Sefer Zohar

Sefer Zohar

A gitte voche everyone! The key to everything going well is living with Emunah P'Shutah and dedicating time to learning Torah. Through learning Torah, especially Toras HaNistar, we come closer to the geulah. It says in the Zohar itself that through learning R' Shimon bar Yochai's Torah we can merit to the Geulah Shleimah. On that note, I would like to encourage everyone to start learning at least one daf Zohar every day. There are good online resources for this as well, even in English some decent ones, so there's no excuse not to do it.

By Yechiel Yisruel Bloy

Journal Mitzvah comments:

My Rabbi Avraham Greenbaum, recommended following books (Zohar, etc...) https://www.azamra.org/Kabbalah/starting.htm

Zohar in PDF:

https://www.kabbalaonline-shop.com/Zohar-the-Book-of-Splendor-p/perets-zohar.htm

https://www.chabad.org/search/keyword_cdo/kid/10394/jewish/Perets-Auerbach.htm

https://dailyzohar.com/

For all Klal Yisroel

The Ramchal

Tonight is a very important night. It is Yesod sh'b'Yesod in Sefirah, along with the yahrtzeit of the great tzaddikim the Ramchal (Rav Moshe Chaim Luzzato) zy'a and Rav Saadiyah Gaon zt'l.

The Ramchal is most famous for writing Mesilas Yeshorim and Derech Hashem. He wrote many sifrei Kabboloh though, and that was his main effort. He attained conversation with a Maggid (essentially a Divine spirit guide, depending on the understanding of the Ari this is either a Malach or the soul of a Tzaddik) when he was only 20. Even before then he was already knowledgeable in all areas of Torah. He wrote a sefer of tefilos, a condensed exposition of the Seder Hishtalshelus (the Order of Descent, which describes how the Divine influences and Hashem's Will interface with the wrold) of the Arizal, and various seforim that deal with Sodos HaTorah. Another great accomplishment of his was writing a Sefer Torah in pomegranate ink.

The entire goal of the Ramchal's work is waking up Jews and helping them to realize their real purpose in the world. A Jew isn't supposed to just wake up in the morning, read the paper, watch TV, then eat a bowl of cereal and get on with the day. A Jew is supposed to devote every moment of the day to avodas Hashem. Sometimes this avodah must be done through bitul Torah, as Rebbe Nachman speaks of in several places. In the last perokim of Mesilas Yeshorim dealing with Chassidus (in the original, pre-Baal Shem Tov sense), the Ramchal basically brings out that the ultimate purpose of all the various levels of p'rishus (asceticism) and the pushing yourself towards higher levels in all avodos is ultimately to get to the point where every action you take is directed towards avodas Hashem. At this point of development, which everyone can accomplish with a little elbow grease, every action we do is Divine and accomplishes Tikkunim in this world and all worlds. The way to do this is through following the holy guidance of the Mesilas Yeshorim, learning Toras HaChassidus, along with learning Zohar and other Sifrei Kabboloh, and engaging in heartfelt prayer to Hashem Yisborach our Father, King, and God. Even though the Chassidus of the Baal Shem Tov was just barely getting started at that time, this form of Torah gives us a deeper appreciation and understanding of what the Ramchal teaches us through his seforim.

Hashem should bentsh us with all good things, the Ramchal should be a Meilitz Yosher (A good advocate) for all Klal Yisroel, we should be free from all forms of oppression from the Sitra Achra, and we should be zoche to the Geulah Shleimah swiftly within our days.

By Yechiel Yisruel Bloyd

Lag B'Omer

Lag B'Omer

Learning Chochma, meaning the works of Kabbalah, is an intrinsic part of the entire life of a Jew, kal v’chomer the lifeblood of a chussid. This was one of the original points of the Baal Shem Tov’s creation of chassidis, was to spread the Toras HaNistar to all Yidden, not just the upper class intelligentsia. Rebbe Nachman in Likutei Moharan brings that every Jew must know Kol HaTorah Kuloh, including the Zohar and Tikkunim. The Ateres Tzvi of Ziditchoiv brings in his sefer, Sur MeRa V’Aseh Tov that every Yid has an obligation to learn Chochmas HaKabbalah; he extends this to the Kisvei HoAri as well, rather than the Zohar alone. Our generation is in especial need for this limud. The Baal HaTanya even brings in the Shulchon Oruch HaRav in Hilchos Talmud Torah that Chochmas HaKabbalah is considered a chelek of “Talmud,” hence he may set aside one third or part of his third for Talmud to learning Kabbalah. Moireinu Rav Chaim Vital zt’l brings in the Hakdomo to Sefer Etz Chaim that one is not completely mekayem mitzvas limud haTorah unless he also learns Kabbalah.

It is brought in the Zohar HaKodosh that the geula will come through Limud HaZohar. We can learn this in two different ways: one is the “Geulah Yechidis,” being the personal redemption of the individual from the illusory nature of corporeality, and the second being “Geulah Klolius,” the geulah for the whole world through the arrival of Moshiach Tzidkeinu. If we interpret this maamar of the Zohar through the lens of the Maaseh Heichal HaMoshiach, which for those who are unfamiliar shall be included at the end of this kuntress, we can see that every Yid first requires his Geulah Yechidis before we can be zoche to the Geulah Klolius; meaning, that everyone must be osek in limud hachochma in order to taste the water of the wellspring, which will liberate the neshomos of all individuals, which will then lead to the Ribono Shel Olam sending us Moshiach, due to the fact that we shall be on the proper madreiga to receive him.

The tzaddikim predict a time in which the world will be full of atheism, and it will be nearly impossible to avoid its corruptive influence. The refuah and shmirah for this is learning Kabbalah. The Baal Shomer Emunim, Baal Ateres Tzvi, and many other rebbes directed their chassidim to learn multiple blatt Zohar and Tikkunei Zohar every day because these works purify the soul of a Jew and bring him closer to the state of dveykus haBorei. At the very least they inspire true emunah and are invaluable due to this.

In short, indeed, far too short, I hope these brief concepts will encourage the tzibur to labor in limud hachochma. Verily it is wondrous and a great benefit to all who labor in the toil of this study. The Chachomim throughout the generations bring many segulos and benefits that come to those who spend their time learning Zohar, Tikkunim, and the other works of Kabbalah. This small kuntress, however, is not the place to go into these segulos and maalos at length. The ikar segulah is brought by the Ateres Tzvi, which is that it brings to Yiras Shomayim and strength in Avodas HaBorei.

By: Yechiel Yisruel Bloyd.