Kabbalah 1; Class 2 with David Ghiyam

Our destiny is to become like God- to have all of the gifts, talents, and abilities the Creator has. All of our desires possess some type of energy we are looking for. What we want is the energy behind the physical. The Kabbalists named this energy the ‘Light force of the Creator’. When we go about getting it the wrong way, it becomes like a spark of Light that flashes and burns out. We keep trying to improve things on a physical 1% level but it does not work. All we have to do is learn how to use all the tools God gave us to tap into this force called Light.

Why were we created? Let’s start with the Big Bang. Science speaks of the Big Bang as the moment physical matter began (time, space, and motion). Kabbalists speak of this explosion as the beginning of physical reality as well. BUT, what brought about the physical reality- what was prior to this??? What was the cause of the Big Bang?

As you will read in the Power of Kabbalah book, this infinite force of energy- the Light force- created a Vessel or the Original Soul, also known as the receiver. This Vessel or receiver contains all the souls that have ever existed. The vessel was pure desire. We human beings are walking “desires” and, simply, happy when our desires are fulfilled. We all have an unseen desire that is our force of motivation, also known as the Desire to Receive for the Self Alone. So the Light created the Vessel and the essence of this vessel (or our soul) is the infinite desire to receive fulfillment. And the Light wants to give infinitely.

When we were created, we wanted to receive EVERYTHING (security, power, fulfillment, happiness, joy, harmony, peace, strength, tranquility, etc.). Everything you could ever want and more, we were given. The Light is the cause or giver. We, the Vessel, are the effects or receivers. This Vessel (we) was instantly fulfilled beyond time, space and motion when it was created.

So, WHAT HAPPENED? We disconnected from the Light and this decision brought about this physical world as well as all the planets and stars in the universe. Why did WE say NO MORE? We felt that one thing was missing- the ability to be like the LIGHT! The Light filled us and created us- our attributes are not just to receive but to be the Creator- the giver. When you pour hot water into a cup, does the temperature of the cup that contains the hot water change? Yes, the actual cup feels hot. It is the same for the Vessel. When the Light gave to the Vessel, the Vessel gained the attributes of the Light- which is to share. The Vessel wanted to be like the Light as well as earn the gifts it was getting from the Light. Kabbalah calls this Bread of Shame- the feeling we eventually get when we receive something without earning it. We then entered a realm where we have a chance, a choice, an opportunity to earn the Light. Through the struggle of life, we get the chance to be the cause and earn the Light. We wanted this world of chaos, of challenges, so that we can overcome it.

The purpose of Life is to learn how to transform ourselves from becoming the effect to becoming the cause. The universal law of the universe is: The only way I would like to receive the Light is only if I am acting like the Light. What does this mean for us practically? We need to constantly remind ourselves that if we don’t go through a challenge or a process of learning, we will not get fulfillment because we are not connecting to the cause- the place where we overcome something. If I am the receiver where I don’t overcome something, I will feel emptiness Emptiness will eventually be replaced with chaos. Our job is to transform ourselves at a soul level to be in complete affinity with the Creator.