By Ba'al HaSulam, Rav Yehuda Ashlag

Before I go about elucidating the implications of the wisdom of Kabbalah, I will begin by clarifying its essence, as it is confusing to speak of the implications of a thing without knowing the thing itself. Though the Kabbalah's essence and implications are wider and deeper than the ocean itself, I will try to illuminate this knowledge so that any reader may draw the correct conclusions leaving no room for error.

What Does The Wisdom Revolve Around?

This question comes to the mind of every thinking person. The wisdom of the Kabbalah is no more and no less than a sequence of roots with fixed, determined rules with cause and consequence, which interweave to a single, exalted goal described as – “the revelation of His Godliness to His creatures in this world.”

And here there is the conduct of particular and general:

1. General – meaning the whole of mankind, obligated to eventually gravitate to this immense evolvement, as it says: For the earth shall be full of the knowledge of the Lord, as the waters cover the sea (Isaiah 11, 9). And they shall teach no more every man his neighbor, and every man his brother, saying, know the Lord: For they shall all know me, from the least of them to the greatest of them (Jeremiah 31, 33). Yet thy teacher shall not withdraw himself any more, but thy eyes shall see thy teacher (Isaiah 30, 20).

2. Particular – meaning that even before the perfection of all mankind, this rule is carried out in particular individuals. They are the ones who are endowed with a certain amount of revelation of His Godliness. These are the prophets and the men of God. And as our sages said: “There is no generation, which has not such men as Abraham and Jacob.” Thus you see that the revelation of His Godliness is carried out in each generation, as our sages, whom we find trustworthy, proclaim.

The Multiplicity of Partzufim, Sfirot and Worlds

According to the above, however, a question arises – since this wisdom has but one unique task, why is there the matter of the multiplicity of Partzufim, sfirot and interchangeable connections, which are so abundant in the books of Kabbalah?

Indeed, if one looks at the body of a small animal, whose only task is to exist and procreate, one will discover incredible physiological complexity though still there is more to learn about it. Understanding God and his sublime message is even more complex and thus the multiplicity.

Two Conducts: From Above Downwards and From Below Upwards

The wisdom of Kabbalah is divided into two parallel identical orders. The only difference between them is that the first is drawn downwards from above, and the second upwards from below. Both orders or conducts travel through precisely the same routes and pathways.

The first conduct is called – “the order of descent of the worlds, partzufim and sfirot”, with all their occurrences, whether lasting or transient. The second is called – “attainments or degrees of prophecy and the holy spirit”. A man who attains the second order is compelled to follow the paths and attain each detail and degree precisely by the rules that were imprinted on them upon their emanation from above.

The path of attainment (revelation of Godliness) is a series of ordered degrees or steps revealed gradually to a man depending on his readiness or cleansing.

Abstract Names

Many people believe the names and words used in the wisdom of Kabbalah are somewhat abstract because of the concepts it deals with, Godliness and spirituality. But this is not the case. On the contrary: the Kabbalah solely uses names that are concrete and real. It is an unbending rule for Kabbalists that – “Anything we do not attain, we do not define by name or word”. In fact, the word “attainment” (Heb: hasaga) implies the ultimate degree of understanding. It derives from the phrase – “that thy hand shall reach” (Heb: ki tasig yadcha). This means that before something becomes absolutely lucid, as though gripped in one's hand, the Kabbalists do not regard it as attained, but as understood, or comprehended.

The Actuality of the Wisdom of Kabbalah

Though one may not understand the essence of something, the names and words used to describe the thing are agreed upon. For example electricity and the magnet are called “fluidum”. Whether these names are real or not, they are agreed upon even if their essence if not quite understood. These names are as tangible and close to one as words such as bread, sugar and so on.

Furthermore, just as there is no conception of the Creator, so there is little understanding of the essence of His creations, even of the tangible objects on which one lay ones hands. Knowledge of ones friends and relatives, is nothing more than “knowledge of their acts”, born of their collaboration with ones senses; it is not knowledge of their essences. One has no conception even of ones own essence. Self-knowledge is but a series of actions, originated in ones essence.

Thus one can easily deduce that all the names and terms that appear in books of Kabbalah are indeed real and factual, although one has not yet attained the essence of the subject matter. This is so because those who delve into the Kabbalah are satisfied with the perception of its final wholeness, a perception merely of actions, born of the collaboration of the upper light and its perceivers.

However, it is quite sufficient, for the rule is: “All that is measured and extracted of His providence so as to be realized into the nature of creation, is of complete accomplishment”, just as one cannot claim a sixth finger in his hand, because the five are quite sufficient.

The Corporeal Terms and the Physical Names in Books of Kabbalah

It is understood that upon dealing with spiritual matters, and certainly with Godliness, one hasn't any words or letters with which to contemplate these matters. For one's entire vocabulary is but combinations of the letters of our senses and imagination. And how can one use them where there is neither imagination nor senses?

For even if one takes the finest word that can be used in such a context, the words “upper light”, or even “simple light”, it is still borrowed and lent from the light of the sun, or a candle, or a light of contentment one feels upon resolving some great doubt, or discovering something new. How is it possible to use words in the context of the spiritual and Godly? They can offer nothing more than falsehood and deceit.

Particularly where one needs to find in these words a sharp tool to help one in the research of this wisdom, one must use accurate definitive descriptions for the observers. Should the wise fail with even a single word; he is sure to bring about confusion and misunderstanding of all that has been said, that will be said and all that is related to that word.

Therefore one should wonder how it is possible for Kabbalists to use false words in order to explain the intricacies of this wisdom. It is known that there isn't any definition to a false name, for the lie has no legs to stand on. Indeed, it is here one needs to have preliminary knowledge of the law of Root and Branch with which the worlds relate to one another.

The Law of Root and Branch by which the Worlds Relate to One Another

Kabbalists have found that the four worlds named Atzilut, Briah, Yetzirah, and Asiah, beginning with the first and highest world, Atzilut, and ending with this corporeal, tangible world, Asiah, bear identical shapes in every detail and event. All that eventuates and occurs in the first world, is found also in the second one unchanged. And so it is with the third and fourth worlds.

There is no difference between them, but merely a discernment of degree, which is grasped in the substance of each world's reality. The substance of the first uppermost world is finer than the substance of the lower ones. And the substance of the details of reality of the second world is thicker than that of the first but finer than that of the lower worlds.

Thus it continues down to this world before us, whose substance of the details of reality is thicker and darker than the worlds preceding it. But the shapes and the details of reality and all occurrences in all the worlds are equal both in quantity and quality without change.

It has been said to be analogous to a seal, which passes on its shapes to its imprint with every detail intact. So it is with the worlds; each lower world is an imprint of the world above it. Therefore, all the forms found in the higher world are meticulously copied, both in quantity and quality, to the world below.

Thus there is not a detail in reality, or an occurrence of reality that you will not find in the world above it. Each detail in reality is as identical as two drops in a pond. They are called “Root and Branch”. This means that the particular found in the lower world is deemed a branch of its pattern, found in the higher world, which is the root of the lower particular, for it is from there that it was imprinted and emanated into the lower world.

That was the intention of our sages when they said, “You haven't a blade of grass below that has not a fortune and an arbitrator from above that strike it and command it to grow”. Meaning, the root called “fortune” forces it to grow and take on its attribute both in quantity and quality. This is the law of Root and Branch that is in every detail of reality in every world relating to the world above it.

The Language of the Kabbalists is a Language of Branches

The branches indicate through their roots their reality to the worlds below. There is no reality in the lower world that does not originate in its superior. Just as with the seal and the imprint, the root in the upper world compels its branch in the lower one to reveal its entire form and feature. As our sages said “the fortune in the world above, related to the grass in the world below, strikes it, forcing it to complete its growth”. Because of that, each and every branch in this world, defines its mold, found in the higher world.

Thus Kabbalists have found a vocabulary, set and annotated before their eyes, sufficient to create a brilliant spoken language that enables them to converse with one another of the dealings in the spiritual roots of the upper worlds, by merely mentioning the tangible branch of this world that is so well defined to our corporeal senses.

And the listeners understand the upper root through their own attainment, which this corporeal branch points to, because it is related to it, being an imprint of it. Thus all the beings of the tangible creation and all their instances have become to them like well defined words and names, which indicate their higher spiritual roots. And although in their original location there cannot be a verbal expression because it is above imagination, they've earned the right to be expressed by word of mouth, through the branches, prearranged before our senses here in the material world.

That is the nature of the spoken language among Kabbalists, by which they speak of their spiritual attainments from person to person and from generation to generation, both by word of mouth and through their writings. And they fully understand one another with the required accuracy needed for negotiating the research of the wisdom, meaning with precise definitions, with which one cannot fail. And it is so because each branch has its own unique, absolute and natural definition which indicates its root in the higher world.

Bear in mind, that this Language of the Branches of the wisdom of Kabbalah, is better suited for explaining the terms of the wisdom than are ordinary languages. It is known from the theory of nominalism that the languages have been disrupted in the mouths of the crowd. Due to their excessive use, words have been emptied of their accurate content, resulting in great difficulties to convey exact meanings either in spoken or written language. That is not the case with the language of the branches as it is derived from the names of the beings and their occurrences set before our eyes defined by the unchangeable law of nature. The readers and the listeners will never be mislead into a misunderstanding of the words before them, because the natural definitions are quite unwavering and cannot be breached.

Conveyance From a Wise Kabbalist to a Comprehending Receiver

Thus wrote the RAMBAN in his introduction to his commentary on the Torah: “and I bring, with true alliance, to all who fix their eyes on this book, that of all the clues that I write in the secrets of the Torah, I resolutely assert that my words will not be grasped by any mind or intelligence, but from the mouth of a wise Kabbalist to the ear of a comprehending receiver”. Rabbi Chaim Vital wrote similarly in his introduction to The Tree of Life and also in the words of our sages (Hagiga, 11): “One does not delve in the Divine Chariot by himself, unless he is wise and comprehends with his own mind”.

It is thoroughly understood when they say that one has to receive from a wise Kabbalist. But why is there a necessity for the disciple to already be wise and with comprehension of his own? And if he isn't so, he must not be taught, be he the most righteous man on earth. Furthermore, if he is already wise, with comprehension of his own, what need has he to learn from others?

From the aforesaid their words are understood with utter simplicity: we have seen that all the words and utterances our lips pronounce cannot help to convey even a single word from the spiritual, Godly matters, which are above the imaginary time and space. But there is a special language for these matters, and that is The Language of the Branches which indicate their relation to their upper roots.

However, this language, although quite suitable for its task of delving in the studies of this wisdom, is only suitable if the listener is wise in his own right. Meaning that he comprehends the way the branches relate to their roots. It is because these relationships are not at all clear when looking upwards, meaning that upon looking at the lower branches one cannot tell a thing about the pattern in the upper root.

It works the other way around too; the lower is studied from the higher. One must first attain the upper roots, the way they truly are spiritually, and with pure attainment. Once a man has thoroughly attained the upper roots through his own mind, he may observe the tangible branches of this world and know how each relates to its root in the upper world, in order, in quality and quantity.

Once a man knows and thoroughly comprehends all this, there is a common language between him and his Rabbi: The Language of the Branches. Using this language the wise may convey the studies of the wisdom conducted in the upper, spiritual worlds; both the studies received from his Rabbi and those he discovered himself. Now they have a common language with which to understand each other.

When a disciple is not wise and comprehends the language on his own, meaning how the branches indicate their roots, it is evident the Rabbi cannot convey even a single word of this spiritual wisdom; much less negotiate with him in the scrutiny of the wisdom. They have not a common language they can use, and they become mute. Therefore, one does not pass on the Divine Chariot, which is the wisdom of Kabbalah, to those who are not wise with comprehension of their own.

We must further ask: how then, has the disciple grown so wise as to know the relation of branch and root through tracing upper roots? The answer is that man's efforts are in vain, but for God's help! He fills those who capture His keen with wisdom, knowledge and intelligence to be educated with sublime attainments. And one cannot, in any way, be aided by flesh and blood in that search!

Indeed, once He has grown fond of a person, and has endowed him with sublime attainment, he is then prepared to accept the vastness of the wisdom from a wise Kabbalist, for it is only now that they have a common language.

Appellations Alien to Human Spirit

With all that has been said above, you will understand why we sometimes find in books of Kabbalah, appellations and terms that are alien to human spirit. They are abundant in the fundamental Kabbalah books, which are the Zohar, the corrections to the Zohar and the books of the ARI. Why these wise men used such lowly appellations to express such exalted, holy notions is indeed perplexing.

Once you have acquired the above concepts, you will fully understand it. Because it is now clear that no language in the world can be used to explain that wisdom, except one that is destined for just that end, and that is The Language of the Branches, relating to their upper roots. Thus it is obvious that no branch, or fraction of a branch, should remain unattended to because of its inferiority of degree, or not be used in order to express the desired concept in the wisdom, since there is no other branch in this world to take its place. Indeed, such an incident would impair the entire wisdom in all its vastness, since then there would be a missing link in the chain of the wisdom.

Such a missing link mutilates the entire wisdom. For there is no other wisdom in the world where matters are so fused and intertwined with one another by way of cause and effect, primary and consequential, as the wisdom of Kabbalah. Therefore, upon the loss of even a small detail, the entire wisdom darkens before one's eyes as all of its subject matters are tied to one another strongly literally fusing into one.

Now you will not wonder at the occasional use of alien appellations. For there is no freedom of choice with appellations, no opportunity to swap the bad with the good, or the good with the bad, for one must always use the branch which points precisely to its upper root with all of its necessary measure. And the subject matters must be expanded too, in order to provide an accurate definition for the eyes of the observers.

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