this desire that has emerged in him and what kind of fulfillment it demands;
2. What is human nature (the ego, the source of evil), how to correct it, and that this is our only free action (freedom of will).

To accomplish this it is necessary to study Baal HaSulam's articles with him, especially "The Freedom" and "The Essence of the Wisdom of Kabbalah," which explain that the revelation of the Creator to the created beings is the means to attain the goal of creation. Other articles by Baal HaSulam help a beginning student form an integral picture of existence: the worlds, the beginning, the development, the goal of every element of creation, evil and suffering as the force of movement, and so on.

When a person has the general picture, he goes on to discern: How does advancement and correction take place? He learns that the soul is the main creation which was broken by the Creator and then becomes corrected by us. To accomplish this one already needs the articles of Rabash. Their purpose is to put a person in his place inside the society in order to discern the breaking and what needs to be corrected. How do you correct the breaking of the souls?

That is why we are studying together using Kabbalah books, in particular, the books of Baal HaSulam because they are able to give our generation the force, the Light that Reforms and corrects us until we reach the level of the Source.

It is not necessary to go through this material in order, because a person goes through different states. A beginner finds himself in the middle of the study process, but that doesn't matter. What counts is that he is working together with everyone because we are all inter-included and intertwined in our souls and desires.

Therefore, it's not so important which article you begin studying, but it's best to have a clear order of study which is directly aimed at the goal.

-from the 4^th part of the Daily Kabbalah Lesson 8/09/10

The Method Of Correction In The Middle Line

Before Baal HaSulam there were two methods of correction (or of studying Kabbalah): through the mind (the method of the Ari) and through the heart (the method of Baal Shem Tov). Baal HaSulam took both of these approaches and unified them into the middle, third line, creating an effective, precise, and simple method that is suitable for modern souls. It is the only means enabling us to attain correction.

The scientific part of Kabbalah is based on the Ari, while the inner work comes from Baal Shem Tov. Baal HaSulam wrote the book, Talmud Eser Sefirot, based on The Tree of Life by the Ari, adapting it to our generation. However, if you look at his entire teaching as a complex, then the four compositions Talmud Eser Sefirot, Panim Meirot, "Preface to the Science of Kabbalah," and "Preface to the Sulam Commentary" are devoted to the "physics" of the Upper World and are based on the teaching of the Ari, while all the other articles are devoted to a person's inner work and are based on the method of Baal Shem Tov.

The Light of Correction comes to us while studying the "physics" of the Upper World, but it only comes through the group. If the group is not organized correctly, does not study together, and does not desire to unite, then it is impossible to attract the Light. The group is the magnet that attracts the Light that Reforms. And it must have a form that makes it ready for correction. Everyone must expect it!

We must reveal two things: first, our evil and lack of unity; second, the desirable state-the state of universal connection. We must expect that we will go from the first state to the second state with the help of the force called "the Light that Reforms." The group is obligated to understand this very clearly since otherwise what kind of Light would you be able to attract? The spiritual vessel or desire must precede the Light.

This is why all of creation was created and why it develops until the very World of Infinity; it is in order to create a need to reveal the Creator in creation. We are not required to reveal the Creator or the Light! We have to reveal the creation! We have to understand that creation was not created in order to remain a point and to live as an animal. Rather, its destiny is to become an independent individual that has freedom of will. Therefore, our desire must always come first (Kli Kodem Le Ohr).

-from the 4^th part of the Daily Kabbalah Lesson 8/09/10