tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-156680942024-02-28T05:39:44.354-05:00Toras Rav AshlagTranslations of with comments to Rav Yehudah Ashlag's Kabbalah and Avodah worksRabbi Yaakov Feldmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13405091620805844641noreply@blogger.comBlogger75125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15668094.post-13492238379378224792007-12-09T10:58:00.000-05:002007-12-09T11:10:19.505-05:00I'm heartened by the fact that quite a few people have come upon this blog. The truth is, I've been doing a lot of re-writing in hopes of having this published, so I decided to revise the entries one at a time, starting with Chapter One.<br /><br />I'll scrap the projected condensation for now, and go ahead with the chapter-by-chapter re-writes. I might enter new things from time to time, though. Oh -- and if you're a publisher who'd like to consider this work, please let me know ....<br /><br />Please contact me at <a href="mailto:feldman@torah.org">feldman@torah.org</a> if you care to. Thanks.Rabbi Yaakov Feldmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13405091620805844641noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15668094.post-6067523422288434532007-07-29T18:38:00.001-04:002007-07-29T18:49:02.751-04:00A New Sefer<br /><br />Rabbi Gottlieb of <a href="http://obshalom.org/">obshalom.org</a> has published a new edition of Shamatti, entitled "Hashem, Shamatti Shemaacha". While the first one published just a few short years ago by Rabbi Chagai Horowitz is fine and attractively set out, this new one has more biurim, mekorot, and more. The two volumes sell for $42 at my serforim store, and I suggest you grab it as soon as you can, as it will surely have a short shelf life. Try Biegeleisen's in Boro Park (718-436-1165). They'll probably have it.Rabbi Yaakov Feldmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13405091620805844641noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15668094.post-1160666024306599392006-10-12T11:12:00.000-04:002006-10-12T11:13:44.326-04:00Chapter Seventy:<br /><br />Rabbi Yehudah Ashlag's "Introduction to the Zohar"<br /><br />-- as translated and commented on by Rabbi Yaakov Feldman<br /><br />__________________________________________________<br /><br />70.<br /><br />1.<br /><br />"And the reason for that (i.e., for the Moshiach’s refusal to appear in our generation) as we've said is because those who do delve into Torah depreciate their own and Torah’s interior (aspect, by eschewing Kabbalah), and they regard the Torah’s interior as superfluous, only studying it when it’s neither 'day nor night'”. <br /><br />"But they’re like blind people running their hands along a wall."<br />-- That’s to say, those laudable souls who study Torah in depth and dedicate their lives to the punctilious observance of mitzvot in the hopes of encouraging the Moshiach to arrive are barking up the wrong tree, if you will; they’re shortsightedly looking here (in the revealed Torah) for what’s actually there (in the concealed Torah).<br /><br />"For they thus strengthen their own exterior (aspect), meaning the advantages of their body (over their soul), and they likewise bestow more importance to the Torah’s exterior (aspect) than to its interior (one) ... "<br />-- That is, they lend more credence to their bodies than to their souls by favoring the more practical, this-worldly aspects of the Torah over the Kabbalah-based ones.<br /><br />" ... and thus allow the world’s exterior (aspects) to hold sway over its interior (ones), each according to its own makeup."<br />-- That is, they thus seem to advocate and grant more importance to externals, which is so much more destructive because they’re our greatest Torah scholars and leaders. <br /><br />"For the exterior (aspect) of the Jewish Nation, meaning its less learned individuals, thus hold sway over and undo the Jewish Nation’s interior (aspect), her Torah Greats. And the exterior (aspect) of the Gentile nations, their destructive elements, likewise hold sway over and undo their interior (aspect), the righteous Gentiles. And the entire world’s exterior (aspect), the Gentile nations, holds sway over and undo the Jewish Nation, its interior (aspect)."<br />-- And so all externals overwhelm internals, leading to the more unlearned elements of the Jews to hold sway over the Torah greats, the more brutish elements of the Gentiles holding sway over its more righteous elements, and the Gentiles themselves to hold sway over the Jews in toto.<br /><br />2.<br /><br />"It’s (in fact) in just such a generation that the Gentile destroyers rear up their heads and most especially want to annihilate and butcher the Jewish Nation, (for) it’s said, 'calamity only befalls the world for (the sins of) the Jewish Nation' (Yebamot 63), and (as) it was said in the Tikkun (cited) above, 'the Gentile destroyers (will) bring poverty, ruin, robbery, looting, murder, and destruction upon the world' (then)."<br /><br />"Hence, since all that had been (stated) in the Tikkunim has come about (in our times), because of our many sins; since (it’s also true that) disaster has struck at the very best of us in particular (in the course of the Holocaust), as it’s said, 'It (i.e., disaster) invariably begins with the righteous (Babba Kama 60); and since the dignity that the Jewish Nation once enjoyed in Poland, Lithuania, etc. only abides with the remnant (of Torah greats) living in Israel now, it’s incumbent upon us to correct that dreadful wrong. Each of us (of that caliber left) must take it upon himself with every fiber of his being and with all his means to bolster the Torah’s interior (aspect) and grant it its (rightful) place of honor above the Torah’s exterior (aspect) from now on (by studying the Zohar and Kabbalah)."<br /><br />3.<br /><br />"Then each one of us (Torah greats ourselves) will be awarded with a bolstering of his own interior (aspect), his inner 'Jewish Nation', which is the needs of the soul over his exterior (aspect), his inner 'Gentile nations', the needs of the body. But the capacity to do that will only come to the Jewish Nation (in its entirety) once the unlearned among us acknowledge and realize the value of the Torah greats over them and (begin to) listen to and obey them." <br />-- That is, once the Torah greats themselves delve into Kabbalah as they should they’ll nourish their own beings inside and out. And -- the implication is -- then they’ll appear in a new light in the eyes of the unlearned, who’ll admire and obey them by that point, study Kabbalah as well, and grow in their own beings. And once all that happens, ...<br /><br />"Then the interior (aspect) of the Gentile nations, the righteous Gentiles, will overpower its exterior (aspect), their destroyers, and subdue them as well. And then the world’s interior (aspect), the (actual) Jewish Nation, will likewise gloriously and nobly overpower the world’s exterior (aspect), the Gentile nations, and all the nations of the world will recognize and acknowledge the preeminence of the Jewish Nation."<br /><br />"And the words, 'The people will take them and bring them to their place; and the House of Israel will inherit them in G-d’s land' (Isaiah 14:2) will be fulfilled, as well as (the words) 'they will carry your sons in their arms, and carry your daughters on their shoulders' (Isaiah 49:22). For as the Zohar (itself) says, 'It is through (the study of) this work, the Zohar (most especially), that they’ll be freed from exile with mercy' (Parshat Nasah. p. 124). Amen, may it be so!"<br /><br />(c) 2006 Rabbi Yaakov Feldman<br /><br /> (Feel free to contact me at feldman@torah.org )<br /><br />********************************<br /> AT LONG LAST! Rabbi Feldman's translation of "The Gates of Repentance" has been reissued at *at a discount*! <br /> You can order it right now from <a href="http://www.tinyurl.com/49s8t/">here</a><br /> Rabbi Yaakov Feldman has also translated and commented upon "The Path of the Just", and "The Duties of the Heart" (Jason Aronson Publishers). His new work on Maimonides' "The Eight Chapters" will soon be available.<br /> Rabbi Feldman also offers two free e-mail classes on www.torah.org entitled <br /><a href="http://torah.org/learning/spiritual-excellence/">"Spiritual Excellence"</a> and <a href="http://torah.org/learning/ramchal/">"Ramchal"</a>Rabbi Yaakov Feldmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13405091620805844641noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15668094.post-1160474517262205592006-10-10T06:00:00.000-04:002006-10-10T06:01:57.276-04:00Chapter Sixty-Nine:<br /><br />Rabbi Yehudah Ashlag's "Introduction to the Zohar"<br /><br />-- as translated and commented on by Rabbi Yaakov Feldman<br /><br />__________________________________________________<br /><br />69.<br /><br />1.<br /><br />"(In fact,) it’s said in the Tikkunei Zohar, 'Rise up and rouse yourself before the Holy Shechina (Divine Presence), for your heart is empty and without the knowledge (you’d need) to know and apprehend it even though it’s (right) in your midst'.”<br />-- The Tikkunei Zohar indicates that for some reason or another we haven’t the wherewithal to draw close to the Divine Presence.<br /><br />“'The secret import of this is (contained in the verse,) "A voice says, Cry out!" (Isaiah 40:6) -- which is analogous to (the verse,) "Call now, but is there any who will answer you?" (Job 5:1). And she (i.e., the Shechina) said, "What should I cry out? All flesh is but grass" (meaning,) all (people) are like grass-eating animals, "and all its kindness is like the flower of the field!" (Isaiah 40:6) (meaning that) all the acts of kindness they proffer are for their own benefit' (Tikkun 40)."<br />-- What holds us back from drawing close to the Divine Presence in fact, and from hoisting it out of the pit it’s in, in our state of exile, is our selfishness and egotism, we’re told. Rabbi Ashlag will now expand upon that.<br /> <br />"The mystical meaning of that is as follows (Rabbi Ashlag offers). 'A voice says, Cry out!' (indicates that) a voice beats within each and every Jew’s heart to call out and pray for the ascent of the Holy Shechina, which encompasses all Jewish souls. And the Tikkunei Zohar refers to the verse, 'Call now, but is there any who will answer you?' (Job 5:1), to indicate that 'call' implies 'pray out to (in both instances)."<br /><br />"But the Shechina replies, 'What should I cry out?, as if to say, I haven’t the strength to lift myself out of the dust (in which I lie, in exile), for 'all flesh is but grass', which is to say that 'they’re all like grass-eating animals', meaning that they all fulfill mitzvot mindlessly like animals, 'and all its kindness is like the flower of the field', which is to say that 'all the acts of kindness they proffer are for their own benefit', meaning that whenever they fulfill mitzvot they only do so to please themselves rather than their Creator." <br /><br />"In fact, (that could) even (be said of) those who toil in Torah, for 'all the acts of kindness (that) *they* proffer are for their own benefit” (just as well, for indeed,) even the best of them, those who spend all their time studying Torah only, only do so for their own benefit, without meaning to please their Creator as they should."<br />-- Rabbi Ashlag had already expressed how deeply saddened he was by the fact that even the greatest Torah scholars of our generation don’t study Kabbalah, and of the spiritual “aridity and darkness we find ourselves to be in our generation” that has resulted (Ch. 57). <br />-- The greatest tragedy to come of that, though (aside from the Holocaust, alluded to at the end of the last chapter), is our aforementioned selfishness and egotism. His point is that the only way we can outgrow that is by honing all five aspects of our soul which we only manage to do when we delve into Kabbalah (Ch. 56).<br /><br />2.<br /><br />“'(It’s also said there in the Tikkunei Zohar of) such a generation (that they are like), "a spirit that passes away and does not return" (Psalms 78:39), referring to the spirit of the Moshiach, who is to deliver Israel from all its troubles (and lead us all) to the ultimate redemption, so as to fulfill the words: "for the earth will be full of the knowledge of G-d" (Isaiah 11:9). That spirit has left and doesn’t shine in the world (for now).'”<br />--The point is that the Moshiach is to come in order to reveal the sort knowledge of G-d that the Kabbalah explicates, but he’ll see how we don’t yearn for that knowledge and will turn around.<br /><br />“Woe to those who cause the spirit of the Moshiach to vanish from the world and not return (in their day)! They make the Torah (seem) dry and without a drop of sense or wisdom! For they limit themselves to the practical aspects of the Torah and don’t want to understand the wisdom of the Kabbalah or know about and study the Torah’s mysteries or the reasons behind its mitzvot (that Kabbalah gives insight to). Woe to them! For they bring poverty, ruin, robbery, looting, murder, and destruction upon the world by their deeds.” <br /><br />(c) 2006 Rabbi Yaakov Feldman<br /><br /> (Feel free to contact me at feldman@torah.org )<br /><br />********************************<br /> AT LONG LAST! Rabbi Feldman's translation of "The Gates of Repentance" has been reissued at *at a discount*! <br /> You can order it right now from <a href="http://www.tinyurl.com/49s8t/">here</a><br /> Rabbi Yaakov Feldman has also translated and commented upon "The Path of the Just", and "The Duties of the Heart" (Jason Aronson Publishers). His new work on Maimonides' "The Eight Chapters" will soon be available.<br /> Rabbi Feldman also offers two free e-mail classes on www.torah.org entitled <br /><a href="http://torah.org/learning/spiritual-excellence/">"Spiritual Excellence"</a> and <a href="http://torah.org/learning/ramchal/">"Ramchal"</a>Rabbi Yaakov Feldmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13405091620805844641noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15668094.post-1159965352778932672006-10-04T08:34:00.000-04:002006-10-04T08:35:52.800-04:00Chapter Sixty-Eight:<br /><br />Rabbi Yehudah Ashlag's "Introduction to the Zohar"<br /><br />-- as translated and commented on by Rabbi Yaakov Feldman<br /><br />__________________________________________________<br /><br />68. <br /><br />1.<br /><br />"It’s quite clear, then, that the Torah itself has interior and exterior (aspects) just like everything else in the universe. (It thus follows that) those who study Torah (also) fall into (one of) those two categories, ... "<br />-- That is, it follows that Torah scholars either express more of the interior or “Jewish” aspect of Torah, or more of the exterior or “non-Jewish” aspect of it.<br /><br /> "... and that the more one toils in the interior (aspect) of the Torah and its mysteries, the more able is he to elevate the interior (aspect) of the world, i.e., the (actual) Jewish Nation, higher and higher over its exterior (aspect), i.e., the Gentile nations; and (the more able is he) to have them recognize and acknowledge the preeminence of the Jewish Nation. And (when that happens,) then the words, 'The (Jewish) people will take them and bring them to their place; and the House of Israel will inherit them in G-d’s land' (Isaiah 14:2), and 'Thus says G-d the L-rd, Behold, I will lift up My hand to the nations and set up My standard to the peoples; and they will carry your sons in their arms, and carry your daughters on their shoulders' (Isaiah 49:22) will be realized."<br /><br />2.<br /><br />"But if, G-d forbid, the opposite happens and a Jew places less value upon the (study of the) interior (aspect) of the Torah and its mysteries, which deal with the ways of our souls and their levels, as well as with an aspect of the reasons for the mitzvot, than upon (studying) the Torah’s exterior (aspect), which deals with practicalities alone ... "<br />-- If a Jew who has access to Kabbalah refuses to take it seriously because it isn’t as weighty or relevant as the “revealed” Torah in his eyes since Kabbalah doesn’t touch upon practical halacha or help to explain abstruse themes in Tanach in more practical terms ...<br /><br />" ... then even if he does in fact delve into the Torah’s interior (aspect) once in a while and grants it a little of his time, (that is,) when it’s neither 'night nor day', ... "<br />-- We’re actually bidden “to meditate upon (the Torah) all night and day” (Joshua 1:8) and are only allowed to delve into other things when its somehow neither night nor day, if that were possible. Those with little respect for Kabbalah would thus place it in the latter category and would only explore it now and again at odd moments, and begrudgingly at that.<br /><br />" ... as if it were somehow superfluous, G-d forbid, then such a person degrades and demeans the interior (aspect) of the *world*, the (actual) Jewish Nation, and grants power to the exterior (aspect) of the world, the (actual) Gentile nations, over them and (he thus enables them) to humiliate and disgrace the Jewish Nation and to have *it* regarded as superfluous and of little worth, G-d forbid."<br />-- That is, if even Torah scholars deem Kabbalah of little worth, they’ll thus foster a sense among non-Jews that the Jewish Nation, who embody the heart of Torah that Kabbalah, is also of little worth. In fact, ...<br /><br />"Not only that, but he’ll even enable the Gentile nations’ exterior (aspect) to overcome its interior (one)." <br />-- As we learned, the Gentile nations’ interior aspect is comprised of their righteous individuals while its exterior one is made up of their crass and destructive elements (see 65:1). <br /> <br />"And then the lower (elements) of the Gentile nations, those (among them who) destroy and ruin, will gain power and tower high over their interior (elements), the righteous gentiles, and be able to bring on (more of the sort of) ruination and heinous slaughter that our generation has witnessed, may G-d protect us from now on!"<br /><br />3.<br /><br />"Thus we see that the redemption and ascendancy of the Jewish Nation (indeed) depends upon our studying the Zohar and the (rest of the) interior (aspect) of the Torah." <br />-- This harkens back to the end of the last chapter where we learned that the Zohar indicates that our redemption will only come about through the study of the Zohar and Kabbalah.<br /><br />"And (you likewise see that) on the contrary, all the ruin and decline of the Jewish Nation is a result of our abandoning and belittling the Torah’s interior (aspect) and considering it superfluous, G-d forbid."<br /><br />(c) 2006 Rabbi Yaakov Feldman<br /><br /> (Feel free to contact me at feldman@torah.org )<br /><br />********************************<br /> AT LONG LAST! Rabbi Feldman's translation of "The Gates of Repentance" has been reissued at *at a discount*! <br /> You can order it right now from <a href="http://www.tinyurl.com/49s8t/">here</a><br /> Rabbi Yaakov Feldman has also translated and commented upon "The Path of the Just", and "The Duties of the Heart" (Jason Aronson Publishers). His new work on Maimonides' "The Eight Chapters" will soon be available.<br /> Rabbi Feldman also offers two free e-mail classes on www.torah.org entitled <br /><a href="http://torah.org/learning/spiritual-excellence/">"Spiritual Excellence"</a> and <a href="http://torah.org/learning/ramchal/">"Ramchal"</a>Rabbi Yaakov Feldmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13405091620805844641noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15668094.post-1159371212797839302006-09-27T11:32:00.000-04:002006-10-03T11:09:06.376-04:00Chapter Sixty-Seven:<br /><br />Rabbi Yehudah Ashlag's "Introduction to the Zohar"<br /><br />-- as translated and commented on by Rabbi Yaakov Feldman<br /><br />__________________________________________________<br /><br />67.<br /><br />"But you needn’t be surprised by the fact that an individual can have the entire world plummet downward or soar upward by his deeds alone. It’s (simply due to the fact that there’s) an inviolable (cosmic) law that the universal and the particular correspond to each other like two (disparate but similar) drops in a pond, and that whatever occurs to the universal occurs to the particular, as well."<br />-- This is the principle of the microcosm corresponding to the macrocosm, each particle of a hologram mirroring the whole of it, each link reflecting the chain. <br />-- The point is that though we're each independent elements of the whole, ever one of us is inexorably linked to it. Jiggle one and you impel the other, and vice versa. As such, move one way, and you move the universe along with you, you are that powerful. (Contrarily, encounter the universe moving another way, and know that you’ll find yourself moved in that direction, too, you are that susceptible.)<br /><br />"In fact, particulars do the selfsame things that the universal does, because the universal only comes to fruition after its particulars do, allowing for quantitative and qualitative differences." <br />-- So for example, the notion of “fourness” can’t exist until there are four separate entities. Each entity differs from the others, but they each go into making up the “fourness” they’ve now become, so they’re linked. As such, whatever happens to any one of them affects the lot of them, and it subsequently changes the entire “fourness” as well. The same is true of the universe: it wouldn't be what it is without each one of its necessary separate and unique elements, so each one is vital and representative of the whole.<br /><br />"As such it follows that the acts of a particular (person) can (indeed) have the universe soar upward or plummet downward to a degree." <br />-- This chapter brings us back full circle to the book’s initial questions, and thus ties the whole work together. <br />-- If you recall, Rabbi Ashlag had asked (among other things) in the very first chapter: What are we at bottom? And, what role do we play in the great course of events which we’re such minor players in?<br />-- The bulk of the book is then spent explaining all that, but what’s most telling in the context of the present discussion about delving into Kabbalah and Zohar is what Rabbi Ashlag said in ch’s 48-49, 56, where he indicated that each one of us fully establishes what he or she is made of and fulfills his or her true raison d’etre when we study Kabbalah, since by doing that we each single-handedly help bring the universe to full blossom.<br /><br />"In fact, that explains the Zohar’s statement (to the effect) that we’ll be brought from exile to redemption through the study of the Zohar and Kabbalah (Tikkunei Zohar 6). After all, what does studying the Zohar have to do with the redemption of the Jewish Nation from (its exile state) among the nations?"<br /><br />c) 2006 Rabbi Yaakov Feldman<br /><br /> (Feel free to contact me at feldman@torah.org )<br /><br />********************************<br /> AT LONG LAST! Rabbi Feldman's translation of "The Gates of Repentance" has been reissued at *at a discount*! <br /> You can order it right now from <a href="http://www.tinyurl.com/49s8t/">here</a><br /> Rabbi Yaakov Feldman has also translated and commented upon "The Path of the Just", and "The Duties of the Heart" (Jason Aronson Publishers). His new work on Maimonides' "The Eight Chapters" will soon be available.<br /> Rabbi Feldman also offers two free e-mail classes on www.torah.org entitled <br /><a href="http://torah.org/learning/spiritual-excellence/">"Spiritual Excellence"</a> and <a href="http://torah.org/learning/ramchal/">"Ramchal"</a>Rabbi Yaakov Feldmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13405091620805844641noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15668094.post-1159361090639872252006-09-27T08:44:00.000-04:002006-09-27T08:44:50.640-04:00Chapter Sixty-Six:<br /><br />Rabbi Yehudah Ashlag's "Introduction to the Zohar"<br /><br />-- as translated and commented on by Rabbi Yaakov Feldman<br /><br />__________________________________________________<br /><br />66.<br /><br />1.<br /><br />"Now, when a Jew fortifies and enhances his interior (aspect), his inner “Jewish Nation”, rather than his exterior (aspect), his inner “Gentile Nations”, by concentrating most of his efforts on fortifying and cultivating his interior (aspect) and bettering his soul, while only (dedicating) a few, essential efforts on sustaining his (inner) “Gentile NNations”, i.e., his bodily needs -- in keeping with the statement, "Make your Torah (study) permanent and your (worldly) efforts transient" (Pirkei Avot 1) -- both on an interior and exterior level, ... "<br />-- That is, when an individual Jew truly hones and enlarges his inner Jewishness while tempering and diminishing his Gentileness, inside and out, ...<br /><br />"... he then enables the (actual) Jewish Nation to soar higher and higher upward, and (enables) the (actual) Gentile Nations, who are the world’s exterior (aspect), to recognize and acknowledge the value of the Jewish Nation."<br />-- ... he hones and enlarges the entire Jewish Nation inside and out."<br /><br />2.<br /><br />"But if, G-d forbid, the opposite occurs and a Jew fortifies and enhances his exterior (aspect) and his (inner) 'Gentile nations' -- the 'stranger in (his) midst' (Deuteronomy 28) -- more so than his (inner) 'Jewish Nation', ... "<br />-- That is, when an individual Jew hones and enlarges his inner Gentileness while tempering and diminishing his inner Jewishness, inside and out, ...<br /><br />"... then his exterior (aspect) will (begin) to soar upward, and (the real) person, his actual interior (aspect) and inner 'Jewish Nation', will plunge downward. And that will have the exterior (aspect) of the world, i.e., the (actual) Gentile nations, soar ever upward and overcome the (actual) Jewish Nation, and have them sink down to the ground, and (it will enable) the (actual) Jewish Nation, i.e., the interior (aspect) of the world, to plunge deeper and deeper down, G-d forbid."<br />-- ... he then hones and enlarges the entire Gentile world, inside and out, and debases the Jewish Nation.<br />-- All this is true because “an impetus from below sets off an impetus up above” (see Zohar II, p.175B), which is to say that because “down and up” and “in and out” are parallel to each other, what we do effects the world at large as a consequence, much the way twins often effect each other on all levels despite physical distance. So we're duty-bound to fortify the Jewish Nation both within and without, and we'll soon see how we do that.<br /><br />c) 2006 Rabbi Yaakov Feldman<br /><br /> (Feel free to contact me at feldman@torah.org )<br /><br />********************************<br /> AT LONG LAST! Rabbi Feldman's translation of "The Gates of Repentance" has been reissued at *at a discount*! <br /> You can order it right now from <a href="http://www.tinyurl.com/49s8t/">here</a><br /> Rabbi Yaakov Feldman has also translated and commented upon "The Path of the Just", and "The Duties of the Heart" (Jason Aronson Publishers). His new work on Maimonides' "The Eight Chapters" will soon be available.<br /> Rabbi Feldman also offers two free e-mail classes on www.torah.org entitled <br /><a href="http://torah.org/learning/spiritual-excellence/">"Spiritual Excellence"</a> and <a href="http://torah.org/learning/ramchal/">"Ramchal"</a>Rabbi Yaakov Feldmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13405091620805844641noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15668094.post-1158758364140795642006-09-20T09:18:00.000-04:002006-09-20T09:23:55.473-04:00Chapter Sixty-Five:<br /><br />Rabbi Yehudah Ashlag's "Introduction to the Zohar"<br /><br />-- as translated and commented on by Rabbi Yaakov Feldman<br /><br />__________________________________________________<br /><br />65.<br /><br />"But understand that there’s an interior and an exterior (aspect) to everything." <br />-- That is, everything is of cloth and lining; colored and striking, as well as muted and steady.<br /><br />"Over-all, the Jewish Nation -- the descendants of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob -- are regarded as be the interior (aspect) of the world, ... "<br />-- ... since they comply with G-d’s wishes, over-all.<br /><br />"... while the seventy (Gentile) nations are regarded as its exterior (aspect)." <br />-- Thus, just as each garment needs both its cloth and its lining, the universe itself needs both Jews and Gentiles.<br /><br />"But within the Jewish Nation itself there is (an) interior (aspect), which is comprised of those who wholeheartedly serve G-d, ... "<br />-- That is, who comply with G-d’s wishes both inside *and* out ...<br /><br />" ... and an exterior (one), which is comprised of those who don’t devote themselves to Divine service." <br />-- ... and only comply with G-d’s wishes externally, or hardly at all. But, again, both are needed.<br /><br />"Likewise among the Gentile nations there’s an interior (aspect), which is comprised of righteous gentiles, and an exterior (one), which is comprised of the crass and destructive people among them."<br />-- And both of them are needed as well.<br /><br />"But even among those within the Jewish Nation who wholeheartedly serve G-d there’s an interior (aspect), ... "<br />-- ... who comply with G-d’s wishes both inside and out, as well as within the interior of G-d's wishes, which touches upon Kabbalah as we'll now see.<br /><br />" ... which is comprised of those who’ve been granted the ability to grasp the soul of the interior (aspect) of the Torah and its secrets, and an exterior (one), which is comprised of those who are only occupied with the practical aspects of the Torah. <br />-- And both of them are needed just as well.<br /><br />"In fact, within each and every Jew there’s an interior (aspect) which is the 'Jewish Nation' within him, i.e., the point in the heart, ... "<br />-- As Rabbi Ashlag indicated earlier on, the “point in the heart” is “the hindmost part of our holy soul ... (that) only begins to come into play ... after (we reach) age 13 ... (and) only to the extent that we observe Torah and mitzvot” (see 30:1, 43:1 and our remarks there). The idea here is that the point in the heart serves as the interior aspect, the motherland, if you will, of every Jew and the core of his or her Jewish identity.<br /><br />"... and an exterior (one), which is comprised of the 'Gentile nations' within him, i.e., the body itself. It’s just that the 'Gentile nations' within the latter are regarded as 'converts', ... "<br />-- That is, as gentiles transformed, since this person is still-and-all a Jew. <br /><br /> " ... since they cleave on to the interior (aspect), ... "<br />-- ... by virtue of their native Jewishness ...<br /><br />" ... and they’re hence like righteous converts who cleave on to the Jewish Nation."<br /><br />c) 2006 Rabbi Yaakov Feldman<br /><br /> (Feel free to contact me at feldman@torah.org )<br /><br />********************************<br /> AT LONG LAST! Rabbi Feldman's translation of "The Gates of Repentance" has been reissued at *at a discount*! <br /> You can order it right now from <a href="http://www.tinyurl.com/49s8t/">here</a><br /> Rabbi Yaakov Feldman has also translated and commented upon "The Path of the Just", and "The Duties of the Heart" (Jason Aronson Publishers). His new work on Maimonides' "The Eight Chapters" will soon be available.<br /> Rabbi Feldman also offers two free e-mail classes on www.torah.org entitled <br /><a href="http://torah.org/learning/spiritual-excellence/">"Spiritual Excellence"</a> and <a href="http://torah.org/learning/ramchal/">"Ramchal"</a>Rabbi Yaakov Feldmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13405091620805844641noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15668094.post-1158593410424816832006-09-18T11:28:00.000-04:002006-09-18T11:30:10.440-04:00Chapter Sixty-Four:<br /><br />Rabbi Yehudah Ashlag's "Introduction to the Zohar"<br /><br />-- as translated and commented on by Rabbi Yaakov Feldman<br /><br />__________________________________________________<br /><br />64.<br /><br />"But don’t then ask why it’s prohibited to disagree with the early (sages) when it comes to the revealed (aspect of the) Torah." <br />-- Kabbalists speak of the “revealed” versus the “concealed” aspects of the Torah, where “revealed” refers to the open-and-above-board and practical aspects of G-d’s Torah like the meaning of the words involved in either Torah or Talmud as well as the halachic, moral, and inspirational implications of them; and the “concealed” refers to their esoteric connotations.<br />-- Now, if what we’d learned is true, that the later sages merited the revelation of Kabbalah and the Zohar because they were greater than those of the earlier generations, then our Talmudic sages should be able to argue with the decisions of the earlier Talmudists (when they’re in fact categorically forbidden to), because they’re greater than they. But as Rabbi Ashlag is about to point out, that argument is fallacious since the differences he’d cited between the earlier and later sages don’t hold true across the board.<br /><br />"In fact, the opposite is true when it comes to reconciling the part (of the Torah) touching upon the mitzvot." <br />-- The Talmud itself and the subsequent halachic codes sometimes contradict each other, calling for a harmonizing of divergent halachic decisions. It’s always true, though, that not only must later decisors be logically sound and rigorous, as well as consistent with the entire Talmudic gestalt -- they must also take the earlier decisors’ opinions into consideration and acquiesce to them rather than defy them. Again, the idea is that that doesn’t seem to be true; it appears that the opinions of later decisors would hold more weight than that of the earlier ones.<br /><br />"But the earlier (Talmudic and halachic sages) were more flawless than the latter (ones, in fact). (And that’s so) because when it comes to (actual, physical) actions, ... "<br />-- That is, when it comes to the “revealed”, practical aspect of the Torah, the opposite is true: the earlier sages were indeed greater than the later ones.<br /><br />" ... (the pattern is such that) the vessels of the sephirot come into play (first) when it comes to the secrets of the Torah and the reasons for the mitzvot ... "<br />-- That is, when it comes to the “concealed” aspect of the Torah ...<br /><br />" ... (that is,) the sephirah lights come into play first. For as you already know, there’s a converse relationship between lights and vessels (see 61:3). So, when it comes to vessels, ... "<br />-- That is, when it comes to the more external, i.e., “revealed” aspect of the Torah ... <br /><br />"... the more exalted of them grow first; hence, the earlier (Talmudic and halachic sages) are more flawless than the latter (ones) when it comes to the practical aspect (of the Torah). "<br />-- So the latter must acquiesce to the former.<br /><br />"But the opposite is true as far as the (coming into play of the sephiric) lights are concerned."<br />-- That is, when it comes to the more internal, i.e., “concealed” aspect of the Torah ...<br /><br />"For their *lower* lights appear first. And that’s why the latter (Kabbalistic sages) are more flawless than the earlier (ones, despite their lesser over-all stature)."<br /><br />c) 2006 Rabbi Yaakov Feldman<br /><br /> (Feel free to contact me at feldman@torah.org )<br /><br />********************************<br /> AT LONG LAST! Rabbi Feldman's translation of "The Gates of Repentance" has been reissued at *at a discount*! <br /> You can order it right now from <a href="http://www.tinyurl.com/49s8t/">here</a><br /> Rabbi Yaakov Feldman has also translated and commented upon "The Path of the Just", and "The Duties of the Heart" (Jason Aronson Publishers). His new work on Maimonides' "The Eight Chapters" will soon be available.<br /> Rabbi Feldman also offers two free e-mail classes on www.torah.org entitled <br /><a href="http://torah.org/learning/spiritual-excellence/">"Spiritual Excellence"</a> and <a href="http://torah.org/learning/ramchal/">"Ramchal"</a>Rabbi Yaakov Feldmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13405091620805844641noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15668094.post-1158512762403890352006-09-17T13:04:00.000-04:002006-09-17T13:08:36.986-04:00Chapter Sixty-Three:<br /><br />Rabbi Yehudah Ashlag's "Introduction to the Zohar"<br /><br />-- as translated and commented on by Rabbi Yaakov Feldman<br /><br />__________________________________________________<br /><br />63.<br /><br />"In fact, our sages already raised this question themselves when they said the following." <br /><br />"Rav Papa said to Abaya, ‘How were the earlier (sages) different (i.e., better, than we, so) that miracles befell them ... (while) miracles don’t befall us? Is it because of the (quality of our respective) studies? But, during the years of Rabbi Yehudah (i.e., among the earlier sages) Talmudic study consisted of Nezikin (alone, i.e., only one of the six orders of the Talmud) while we study the entire Talmud (so it can’t be that). And (why is it that) when Rabbi Yehudah was studying Tractate Okatzin he said (immediately about a certain case)..., I sense here the gist of (the arguments of) Rav and Shmuel, while we study Okatzin in thirteen yeshivot (and don’t merit that)? And (why is it that) as soon as Rabbi Yehudah would remove a single shoe (to begin his preparations for a fast to alleviate a drought) that rains came down, while we torment ourselves and cry out (for rain) and no one (in Heaven) notices?’ Abaya replied, ‘(It’s because) the earlier (sages) were willing to sacrifice their lives to sanctify G-d’s name'” (Berachot 20A).<br /><br />"While it was clear to both the one who raised the question (Rav Papa) and the one who answered it (Abaya) that the earlier (sages) were greater than they both from a Torah and a wisdom perspective, (it was also clear) that Rav Papa and Abaya were (nonetheless) greater than the earlier (sages)." <br />-- On the one hand the earlier sages were less meritorious than those in Rav Papa and Abaya’s generation in fact because they studied less Torah than they, fewer people studied it in their time, and because their hearts didn’t break when they saw others suffering; yet on the other hand the earlier sages seemed more meritorious than they, since they were worthy of quick insight and solutions to their problems, and they were willing to sacrifice their lives to sanctify G-d’s name.<br /><br />"Hence it’s clear that though the earlier (sages) were greater (in fact) than the latter (ones), as a consequence of the axiom that the more subtle is fashioned and brought into the world first, still-and-all more of the Torah’s wisdom is revealed in the latter generation. That’s because, as we said, an entity’s makeup is (only) brought to fruition by latter factors, and hence they (the latter ones) enjoy fuller lights (i.e., greater revelations, than the former) even though the latter are of a lesser quality (than they)."<br /><br />c) 2006 Rabbi Yaakov Feldman<br /><br /> (Feel free to contact me at feldman@torah.org )<br /><br />********************************<br /> AT LONG LAST! Rabbi Feldman's translation of "The Gates of Repentance" has been reissued at *at a discount*! <br /> You can order it right now from <a href="http://www.tinyurl.com/49s8t/">here</a><br /> Rabbi Yaakov Feldman has also translated and commented upon "The Path of the Just", and "The Duties of the Heart" (Jason Aronson Publishers). His new work on Maimonides' "The Eight Chapters" will soon be available.<br /> Rabbi Feldman also offers two free e-mail classes on www.torah.org entitled <br /><a href="http://torah.org/learning/spiritual-excellence/">"Spiritual Excellence"</a> and <a href="http://torah.org/learning/ramchal/">"Ramchal"</a>Rabbi Yaakov Feldmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13405091620805844641noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15668094.post-1158240218222463492006-09-14T09:21:00.000-04:002006-09-14T09:23:38.236-04:00Chapter Sixty-Two:<br /><br />Rabbi Yehudah Ashlag's "Introduction to the Zohar"<br /><br />-- as translated and commented on by Rabbi Yaakov Feldman<br /><br />__________________________________________________<br /><br />62.<br /><br />1.<br /><br />"We can now understand why even though the people of the earlier generations were of an immeasurably greater caliber than those of the latter ones (they weren’t privy to the Zohar or Kabbalah). For the rule regarding partzufim is that, be they partzufim of entire worlds or of souls, the subtler (elements) are fashioned first. And so the CHaBaD vessels are (always) fashioned first, whether it comes to the world at large or to souls." <br /><br />"So while the individuals living in the first two millennia were of a much higher caliber than those of the latter ones, they nonetheless couldn’t partake of the full light (entailed in the revelation of the Zohar and Kabbalah) because they lacked the lower vessels of CHaGaT- NeHYM both on a personal and a universal level.'<br /><br />2.<br /><br />"The same was true later on, in the course of the middle two millennia, when the CHaGaT-vessels were fashioned in the world (at large) and in (individual) souls." <br />-- Those who lived in the course of the middle two millennia -- in the “Torah” era -- likewise didn’t merit knowledge of the Zohar or Kabbalah, despite their spiritual standing. For while many of them excelled in Torah, they weren’t ready for the sort of Torah of the final era which is Torah connected to the coming of the Moshiach.<br /><br />"For though the souls (i.e., individuals alive then) were indeed very pure, as ChaGaT-vessels are nearly on par with ChaBaD-vessels, ... " <br />-- Both ChaBaD- and ChaGaT-vessels are sublime, despite their relative disparity, and the same is true of the individuals who lived in the course of the first and second two millennia: they too were sublime and far greater than we, ... <br /><br />" ... nonetheless, the (more sublime) lights were still-and-all concealed from the world (then), because the vessels from the “chest” downward weren’t yet in place in the world or in souls." <br />-- ... which explains exactly why they, too, weren’t worthy of the Zohar and Kabbalah. <br /><br />"But our generation -- despite the fact that the makeup of our souls is of the lowest quality, and have consequently not been fashioned in holiness -- has nonetheless allowed for the completion of the vessels of the partzuf of the world and (individual) souls. Thus the assignment (of allowing for the revelation of the Zohar and Kabbalah) has been completed by us."<br /><br />"For now that the (final, lowest) vessels of NeHY and (thus) all the vessels of beginning, middle, and end are in place in the partzuf, whole configurations of light, that is, beginning, middle, and end; Nephesh, Ruach, and Neshama, are being extended (now) to all who merit it. And thus it’s only (now,) with the completion of such lowly souls that the supreme lights can be revealed, rather than before. "<br /><br />(c) 2006 Rabbi Yaakov Feldman<br /><br /> (Feel free to contact me at feldman@torah.org )<br /><br />********************************<br /> AT LONG LAST! Rabbi Feldman's translation of "The Gates of Repentance" has been reissued at *at a discount*! <br /> You can order it right now from <a href="http://www.tinyurl.com/49s8t/">here</a><br /> Rabbi Yaakov Feldman has also translated and commented upon "The Path of the Just", and "The Duties of the Heart" (Jason Aronson Publishers). His new work on Maimonides' "The Eight Chapters" will soon be available.<br /> Rabbi Feldman also offers two free e-mail classes on www.torah.org entitled <br /><a href="http://torah.org/learning/spiritual-excellence/">"Spiritual Excellence"</a> and <a href="http://torah.org/learning/ramchal/">"Ramchal"</a>Rabbi Yaakov Feldmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13405091620805844641noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15668094.post-1157981299494247982006-09-11T09:27:00.000-04:002006-09-11T09:29:50.616-04:00Chapter Sixty-One:<br /><br />Rabbi Yehudah Ashlag's "Introduction to the Zohar"<br /><br />-- as translated and commented on by Rabbi Yaakov Feldman<br /><br />__________________________________________________<br /><br />61.<br /><br />1.<br /><br />"That brings us to the question as to why the Zohar wasn’t revealed to the early generations whose merits were undoubtedly greater than the later ones’ and who were more worthy (of such a revelation than they)? We’d also ask why a commentary to the Zohar wasn’t imparted before the time of the Ari (Rabbi Yitzchak Luria, who died in 1572) by one of the kabbalists who preceded him? And most of all, why weren’t explanations of the Ari’s works and of the Zohar unveiled from then to now? Could this generation (possibly) be better than the earlier ones (see Yomah 9B)?" <br />-- His point is that the Zohar should logically have been revealed to earlier generations going all the way back to Rabbi Shimon Bar Yochai’s own. For they would’ve delved into for their own and our benefit, yet it wasn’t. What’s also notable is the fact that the most lucid explanation of the Zohar we have, which is the Ari’s (as all his works serve to explain the Kabbalistic system that’s laid out in the Zohar) has itself gone largely unexplained, until now thanks to Rabbi Ashlag himself. So, what is it that has allowed us to merit such a straightforward setting-out of the Kabbalistic system?<br /> <br />2.<br /><br />"The answer lies in the fact that the 6,000 year course of the universe functions as a single partzuf ... "<br />-- A partzuf is an integrated cosmic configuration (see 44:2). Rabbi Ashlag is contending that reality as we know it, or the entire second era (see ch’s 14-20, etc.), functions as a single partzuf ... <br /><br />"... that’s comprised of three (main) elements: a beginning, middle, and end, (made up of the configurations known as) CHaBaD, CHaGAT, and NeHY." <br />-- As we pointed out, there are ten sephirot in all: Keter, Chochma, Binah, Chessed, Gevurah, Tifferet, Netzach, Hod, Yesod, and Malchut (see 41:1). Sometimes, though, the quasi-sephira of Da’at replaces that of Keter, since Keter is so subtle, so G-dly that it’s said to be nullified by the Divine Presence itself. Da’at then serves to round-out the ten-sephira count. It sits below Binah. (There are other reasons why this configuration excludes Keter -- as well as Malchut, the last sephirah -- but that's beyond our concerns here.)<br />-- The first configuration, CHaBaD, is termed that because it’s comprised of CHochma, Binah, and Da’at. It’s the topmost configuration of the partzuf because it contains these mind-elements.<br />-- The middle configuration, CHaGAT, is comprised of CHessed, Gevurah, and Tifferet, and it’s said to be the middle configuration of the partzuf because it contains these heart-elements (much as the heart is in the middle of the body). <br />-- And the end configuration, NeHY, is comprised of Netzach, Hod, and Yesod, and it’s the end because Netzach, Hod, and Yesod lie at the end of the partzuf (i.e., representing the legs and the organ of procreation).<br />-- But in order to understand that, and to see how that explains why the earlier generations weren’t granted the Zohar or a non-materialistic commentary to it that removes one of the major stumbling blocks to a proper understanding of it, we’d need to examine the following. <br /><br />3. <br /><br />"Our sages explained (that the 6,000 years of this world was to be divided thusly from the start: there would first be) '2,000 years of Tohu (formlessness, as in “And the earth was formless and void” [Genesis 1:2]; then there’d be) 2,000 (years) of Torah, and then 2,000 (years) of the Days of the Messiah' (Sanhedrin 97A) ... " <br />-- The Talmudic sages agreed that history -- the goings-on in the single partzuf that comprises the universe as we know it -- would be comprised of a beginning, middle, and end stage; but rather than designate them by their partzuf-specific names CHaBaD, CHaGAT, and NeHY, they categorized the three epoch periods of time as one of formlessness, another of Torah, and the third as that of the Messianic Era.<br /><br />" ... (which illustrates the following). Throughout the course of the first two millennia, which correspond to the 'beginning' or CHaBaD (or 'formless' element of the partzuf and of its history), the lights (manifest there) were very slight, and were considered (to be like) a head without a body, having only Nefesh-light."<br />-- Toggling back and forth between terms, we’d depict Rabbi Ashlag as saying that the first, topmost course of history and its beginning was rather dark, formless and all-potential (as the term Chochma is a composite of the two terms “Koach-Mah”, meaning “the potential for anything”). But why would that be so, given how close it was to pre-creation's all-G-dliness?<br /><br />"(That’s so) because there’s a converse relationship between lights and vessels."<br />-- “Lights” are the spiritual content of things, which are themselves termed “vessels” or “containers”. The classic analogy is that of the relationship between the soul and the body, where the soul is dubbed the body’s “light” and the body is taken to be the soul’s “vessel”. Being the integrated cosmic configuration that it is, the single partzuf that makes up all that we know is a combination of lights and vessels in various lay-outs.<br /><br />"For when it comes to vessels, the rule is that the higher vessels grow first in the partzuf, whereas when it comes to lights, the opposite is true -- the lower lights become engarbed first in the partzuf. "<br />-- It’s simply a given that this single partzuf’s higher vessels grew in size and capacity before its lights did, and that its lesser lights were “engarbed” -- stored-away, and set aside for later use -- within the partzuf before its higher lights were. <br /><br />"Thus, as long as only the higher parts of the vessels existed, meaning the CHaBaD vessels, then only the Nefesh-light could be engarbed in the partzuf, which are the lowest lights. And that’s why the first two millennia are referred to as Tohu."<br />-- That’s to say that the reason the first historical epoch didn’t have the Zohar and a commentary to it, though they seemingly should have, was simply because only the higher vessels (CHaBaD) and the lower lights (Nepesh) were in place there and then. So, while the people there (the vessels) were greater, the illuminations (the lights) were dimmer; hence the whole epoch was rather formless and only all-potential.<br /><br />4.<br /><br />"But in the course of the world’s second two millennia, which is comprised of CHaGaT vessels, ... "<br />-- ... that are lower than the CHaBaD vessels present in the first two millennia, discussed above ...<br /><br />" ... Ruach-light ... "<br />-- ... which is higher than the Nefesh-light present in the first two millennia ...<br /><br />" ... descended upon and was engarbed in the world, which is (i.e., touches upon) the secret import of Torah. And that’s why the middle two millennia are referred to as (the epoch of) Torah." <br />-- Ruach-light touches upon the secret import of Torah (meaning that it most especially corresponds to the essence of Torah) because Torah serves as the mediator -- the Tifferet -- between the pure Chessed and Gevurah of the CHaGaT triad, in that it’s Torah’s rulings that settle the differences between those two opposing litigants. So the second epoch is termed Torah because it “mediates” between the Tohu and Messianic epochs.<br />-- The point is that while there was more actualization in the middle epoch than there had been before, there was still not enough to allow for the publication and circulation of the Zohar, to say nothing of an explanation of it. This will soon be expanded upon.<br />-- (Rabbi Ashlag is also saying that while what the Talmudic sages meant by the phrase "2,000 years of Tohu, 2,000 (years) of Torah, and then 2,000 (years) of the Days of the Messiah” was that the world will be characterized by moral and spiritual chaos and formlessness before we’d have received the Torah, nonetheless the granting of the Torah allows for the Messianic Era.)<br /> <br />"And Neshama-light -- which is the greatest one -- came to be engarbed in the world in the course of the final two millennia which are comprised of NeHYM vessels. And that’s why they’re referred to as the Days of the Messiah."<br />-- Being the greatest light of all, Neshama-light automatically harkens to the Days of the Messiah when illumination will abound.<br /> <br />5.<br /><br />"That’s true of each specific partzuf as well: when it comes to the CHaBaD and CHaGaT vessels down to the 'chest', the lights (there) remain covered over and don’t begin to exhibit out-and-out mercy -- i.e., they only exhibit the sublime Chochma-light -- from the 'chest' downward, i.e., from the NeHYM (level)."<br />-- We’d learned that the grand partzuf that is the universe is comprised of a beginning, middle, and end which are termed CHaBaD, CHaGAT, and NeHY, and that there was so little manifest light in the course of the CHaBaD aspect that it was like a head without a body. Rabbi Ashlag’s point here is that what’s true of reality en toto is also true of each segment of it: the higher or CHaBaD aspect exhibits very little light, and as such, it too seems to be “like a head without a body” -- and that by extension, the ChaGaT aspect (which will be expanded on below) exhibits more light but not all that much. <br />-- (The “M” at the end of NeHYM stands for Malchut. That isn’t discussed much here as we’d indicated above, but suffice it to say that it represents the recipient or end-product of all that’s offered by CHaBaD, CHaGAT, and NeHY.)<br /> <br />"That’s the reason why the Zohar itself and Kabbalah in general weren’t revealed to the world before the vessels of NeHYM in the universe’s single partzuf, which represent the last two millennia, manifested themselves." <br />-- That’s to say, Kabbalah wasn’t promulgated until near-modernity (though it was studied within small circles of scholars) because the earlier eras simply couldn’t endure the degree of light that Kabbalah study would have manifested then in the world.<br /><br />6.<br /><br />"But in the course of his lifetime, which was near the end of the era of the completion of the vessels below the 'chest', ... "<br />-- ... corresponding to the beginning of the NeHYM era, when the sublime Chochma-light was allowed to be revealed (see 5 above) ...<br /><br />" ... the G-dly Ari’s soul started to clandestinely reveal the light of the sublime Chochma, ... "<br />-- ... in fact ...<br /><br />"... since he was ready to receive that great light. He (consequently) uncovered (and explained) the underlying themes (laid out) in the Zohar and in Kabbalah (in general), and (it became clear that he’d) usurped all his predecessors."<br /><br />"But, since the (NeHYM) vessels weren’t yet completed -- as he’d died in (the course of the 5th millennium, in) 5332 (i.e., in 1572 CE) -- the world wasn’t yet worthy of discovering his teachings, and his holy words fell under the dominion of a chosen few who were (themselves) prohibited from revealing them to the world."<br /><br />"But now, in our time, when we’re nearing the end of the last two millennia, ... "<br />-- ... and are thus drawing near to the Days of the Messiah ...<br /><br />"... permission has been granted (Rabbi Ashlag and others) to unveil both the Ari’s and the Zohar’s teachings to the world, and to the extent where from now on the words of the Zohar will come to be more and more revealed in the world, (that is,) to the extent that G-d wants it to be."<br /><br />(c) 2006 Rabbi Yaakov Feldman<br /><br /> (Feel free to contact me at feldman@torah.org )<br /><br />********************************<br /> AT LONG LAST! Rabbi Feldman's translation of "The Gates of Repentance" has been reissued at *at a discount*! <br /> You can order it right now from <a href="http://www.tinyurl.com/49s8t/">here</a><br /> Rabbi Yaakov Feldman has also translated and commented upon "The Path of the Just", and "The Duties of the Heart" (Jason Aronson Publishers). His new work on Maimonides' "The Eight Chapters" will soon be available.<br /> Rabbi Feldman also offers two free e-mail classes on www.torah.org entitled <br /><a href="http://torah.org/learning/spiritual-excellence/">"Spiritual Excellence"</a> and <a href="http://torah.org/learning/ramchal/">"Ramchal"</a>Rabbi Yaakov Feldmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13405091620805844641noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15668094.post-1156944482131972622006-08-30T09:26:00.000-04:002006-08-30T09:28:02.153-04:00Chapter Sixty:<br /><br />Rabbi Yehudah Ashlag's "Introduction to the Zohar"<br /><br />-- as translated and commented on by Rabbi Yaakov Feldman<br /><br />__________________________________________________<br /><br />60.<br /><br /><br />1.<br /><br />"All I can say from my own experience is that from the day that G-d’s Holy Light accorded me the merit to begin mulling over this holy book it hadn’t ever occurred to me to question its origin. And that’s for one simple reason: because its contents have always evoked the rare qualities of the Tanna Rabbi Shimon Bar Yochai to my mind far more so than that of any other Tanna." <br />-- Though it’s not often spoken of, there’s a distinct level of tonality -- of subtle hues, cadences, and lyricism -- in Torah literature that’s unique to each author and every Torah work. Torah doesn’t sing when it’s read as prose and exposition, but it most certainly does when it’s read as mystery solved and as truth laid out whole and in full, fertile measure.<br />-- An excellent reader, Rabbi Ashlag affirms that he’d never adduced anyone else’s tones in the Zohar other than Rabbi Shimon Bar Yochai’s. For he never found the sort of off-rhyme there or fault in meter that one might expect every once in a while in a lesser kabbalists work.<br /><br />2.<br /><br />"Nonetheless, *if* it became clear to me that someone else -- like Rabbi Moshe De Leon -- wrote it, then I’d admire Rabbi Moshe De Leon (or whoever else wrote it) more than all the Tanaaim, including Rabbi Shimon Bar Yochai."<br /> <br />"In fact, if I’d determined that its author was one of the 48 (Biblical) prophets, ..."<br />-- ... who were likely to have written so lofty a work of revelation, then ...<br /><br />"... that actually would have sat even better with me than attributing it to any one of the Tanaaim, given the depth of the Zohar’s wisdom. The truth is that if I’d determined that Moses had received it (directly) from G-d on Mt. Sinai, that *really* would have sat well with me, since it would have been (utterly) fitting for such a work to have come from Moses!" <br /><br />3.<br /><br />"But since I merited providing a commentary that allows everyone who wants to examine it to (in fact) understand something of it, then I think I’m exempt from having to enter into that (fray) altogether. For no one versed in the Zohar could ever settle for an author of a lesser caliber than the Tanna Rabbi Shimon Bar Yochai."<br />-- That is, being in a position to know the Zohar from the inside-out as he was, Rabbi Ashlag felt confident is saying that no one of a lesser stature than the great Shimon Bar Yochai could ever have written it.<br /><br />(c) 2006 Rabbi Yaakov Feldman<br /><br /> (Feel free to contact me at feldman@torah.org )<br /><br />********************************<br /> AT LONG LAST! Rabbi Feldman's translation of "The Gates of Repentance" has been reissued at *at a discount*! <br /> You can order it right now from <a href="http://www.tinyurl.com/49s8t/">here</a><br /> Rabbi Yaakov Feldman has also translated and commented upon "The Path of the Just", and "The Duties of the Heart" (Jason Aronson Publishers). His new work on Maimonides' "The Eight Chapters" will soon be available.<br /> Rabbi Feldman also offers two free e-mail classes on www.torah.org entitled <br /><a href="http://torah.org/learning/spiritual-excellence/">"Spiritual Excellence"</a> and <a href="http://torah.org/learning/ramchal/">"Ramchal"</a>Rabbi Yaakov Feldmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13405091620805844641noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15668094.post-1156689788833867542006-08-27T10:42:00.000-04:002006-08-27T10:43:08.860-04:00Chapter Fifty-Nine:<br /><br />Rabbi Yehudah Ashlag's "Introduction to the Zohar"<br /><br />-- as translated and commented on by Rabbi Yaakov Feldman<br /><br />__________________________________________________<br /><br />59.<br /><br /><br />"All who frequent the holy Zohar -- which is to say, all who (really) understand what’s written in it -- agree that it was composed by the G-dly Tanna (i.e., 2nd. century Talmudic sage) Rabbi Shimon Bar Yochai. It's only those who are removed from Kabbalah and rely on its opponents' fabricated tales who doubt its origin and tend to say that its author was the Kabbalist Rabbi Moshe De Leon or his contemporaries."<br />-- The Zohar emerged at the hands of the Kabbalist (and scribe) Rabbi Moshe De Leon at the end of the 14th century, who claimed to have copied it from a manuscript in his posession that had been hidden away and only recently discovered, which he asserted was written by Rabbi Shimon Bar Yochai. A number of people doubted the text’s antiquity, though, including historian Heinrich Graetz (1818-1891) and scholar Gershom Scholem (1897-1982), and they attributed it to De Leon himself or to others in his circle. <br />-- Many Kabbalists and other traditional scholars were aghast at the absurd suggestion that the Zohar wasn’t authentic and set out to disprove the notion. (In fact, Rabbi Ashlag once averred that De Leon himself wasn’t quite the master Kabbalist he’d need to be and wasn't even qualified to have written the Zohar himself.) <br /><br />(c) 2006 Rabbi Yaakov Feldman<br /><br /> (Feel free to contact me at feldman@torah.org )<br /><br />********************************<br /> AT LONG LAST! Rabbi Feldman's translation of "The Gates of Repentance" has been reissued at *at a discount*! <br /> You can order it right now from <a href="http://www.tinyurl.com/49s8t/">here</a><br /> Rabbi Yaakov Feldman has also translated and commented upon "The Path of the Just", and "The Duties of the Heart" (Jason Aronson Publishers). His new work on Maimonides' "The Eight Chapters" will soon be available.<br /> Rabbi Feldman also offers two free e-mail classes on www.torah.org entitled <br /><a href="http://torah.org/learning/spiritual-excellence/">"Spiritual Excellence"</a> and <a href="http://torah.org/learning/ramchal/">"Ramchal"</a>Rabbi Yaakov Feldmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13405091620805844641noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15668094.post-1155135730135730802006-08-09T11:00:00.000-04:002006-08-09T11:02:10.146-04:00Chapter Fifty-Eight:<br /><br />Rabbi Yehudah Ashlag's "Introduction to the Zohar"<br /><br />-- as translated and commented on by Rabbi Yaakov Feldman<br /><br />__________________________________________________<br /><br />58.<br /><br />1.<br /><br />"But I know the reason (why observant people don’t delve into the esoteric side of the Torah). It’s mainly because faith has largely abated (in our day and age) over-all, especially when it comes to faith in our holy ones and sages in each generation."<br />-- Not having access ourselves to the holy and wise, we doubt their very existence. While we might concede to there being exceptional people who are somehow comfortable with eternity, at ease with piety, and linked to G-d, and others who are profuse in genius and able to grasp dreadfully large amounts of information, we nonetheless know the difference between them and the holy and wise. For while the former are mystical and brilliant, the latter are impelled by forces much further away and far more inward. And we don’t see them around us.<br />-- But the holy and wise do exist; they do. But being ... holy and wise ... , they eschew much of what we surround ourselves with and cherish, so we never get the chance to meet them. That’s to say that they’re still where they’ve always been, but we’re not. Consequently our collective paths no longer cross, and we assume that they don’t exist. As a consequence, we’ve lost faith in G-d, too; since it’s the holy and wise who best suggest Him to us.<br />-- The observant have their faith and they sometimes even catch sight of the holy and wise (since they and the observant visit some of the same places now and then), still and all the observant don’t delve into the esoteric side of the Torah for the following reason.<br /><br />"(They don’t delve into it) also because the books of Kabbalah and the Zohar are full of bodily depictions, so people are afraid of making the mistake of lapsing into anthropomorphisms and of thus losing more than they’d gain." <br />-- Such books often focus not only on bodily depictions, but on Divine dimensionality as well, if you will; and on things far, far too human for angels, souls, and aspects of G-d Almighty’s own Being to be concerned with when taken literally. <br />-- So the thinking is that it’s much more dangerous to possibly lapse into heretical thoughts reading such things than it would be beneficial to be inspired by them, since there are other much more discreet and quite valuable works to draw upon for inspiration that don’t present such a threat. <br />-- (We cited another reason, though, in 57:2 -- what we termed the clash between emphasizing boundaries and denying them. For while, as we indicated, halacha postulates and sets boundaries, Kabbalah eschews it; so observant people don’t engage in Kabbalah as a rule. But rather than conflict, Rabbi Ashlag’s explanation and my own are one and the same. For the problem with bodily depictions and the like is that they seem to affix physical and mortal boundaries to the Divine, which are anathema to observant sensibilities since they’re far beyond the halachic horizon.)<br /><br />2.<br /><br />"That’s in fact exactly what induced me to (first) write a comprehensive commentary to the Ari’s writings ... "<br />-- ... known as Talmud Esser Sephirot, which is an excellent and remarkably extensive, multi-volume work that arranges the Ari’s Eitz Chaim by subject matter, and offers explanatory notes, further and deeper analyses in separate articles, study material, definitions of terms, and more. To my mind it’s Rabbi Ashlag’s finest work.<br /><br />" ... and (then) to the holy Zohar, for I completely eliminated that concern (by their means). For I explained and proved the spiritual import of everything (depicted in the Zohar in physical terms) that’s (in fact) abstract and devoid of all physicality, and beyond space and time, as the reader will see." <br />-- Rabbi Ashlag remarked that the Zohar itself and other Kabbalistic works employed “The Language of Branches”. That’s to say that, based on the principle that there’s nothing in the lower realms without its prototype in the upper ones, the Kabbalists applied earthly (“branch”) terms for things and phenomena that were (very roughly) equivalent to their celestial (“root”) counterparts. The thing to recall is that the two aren’t to be confused; any discussion of a “face” for example, in the literature doesn't mean to imply a Divine “face” and the like.<br /><br />"(And I did that all) in order to enable every single Jew to study the Zohar and be warmed by its holy light."<br /> <br />3.<br /><br />"I named my commentary HaSulam (The Ladder) to denote the fact that it (actually) serves the same purpose as any other ladder, in that if (for example) you had an attic that was full of all sorts of goodness, then what you’d need is a ladder to climb up to it and to take hold of that bounty. For a ladder has no other purpose (than that), and if you were to pause midway on it and not (use it to) enter the attic, then its purpose wouldn’t have been fulfilled. And the same is true of my commentary to the Zohar."<br />-- That’s to say, use HaSulam to study the Zohar and its purpose would have been fulfilled; “pause midway on it” by delving into it on its own rather than use it to enter “the attic” that is the Zohar and you will have defeated its purpose. For while Rabbi Ashlag’s comments are enthralling on their own, his point is that they only stand up in the light of the words of the Zohar itself. <br /><br />"Because there hadn’t been a way to completely clarify these most profound of words (until I wrote my comments). So, I fashioned a path and an entrance (to the Zohar that’s designed) for all. Now anyone can gaze upon, plumb the depths of, and delve into the Zohar himself with it. (Once people do, then) my purpose for (having written) the commentary will have been fulfilled."<br /><br />(c) 2006 Rabbi Yaakov Feldman<br /><br /> (Feel free to contact me at feldman@torah.org )<br /><br />********************************<br /> AT LONG LAST! Rabbi Feldman's translation of "The Gates of Repentance" has been reissued at *at a discount*! <br /> You can order it right now from <a href="http://www.tinyurl.com/49s8t/">here</a><br /> Rabbi Yaakov Feldman has also translated and commented upon "The Path of the Just", and "The Duties of the Heart" (Jason Aronson Publishers). His new work on Maimonides' "The Eight Chapters" will soon be available.<br /> Rabbi Feldman also offers two free e-mail classes on www.torah.org entitled <br /><a href="http://torah.org/learning/spiritual-excellence/">"Spiritual Excellence"</a> and <a href="http://torah.org/learning/ramchal/">"Ramchal"</a>Rabbi Yaakov Feldmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13405091620805844641noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15668094.post-1153753871085029422006-07-24T11:08:00.000-04:002006-07-25T10:35:30.846-04:00Chapter Fifty-Seven:<br /><br />Rabbi Yehudah Ashlag's "Introduction to the Zohar"<br /><br />-- as translated and commented on by Rabbi Yaakov Feldman<br /><br />__________________________________________________<br /><br />57.<br /><br />-- It’s here that Rabbi Ashlag finally begins to approach the text at hand: the Zohar. For as we pointed out in our own introduction, while this work is entitled the “Introduction to the Zohar”, Rabbi Ashlag evidently felt impelled to provide us with the world of background we’d encountered to now before discussing it. <br />-- We’ll approach the Zohar head on in the very next chapter, but the following must be said in advance of that. And it touches upon something that clearly sat very heavily on Rabbi Ashlag’s heart, as we’ll see at the very end.<br /><br />1.<br /><br />"Now you can understand the (spiritual) aridity and darkness we find ourselves to be in our generation, the likes of which we’d never even heard of in earlier ones. It’s (all) because (of the fact that) even the observant Jews (among us) have forsaken the study of the secrets of the Torah." <br />-- One of Rabbi Ashlag’s major disappointments had been the fact that even those who fervently believe in and worship G-d, delve into His Torah, and live a mitzvah-based life nonetheless either belittled Kabbalah study and didn’t engage in it, or they placed those who’d study it on so high a pedestal that they didn’t engage in it for that reason. But that’s absurd. For Kabbalah study is not only not to be disparaged, as it’s so magnificent and bedazzling; it’s also not reserved for the pious alone (after all, would G-d not allow even His less lofty children a portion of His inheritance?).<br /> <br />2.<br /><br />"Maimonides once offered an illustration of something that’s true of our situation (as well). (He said that) if there were a thousand blind people walking along a path, that they’d surely take the right road and not stumble into any nets and snares along the way as long as they followed a sighted leader, when they’d surely stumble over every hurdle along the way and fall into the pit if there were no such person (leading them)."<br /><br />"And (in fact,) that’s our situation. For if the observant (i.e., the “sighted”) among us were at least concerned with esoteric Torah and (were thus) drawing down whole light from The Infinite (as a result), then the rest of the generation (i.e., the “blind”) would follow along (in their wake), and everyone would surely succeed."<br />-- Why would anyone not want to “draw down whole light from The Infinite” -- most especially people whose who lives are dedicated to fulfilling G-d’s will day after day? After all, isn’t the point of it all to “perfect the universe through the Almighty’s sovereignty” (Aleinu prayer) though our observance? And wouldn’t whole light drawn from The Infinite be a major component of the process?<br />-- But there’s a reason for the reticence. It touches upon many, many things, not the least of which is the ongoing dissonance between the revealing and beclouding of G-d’s presence in the world. But what it most especially centers on is the clash between emphasizing boundaries and denying them.<br />-- For while boundaries are essential in our experience and serve to maintain our physical, emotional, and social soundness, it’s also true that they’re oftentimes arbitrary, and other times indisputable but too austere.<br />-- Levelheaded, practical, and a guide to life in the world, halacha postulates and sets boundaries; diaphanous, concerned with G-d’s Being, and an escort beyond life in the world, Kabbalah eschews boundaries (though it lays out its own, but only to serve as points of reference). <br />-- Hence as a rule, halachically observant individuals very often act as guardians of boundaries and are opposed to their denial -- and for exemplary reasons for the most part. But they also deny themselves and perhaps even fear the valuable experience of transcendence in the process. And they thus ironically work at both revealing G-d’s presence in the world by adhering to His requirements here, and beclouding it by corralling it into too-tight borders.<br /> <br /> <br />"But given that (even) the observant have distanced themselves from this wisdom, then it’s no wonder why the whole generation is failing as a consequence. Nonetheless, because of my deep sorrow (about it) I can’t pursue this (point) any further .... "<br /><br />(c) 2006 Rabbi Yaakov Feldman<br /><br /> (Feel free to contact me at feldman@torah.org )<br /><br />********************************<br /> AT LONG LAST! Rabbi Feldman's translation of "The Gates of Repentance" has been reissued at *at a discount*! <br /> You can order it right now from <a href="http://www.tinyurl.com/49s8t/">here</a><br /> Rabbi Yaakov Feldman has also translated and commented upon "The Path of the Just", and "The Duties of the Heart" (Jason Aronson Publishers). His new work on Maimonides' "The Eight Chapters" will soon be available.<br /> Rabbi Feldman also offers two free e-mail classes on www.torah.org entitled <br /><a href="http://torah.org/learning/spiritual-excellence/">"Spiritual Excellence"</a> and <a href="http://torah.org/learning/ramchal/">"Ramchal"</a>Rabbi Yaakov Feldmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13405091620805844641noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15668094.post-1146426088417226702006-04-30T15:40:00.000-04:002006-04-30T15:41:28.430-04:00Chapter Fifty-Six:<br /><br />Rabbi Yehudah Ashlag's "Introduction to the Zohar"<br /><br />-- as translated and commented on by Rabbi Yaakov Feldman<br /><br />__________________________________________________<br /><br />56.<br /><br />1.<br /><br />"But it’s important to realize that the (all-encompassing) N. R. N. C. Y. we’d cited above is comprised of five elements..., " <br />-- That is, it’s comprised of a full complex of Nephesh-, Ruach-, Neshama-, Chaya-, and Yechida-elements.<br /><br />" ... and that all of existence is embodied in it." <br />-- The great and mammoth, round, gyrating all-encompassing N. R. N. C. Y. can be said to be the very ambiance and context of the cosmos.<br /><br />"For indeed, everything but everything that exists functions as a consequence (and in the midst) of it, no matter how minuscule." <br /><br />And so, even the spiritual mineral aspect in Asiyah (of one’s being) ...<br />-- That is, even when functioning on the lowest level of the lowest world one ... <br /><br />" ... has to realize the five levels of N. R. N. C. Y. (relevant to him) that are affiliated with (and lower reflections of) the all-encompassing N. R. N. C. Y. "<br />-- For every single aspect of our being is tied to and absorbed in every other one, and the whole of it must work in tandem.<br /><br />2.<br /><br />"As such, it’s impossible to attain even the light of the mineral (aspect) of Asiyah ... "<br />-- ... to say nothing of even higher realms ...<br /><br /> "... without (having first succeeded in attaining) the (other) four aspects of (your Divine) service." <br /><br />"As such, no Jew can excuse himself from engaging in them all (i.e., in the honing of all five aspects of his soul) to the degree appropriate to his (spiritual) status." <br />-- That is, since we’re expected to grow in our beings, as Jews, and to grant satisfaction to our Maker, there’s no reasonable way we can excuse ourselves from our obligations to follow through on that. <br />-- As such, each one of us must strive “to the degree appropriate to his (spiritual) status” -- which is to say, given his or her makeup, station, and environs -- to do our best. <br />-- For while we won’t be asked to account for not having been the person we’re not, we will, though, be asked to account for why we’re not the person we really *are*. And just as we’ll be recognized for having tried our hardest in light of our challenges, we’ll likewise be judged for not having done our best in light of our potential and for what lays latent, deep within. That being so, ...<br /><br />"Each person would have to study Torah and fulfill mitzvot with (the proper) intents ... "<br />-- i.e., to grant G-d satisfaction.<br /><br />"... to receive the (degree of) ruach (appropriate) to his status." <br /><br />"He’d have to delve into the mysteries of the Torah according to his status ... "<br />-- ... which will be the thrust of the rest of this work.<br /><br />"... to receive the (degree of) neshama (appropriate) to his status." <br /><br />"And (he’d) likewise (have to engage in contemplating) the reasons for (or, the tastes of) the mitzvot ... <br />-- ... i.e., to delve into -- or savor -- what was on G-d’s “mind” when He charged us to do this or that mitzvah, and to thus commune with His inner will ...<br /><br />"... since it’s impossible to realize even the smallest light of holiness without having done (all) that."<br /><br />(c) 2006 Rabbi Yaakov Feldman<br /><br /> (Feel free to contact me at feldman@torah.org )<br /><br />********************************<br /> AT LONG LAST! Rabbi Feldman's translation of "The Gates of Repentance" has been reissued at *at a discount*! <br /> You can order it right now from <a href="http://www.tinyurl.com/49s8t/">here</a><br /> Rabbi Yaakov Feldman has also translated and commented upon "The Path of the Just", and "The Duties of the Heart" (Jason Aronson Publishers). His new work on Maimonides' "The Eight Chapters" will soon be available.<br /> Rabbi Feldman also offers two free e-mail classes on www.torah.org entitled <br /><a href="http://torah.org/learning/spiritual-excellence/">"Spiritual Excellence"</a> and <a href="http://torah.org/learning/ramchal/">"Ramchal"</a>Rabbi Yaakov Feldmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13405091620805844641noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15668094.post-1145915613615417932006-04-24T17:52:00.000-04:002006-04-24T17:53:33.626-04:00Chapter Fifty-Five:<br /><br />Rabbi Yehudah Ashlag's "Introduction to the Zohar"<br /><br />-- as translated and commented on by Rabbi Yaakov Feldman<br /><br />__________________________________________________<br /><br />55.<br /><br />1.<br /> <br />"All that thus answers the questions we asked, 'Why would mankind need all the supernal worlds that the Creator forged for it? What use are they to him?'”<br />-- See 3:4, 33:1, and 41:1.<br /><br />"For now we see that it would be impossible for you to achieve (the level of) bringing satisfaction to your Creator without the help of those worlds." <br />-- Indeed, we were taught that we’re charged to convert our ratzon l’kabel to a ratzon l’hashpia and grant satisfaction to our Maker rather than to ourselves (see 14:1, 32:1, 40:2).<br /><br />"As the more you purify your ratzon l’kabel, the more lights and degrees of the soul termed (your) N. R. N. C. Y., will you achieve (see 32:1). In fact, the lights of each degree you achieve helps you to purify it. And you’ll thus ascend in degrees to the point where you attain the bliss of (having fulfilled) the intention behind creation ..."<br /> ... which was that we enjoy all sorts of spiritual “goodness, delight, and tranquility” (13:2; also see Ch. 12 and 14:3).<br /><br />2.<br /><br />"Now, we’re taught that 'whoever comes to purify (himself) is helped' (Yoma 38b). The Zohar asks, though, what exactly he’s helped with, and it offers that he’s helped with 'a sacred soul' (Zohar 1, p. 62A). (What that means to say is that) it’s impossible to purify yourself to the degree (required) for the intention of creation (to be fulfilled) without the help of all the N.R.N.C.Y. levels of the soul ...<br /> ... that is, without the “sacred soul” that the Zohar refers to. For while all souls are in fact sacred and derived from G-d’s very Being, they’re only fully sacred and thus really souls when they’re in full-flourish and all five of their elements are manifest.<br /><br />(c) 2006 Rabbi Yaakov Feldman<br /><br /> (Feel free to contact me at feldman@torah.org )<br /><br />********************************<br /> AT LONG LAST! Rabbi Feldman's translation of "The Gates of Repentance" has been reissued at *at a discount*! <br /> You can order it right now from <a href="http://www.tinyurl.com/49s8t/">here</a><br /> Rabbi Yaakov Feldman has also translated and commented upon "The Path of the Just", and "The Duties of the Heart" (Jason Aronson Publishers). His new work on Maimonides' "The Eight Chapters" will soon be available.<br /> Rabbi Feldman also offers two free e-mail classes on www.torah.org entitled <br /><a href="http://torah.org/learning/spiritual-excellence/">"Spiritual Excellence"</a> and <a href="http://torah.org/learning/ramchal/">"Ramchal"</a>Rabbi Yaakov Feldmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13405091620805844641noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15668094.post-1145891901169909532006-04-24T11:17:00.000-04:002006-04-24T11:20:09.596-04:00Chapter Fifty-Five:<br /><br />Rabbi Yehudah Ashlag's "Introduction to the Zohar"<br /><br />-- as translated and commented on by Rabbi Yaakov Feldman<br /><br />__________________________________________________<br /><br />55.<br /><br />1.<br /> <br />"All that thus answers the questions we asked, 'Why would mankind need all the supernal worlds that the Creator forged for it? What use are they to him?'”<br />-- See 3:4, 33:1, and 41:1.<br /><br />"For now we see that it would be impossible for you to achieve (the level of) bringing satisfaction to your Creator without the help of those worlds." <br />-- Indeed, we were taught that we’re charged to convert our ratzon l’kabel to a ratzon l’hashpia and grant satisfaction to our Maker rather than to ourselves (see 14:1, 32:1, 40:2).<br /><br />"As the more you purify your ratzon l’kabel, the more lights and degrees of the soul termed (your) N. R. N. C. Y., will you achieve (see 32:1). In fact, the lights of each degree you achieve helps you to purify it. And you’ll thus ascend in degrees to the point where you attain the bliss of (having fulfilled) the intention behind creation ..."<br /> ... which was that we enjoy all sorts of spiritual “goodness, delight, and tranquility” (13:2; also see Ch. 12 and 14:3).<br /><br />2.<br /><br />"Now, we’re taught that 'whoever comes to purify (himself) is helped' (Yoma 38b). The Zohar asks, though, what exactly he’s helped with, and it offers that he’s helped with 'a sacred soul' (Zohar 1, p. 62A). (What that means to say is that) it’s impossible to purify yourself to the degree (required) for the intention of creation (to be fulfilled) without the help of all the N.R.N.C.Y. levels of the soul ...<br /> ... that is, without the “sacred soul” that the Zohar refers to. For while all souls are in fact sacred and derived from G-d’s very Being, they’re only fully sacred and thus really souls when they’re in full-flourish and all five of their elements are manifest.<br /><br />(c) 2006 Rabbi Yaakov Feldman<br /><br /> (Feel free to contact me at feldman@torah.org )<br /><br />********************************<br /> AT LONG LAST! Rabbi Feldman's translation of "The Gates of Repentance" has been reissued at *at a discount*! <br /> You can order it right now from <a href="http://www.tinyurl.com/49s8t/">here</a><br /> Rabbi Yaakov Feldman has also translated and commented upon "The Path of the Just", and "The Duties of the Heart" (Jason Aronson Publishers). His new work on Maimonides' "The Eight Chapters" will soon be available.<br /> Rabbi Feldman also offers two free e-mail classes on www.torah.org entitled <br /><a href="http://torah.org/learning/spiritual-excellence/">"Spiritual Excellence"</a> and <a href="http://torah.org/learning/ramchal/">"Ramchal"</a>Rabbi Yaakov Feldmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13405091620805844641noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15668094.post-1143984887895107292006-04-02T09:33:00.000-04:002006-04-02T13:27:44.820-04:00Chapter Fifty-Four:<br /><br />Rabbi Yehudah Ashlag's "Introduction to the Zohar"<br /><br />-- as translated and commented on by Rabbi Yaakov Feldman<br /><br />__________________________________________________<br /><br />54.<br /><br />"When you merit permanently purifying the *verbal* aspect of your ratzon l’kabel you then merit achieving an affinity of form with the world of Atzilut, you ascend upward and you receive Chaya-Light on a permanent basis." <br /><br />"Then should you merit ascending higher yet, you’d manage to achieve the light of the Infinite as well as the light of Yechida that’s engarbed in Chaya-Light -- but this isn’t the place to expand on that."<br />-- ... since that’s so sublime and near-ultimate a realm that touches on matters far beyond our concerns here in the text and in this world.<br />-- As we’ll soon see, we’ve now come to the end of this lengthy foray into the evolution of the soul from the rank of pure selfishness to that of near selflessness.<br /><br />(c) 2006 Rabbi Yaakov Feldman<br /><br /> (Feel free to contact me at feldman@torah.org )<br /><br />********************************<br /> AT LONG LAST! Rabbi Feldman's translation of "The Gates of Repentance" has been reissued at *at a discount*! <br /> You can order it right now from <a href="http://www.tinyurl.com/49s8t/">here</a><br /> Rabbi Yaakov Feldman has also translated and commented upon "The Path of the Just", and "The Duties of the Heart" (Jason Aronson Publishers). His new work on Maimonides' "The Eight Chapters" will soon be available.<br /> Rabbi Feldman also offers two free e-mail classes on www.torah.org entitled <br /><a href="http://torah.org/learning/spiritual-excellence/">"Spiritual Excellence"</a> and <a href="http://torah.org/learning/ramchal/">"Ramchal"</a>Rabbi Yaakov Feldmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13405091620805844641noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15668094.post-1143642554838654322006-03-29T09:28:00.000-05:002006-03-29T09:29:14.850-05:00Chapter Fifty-Three:<br /><br />Rabbi Yehudah Ashlag's "Introduction to the Zohar"<br /><br />-- as translated and commented on by Rabbi Yaakov Feldman<br /><br />__________________________________________________<br /><br />53.<br /><br />"Then after you purify the animal part of your ratzon l’kabel and transform it into a will to bestow 'until He who knows all secrets would testify that (you) won’t ever lapse' (again on that level), you will enjoy an affinity of form with the world of Briah, and you will then ascend upward and receive Neshama-Light on a permanent level." <br /><br />"And once you purify the verbal part of your body, you can then ascend upward to the sephira of Chochma and receive the Chaya-Light there, even though you will not have yet permanently purified it, except the light will not shine (upon you) permanently (yet)."<br /><br />(c) 2006 Rabbi Yaakov Feldman<br /><br /> (Feel free to contact me at feldman@torah.org )<br /><br />********************************<br /> AT LONG LAST! Rabbi Feldman's translation of "The Gates of Repentance" has been reissued at *at a discount*! <br /> You can order it right now from <a href="http://www.tinyurl.com/49s8t/">here</a><br /> Rabbi Yaakov Feldman has also translated and commented upon "The Path of the Just", and "The Duties of the Heart" (Jason Aronson Publishers). His new work on Maimonides' "The Eight Chapters" will soon be available.<br /> Rabbi Feldman also offers two free e-mail classes on www.torah.org entitled <br /><a href="http://torah.org/learning/spiritual-excellence/">"Spiritual Excellence"</a> and <a href="http://torah.org/learning/ramchal/">"Ramchal"</a>Rabbi Yaakov Feldmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13405091620805844641noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15668094.post-1143457407651935572006-03-27T06:02:00.000-05:002006-03-27T06:03:27.663-05:00Chapter Fifty-Two:<br /><br />Rabbi Yehudah Ashlag's "Introduction to the Zohar"<br /><br />-- as translated and commented on by Rabbi Yaakov Feldman<br /><br />__________________________________________________<br /><br />52.<br /><br />"After you *permanently* purify the vegetative part of your ratzon l’kabel you’ll ascend to the world of Yetzira on a permanent basis ... "<br /> -- For you will have transcended the world of Asiyah altogether.<br /><br />" ... where you’ll attain a permanent degree of Ruach." <br />-- Since you will have transcended the Nephesh realm altogether.<br /><br />"And from there you can also attain Neshama-light and Chaya-light from the sephirot of Binah and Chochma there, which are regarded as the Neshama (level) of Ruach and the Chaya (level) of Ruach, even before you will have merited permanently purifying your animalness and verbalness -- but (you will) not (have attained it) permanently." <br />-- That is, you’ll be able to attain *some* degree of Neshama- and Chaya-light before permanently purifying your animalness and verbalness, but only for a while. And you merit that because of the following.<br /><br />"For by virtue of the fact that you’d purified the vegetative aspect of your ratzon l’kabel on a permanent level you’d thus already share an affinity of form with the entire world of Yetzirah to the highest degree."<br /><br />(c) 2006 Rabbi Yaakov Feldman<br /><br /> (Feel free to contact me at feldman@torah.org )<br /><br />********************************<br /> AT LONG LAST! Rabbi Feldman's translation of "The Gates of Repentance" has been reissued at *at a discount*! <br /> You can order it right now from <a href="http://www.tinyurl.com/49s8t/">here</a><br /> Rabbi Yaakov Feldman has also translated and commented upon "The Path of the Just", and "The Duties of the Heart" (Jason Aronson Publishers). His new work on Maimonides' "The Eight Chapters" will soon be available.<br /> Rabbi Feldman also offers two free e-mail classes on www.torah.org entitled <br /><a href="http://torah.org/learning/spiritual-excellence/">"Spiritual Excellence"</a> and <a href="http://torah.org/learning/ramchal/">"Ramchal"</a>Rabbi Yaakov Feldmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13405091620805844641noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15668094.post-1142865162963616612006-03-20T09:31:00.000-05:002006-03-20T09:32:42.996-05:00Chapter Fifty-One:<br /><br />Rabbi Yehudah Ashlag's "Introduction to the Zohar"<br /><br />-- as translated and commented on by Rabbi Yaakov Feldman<br /><br />__________________________________________________<br /><br />51.<br /><br />1.<br /><br />"Know that you’re only credited with having repented and purified yourself when your efforts are permanent and when (it’s clear that) you won’t ever lapse. As it’s said, 'What is (true) penitence? When He who knows all secrets would testify that (you) won’t ever lapse' (see Hilchot Teshuvah 2:2)." <br />-- Rambam indicates that true repentance -- true spiritual ascent and expiation after having sinned and lowered one’s stature -- comes down to “no longer committing the sin one once committed, not thinking of committing it anymore, and affixing to his heart the commitment to never do it again” (ibid.), and doing that so distinctly that even He who knows your heart would affirm your effort.<br />-- Rabbi Ashlag will now make the point that the source of our sinning -- our stark willingness to only take-in -- also calls for penitence.<br /><br />"Hence it follows that what we'd said ... that if you purify the mineralness of your ratzon l’kabel that you’ll merit a partzuf of the Nephesh of Asiyah, and that you’ll ascend upward and be engarbed in the sephira of Malchut of Asiyah ... means that you’ll certainly be rewarded when you permanently purify your mineralness to the degree that you’ll never lapse. And that you’ll then be able to ascend to the spiritual world of Asiyah, since you’ll have realized purity and (will have achieved) an utter affinity of form with that world."<br />-- That means to say that if you repent for your willingness to only take-in on a mineral, a most basic level, then you’ll have achieved a degree of purity and penitence that would enable you to draw closer to G-d than you could have before. For you will have attained an “affinity of form with that world” at least, and thus begun the process of attaining an essential affinity with G-d Himself (see 11: 2), which is the greatest act of repentance and of drawing close to Him.<br /><br />2.<br /><br />"As to the (possibility of achieving the) other levels -- Ruach, Neshama, Chaya and Yechida of Asiyah -- you’d need to purify their ratzon l’kabel’s corresponding vegetableness, animalness, and verbalness in order for them to be engarbed in and receive those lights (and thus achieve those other levels). But that purification wouldn’t need to be permanent, (i.e., to the point where) 'He who knows all secrets will testify that (you) won’t fail again'." <br />-- ... as you had to do to achieve the above level.<br /><br />"Because the whole world of Asiyah -- alone with its Keter, Chochma, Binah, Tipheret, and Malchut (cluster of) sephirot -- actually only encompasses the realm of Malchut, which is only germane to the purification of mineralness. And its five sephirot are only five subdivisions of Malchut." <br /><br />"Thus, since you will have already merited purifying the mineral part of the ratzon l’kabel, you’d already (be experiencing an) affinity in form with the entire world of Asiyah." <br />-- That is, since “everything that exists on a comprehensive level exists on a particular level as well” (Ch. 50), you’re having achieved an affinity in form to the above degree insinuates that you’ll achieve it to succeeding degrees, too. But not permanently, as we’ll soon see.<br /><br />3.<br /><br />"It’s just that since each and every sephira from the world of Asiah receives (illumination) from its corresponding sephira in the higher worlds, thus when for example Tipheret of Asiyah receives (illumination) from the world of Yetzirah, which is all Tipheret and Ruach-Light; when Binah of Asiyah receives (illumination) from the world of Briah, which is all Neshama; or when Chochma of Asiyah receives (illumination) from Atzilut, which is all Chochma and Chaya-Light -- even though you’ll have only permanently purified your mineralness, still and all if you (eventually) purify the remaining three aspects of your ratzon l’kabel (i.e., their vegetable, animal, and verbal aspects), even though you will not permanently purified them, you can still receive the Ruach, Neshama, and Chaya (levels) from Tipheret, Binah, and Chochma of Asiyah, though only temporarily."<br />-- But why will you only receive the Ruach, Neshama, and Chaya (levels) from Tipheret, Binah, and Chochma of Asiyah *temporarily*? <br /><br />"Because once one of those three parts of the ratzon l’kabel has been stirred, it’s immediately deprived of these lights."<br />-- That's to say that once your innate inclination to take-in rather than bestow kicks in, be it on a primitive or sophisticated level (for even the more erudite and learned lapse into selfishness to a degree from time to time), you'll have taken a step backward and wouldn't have truly repented of your ways as you would have to.<br /><br />(c) 2006 Rabbi Yaakov Feldman<br /><br /> (Feel free to contact me at feldman@torah.org )<br /><br />********************************<br /> AT LONG LAST! Rabbi Feldman's translation of "The Gates of Repentance" has been reissued at *at a discount*! <br /> You can order it right now from <a href="http://www.tinyurl.com/49s8t/">here</a><br /> Rabbi Yaakov Feldman has also translated and commented upon "The Path of the Just", and "The Duties of the Heart" (Jason Aronson Publishers). His new work on Maimonides' "The Eight Chapters" will soon be available.<br /> Rabbi Feldman also offers two free e-mail classes on www.torah.org entitled <br /><a href="http://torah.org/learning/spiritual-excellence/">"Spiritual Excellence"</a> and <a href="http://torah.org/learning/ramchal/">"Ramchal"</a>Rabbi Yaakov Feldmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13405091620805844641noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15668094.post-1141841702171866252006-03-08T13:13:00.000-05:002006-03-08T13:15:02.190-05:00Chapter Fifty:<br /><br />Rabbi Yehudah Ashlag's "Introduction to the Zohar"<br /><br />-- as translated and commented on by Rabbi Yaakov Feldman<br /><br />__________________________________________________<br /><br />50.<br /><br />"Nonetheless know that the five lights of Nephesh, Ruach, Neshama, Chaya, and Yechida that were received from the world of Asiyah is only a Nephesh, Ruach, Neshama, Chaya, and Yechida of Nefesh-Light, and hasn’t anything of Ruach-Light or beyond. Because Ruach-Light only exists in the world of Yetzirah, Neshama-Light only exists in the world of Briah, Chayah-Light only exists in the world of Atzilut, and Yechida-Light only exists in the world of Adam Kadmon."<br /><br />"Still and all, as we’d indicated before, everything that exists on a comprehensive level exists one a particular level as well, and even in its remotest detail." <br />-- Rabbi Ashlag alluded to a core aspect of this principle (enunciated in the expression, “the beginning is lodged in the end and the end is lodged in the beginning”, Sefer Yetzirah 1:7) in Ch’s 9 and 15. He spoke directly of the idea above in broad terms in Ch. 42, in terms of all the worlds being “interwoven”, and said outright in Ch. 43 that “everything found in existence in general can also be found in each and every world, as well as in each and every one of each world’s tiniest fragments”.<br />-- His point is that we needn’t be overly concerned for the fact that the <br />five received lights spoken of above are an aspect of Nefesh-Light alone, for all the worlds are interwoven hence what’s true of one is likewise true of them all.<br /><br />"Thus all five levels of Nephesh, Ruach, Neshama, Chaya, and Yechida exist in the world of Asiyah as well, as we explained. It’s just that they’re only a *Nephesh* level of (the whole cluster of) Nephesh, Ruach, Neshama, Chaya, and Yechida (for all practical purposes)." <br /><br />"Along the very same lines there’s also a *Ruach* level Nephesh, Ruach, Neshama, Chaya, and Yechida (cluster) in the world of Yetzirah; a *Neshama* level Nephesh, Ruach, Neshama, Chaya, and Yechida of Neshama in Briah; a *Chaya* level Nephesh, Ruach, Neshama, Chaya, and Yechida of Chayah in Atzilut; and a *Yechida* level Nephesh, Ruach, Neshama, Chaya, and Yechida in Adam Kadmon. The discrepancies between them is the same as the ones we'd indicated between the Nephesh-, Ruach-, Neshama-, Chaya-, and Yechida- levels of Asiyah." <br /><br />(c) 2006 Rabbi Yaakov Feldman<br /><br /> (Feel free to contact me at feldman@torah.org )<br /><br />********************************<br /> AT LONG LAST! Rabbi Feldman's translation of "The Gates of Repentance" has been reissued at *at a discount*! <br /> You can order it right now from <a href="http://www.tinyurl.com/49s8t/">here</a><br /> Rabbi Yaakov Feldman has also translated and commented upon "The Path of the Just", and "The Duties of the Heart" (Jason Aronson Publishers). His new work on Maimonides' "The Eight Chapters" will soon be available.<br /> Rabbi Feldman also offers two free e-mail classes on www.torah.org entitled <br /><a href="http://torah.org/learning/spiritual-excellence/">"Spiritual Excellence"</a> and <a href="http://torah.org/learning/ramchal/">"Ramchal"</a>Rabbi Yaakov Feldmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13405091620805844641noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15668094.post-1141569113058751392006-03-05T09:30:00.000-05:002006-03-05T09:31:53.073-05:00Chapter Forty-Nine:<br /><br />Rabbi Yehudah Ashlag's "Introduction to the Zohar"<br /><br />-- as translated and commented on by Rabbi Yaakov Feldman<br /><br />__________________________________________________<br /><br />49.<br /><br />1.<br /><br />-- We’re slowly approaching our end-point now with some final insights into just how we grow from harboring souls to bestowing ones.<br /><br />"Then, once you earn this great light which is termed 'Neshama-Light', ... " <br />-- That is, once a “point from the light of holy-Chayah” referred to at the end of the last chapter, “extends outwards” and precipitates the appearance of a “partzuf of Neshama” ...<br /><br />" ... (which is) the partzuf in which each of the 613 organs radiates fully and separately like an independent partzuf, ... "<br />-- You then earn a human-like partzuf that has command over each of its elements, unlike a mineral one, which has no command over its elements, ostensibly; a vegetable one, which has only some; and an animal one, which has a decidedly larger amount of command over its elements but hardly as much as this human-like one.<br /><br />" ... then the means to observe each mitzvah with its true intention is provided you. For each organ of the partzuf of Neshama uncovers the path of each mitzvah relevant to that organ."<br />-- For once you achieve that state and your self is opened-up as never before, organ by organ, you’d have advanced to the point where you can fulfill mitzvot for their own ends alone rather than for selfish designs.<br /><br />"And then, thanks to the great power of those lights, you’re able to go on to purify the verbal aspect of your ratzon l’kabel and to transform it into a willingness to bestow. And the point of Chayah-Light which is engarbed in your 248 spiritual organs and 365 spiritual tendons is then able to bolster itself correspondingly."<br /><br />2.<br /><br /> <br />"Indeed, when the point of Neshama-Light (eventually) becomes an entire partzuf (unto itself) it ascends upward and is engarbed in the sephirah of Chochma in the spiritual world of Asiyah, which is an unfathomably subtle vessel. It then extends a great and mighty light from the Infinite that’s termed Chayah-Light (referred to above) or the 'Neshama of Neshama'." <br />-- As was explained in Ch. 41, there are five supernal lights which correspond to the five levels of the soul that are termed Nephesh, Ruach, Neshama, Chaya, and Yechida. Rabbi Ashlag has expanded upon Nephesh, Ruach, and Neshama so far. The "Neshama of Neshama" cited here corresponds to the Chaya which is the arcane root -- or “soul” -- of the more empirical, lower soul levels of Nephesh, Ruach, and Neshama. (We won’t be referring to the Chaya’s own “soul”, however, because as we also learned there, it’s utterly beyond our ken.) <br /><br />"Then all the details of Asiyah -- all its mineralness, vegetableness, and animalness that correspond to the sephirah of Chochma -- help it take in the Chochma-light in full, along the lines we explained in regard to Nephesh-Light (see Ch’s 46-47). It’s then also termed 'Holy Verbalness' because it corresponds to the pure level of human verbalness."<br /><br />3.<br /><br />"The stature of that light vis a vis its G-dliness is equal to that of (the level of) verbalness in physical mineralness, vegetableness, animalness, and verbalness. That means to say that it develops an awareness of others." <br />-- The ability to not only move about at random and at will but to likewise move out of one’s own being, so to speak, and to thus be able empathize with others is what enables us to sense others’ needs and to bestow rather than just take-in.<br /><br />"As such, this light’s level of spiritual mineralness, vegetableness, and animalness is on par with the material verbalness of material mineralness, vegetableness, and animalness."<br /><br />"And the level of light of the Infinite engarbed in this partzuf is termed 'Yechidah-Light'."<br />-- Let’s now review how we’ve progessed from Nephesh-Light to Yechidah-Light.<br />-- We learned in Ch. 41 that, “the light of Yechida shines in Adam Kadmon” which is the highest realm, “the light of Chaya shines in Atzilut, the light of Neshama shines in Briah, the light of Ruach shines in Yetzirah, and the light of Nephesh shines in Asiyah”, in descending order. Our task was to reverse that process and to ascend upward from Nephesh-Light.<br />-- Nephesh-light corresponds to the pure mineralness of the ratzon l’kabel” (Ch. 45). We’re born with it. When “we struggle to observe Torah and Mitzvot with proper intentions” we manage to acquire a degree of Ruach-Light and to go on to develop the Neshama-Light that’s engarbed in it by “engaging in the secrets of the Torah and in the reasons behind the mitzvot” (Ch. 48).<br />-- Then as we saw in section 2 above “when the point of Neshama-Light becomes an entire partzuf it then ascends upward” and “extends a great and mighty light from the Infinite that’s termed Chayah-Light” which then leads to our developing a Yechidah-Light. <br /><br />(c) 2006 Rabbi Yaakov Feldman<br /><br /> (Feel free to contact me at feldman@torah.org )<br /><br />********************************<br /> AT LONG LAST! Rabbi Feldman's translation of "The Gates of Repentance" has been reissued at *at a discount*! <br /> You can order it right now from <a href="http://www.tinyurl.com/49s8t/">here</a><br /> Rabbi Yaakov Feldman has also translated and commented upon "The Path of the Just", and "The Duties of the Heart" (Jason Aronson Publishers). His new work on Maimonides' "The Eight Chapters" will soon be available.<br /> Rabbi Feldman also offers two free e-mail classes on www.torah.org entitled <br /><a href="http://torah.org/learning/spiritual-excellence/">"Spiritual Excellence"</a> and <a href="http://torah.org/learning/ramchal/">"Ramchal"</a>Rabbi Yaakov Feldmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13405091620805844641noreply@blogger.com0