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סֵפֶר הַזֹּהר: הַקְדָמָה
רַב אַשְׁלַג

THE BOOK OF ZOHAR: INTRODUCTION
Rabbi Ashlag

The Book of Zohar Introduction Rav Ashlag

What is our role in this reality, that each of us is but a small link?
How could G-D have created from the beginning so many creatures who are so troubled and unhappy throughout their lives? Isn't it in the nature of the good to do good? And certainly not to do so much harm?
“By studying the Zohar and Kabbalah, they (the Jewish people) will merit to leave the exile and experience complete Redemption.” (Tikkunei HaZohar).

Therefore, each of us should take it upon ourselves, in our hearts and consciences, to elevate the interiority of the Torah from now on, to give it its rightful place, above its exteriority.
Rabbi Yehuda Ashlag

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Rabbi Yehuda Ashlag: his Life and his Works

Chapter 1 : Paragraphs 1 - 3 : On simple questions…

Chapter 2 : Paragraphs 4 - 12 : The Will to Receive, and its Tikkun

Chapter 3 : Paragraphs 13 - 28 : The three States of the Neshamah

Chapter 4 : Paragraphs 29 - 32 : Our Role in the Long Chain of Reality

Chapter 5 : Paragraphs 33 - 56 : The Essential Importance of Spiritual Worlds

Chapter 6 : Paragraphs 57 - 64 : The Discovery of the Book of Zohar

Chapter 7 : Paragraphs 65 -  70 : The Individual's Influence on Interiority and Exteriority

Glossary

Extract from the first Chapter

א) רְצֹנִי בְּהַקְדָּמָה־זוֹ לְבָרֵר אֵיזֶה דְבָרִים פְּשׁוּטִים לִכְאוֹרָה. כְּלוֹמַר, אֲשֶׁר יְדֵי הַכֹּל מְמַשְׁמְשׁוֹת בָּהֶם, וְהַרְבֵּה דְיוֹ נִשְׁפְּכָה בִּכְדֵי לְבָרְרָם. וּבְכָל־זֹאת, עֲדַיִן לֹא הִגַּעְנוּ בָהֶם לִידֵי יְדִיעָה בְרוּרָה וּּמַסְפֶּקֶת. שְׁאֵלָה א׳׃ מַה־מַּהוּתֵנוּ? שְׁאֵלָה ב׳׃ מַה־תַּפְקִידֵנוּ בְּשַׁלְשֶׁלֶת הַמְּצִיאוּת הָאֲרֻכָּה שֶׁאָנוּ טַבָּעוֹת קְטַנּוֹת הֵימֶנָּה? שְׁאֵלָה ג׳׃ הִנֵּה כְּשֶׁאָנוּ מִסְתַּכְּלִים עַל־עַצְמֵנוּ, אָנוּ מַרְגִּישִׁים אֶת־עַצְמֵנוּ מְקֻלְקָלִים וּשְׁפֵלִים עַד שֶׁאֵין כָּמֹנוּ לִגְנוּת.

1) In this introduction, I would like(1) to clarify some seemingly simple questions(2). They have been on everyone’s mind, and a lot of ink has been spilt trying to find clear answers. However, we have not yet succeeded in gaining a sufficient and satisfactory understanding of them. First question: who are we(3)? Second question: what is our role(4) in the long chain of Reality(5), of which we are merely small links? Third question: when we look(6) at who we are, we feel that we are so full of faults and weaknesses(7) that nothing seems more unworthy than what we are...

Sparks of Life

(1). רְצֹנִי ‘I will’: literally: my will is to... Rav Ashlag here discusses a subject that concerns: will.   (2). … some seemingly simple questions : but profound.     (3). … who are we : is the person I call ‘me’ just a body, that weakens day by day and returns to dust? Or is there a SPIRITUAL ASPECT in me that will continue beyond the disappearance of my body?  (4). … what is our role : what is our mission here on earth?   (5). … מְצִיאוּת Reality : what our senses perceive and allow us to understand what נִמְצָא is all around us. As well as that our senses cannot perceive.    (6). … when we מִסְתַּכְּלִים look : if we rely only on what we see, there is a great risk of making a mistake and being סָכַל stupid.    (7). … full of faults and weaknesses : who are those who see themselves as full of faults and weaknesses? They are those who have the courage to see the evil in themselves, and strive to prevent it from dominating their thoughts, words and actions.

The Book of Zohar - Rav Ashlag
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