Ganey ha Ta’arucha main hall

Groups around the world connecting virtually

The focus group, the audio broadcast live during the workshop

Each question is shown on the big screen during the workshop

Friend speaking in the focus group

Friends connecting virtually, their webcam shots from around the world

New York group

The focus group

Toronto group

Dr. Michael Laitman leading the workshop

The diagram Dr. Laitman drew during the workshop (English translation)

The workshop’s questions posted live on the Kabbalah.info Twitter page

For the second time running, the World Zohar Convention 2014 hosted by Kabbalah.info continued to establish itself as one of the world’s most unifying and culturally diverse gatherings. Moreover, this year’s World Zohar Convention symbolized the launch of the first Hebrew publication of the Zohar L’Am (Zohar for All) book series, i.e. The Book of Zohar adapted for our generation.

Tagged “Unity Transforms Reality,” the World Zohar Convention, held on February 5-7 at the Tel Aviv Trade Fairs Center, hosted over 10,000 attendees from 64 countries, and celebrated what The Zohar was intended for: the uniting of people through deeply transforming experiences, where by learning the hidden layers of nature and themselves, people uncovered the uniting and harmonious reality that exists at higher levels of perception.

Record numbers made the journey to the 2014 convention. Many of the participants were attracted to the power of The Zohar and the study of Kabbalah by the Bnei Baruch Kabbalah Education & Research Institute’s free courses available through FreeKabbalahCourse.com, the Arutz 66 TV channel in Israel, and daily Kabbalah and Zohar lessons by the world’s foremost Kabbalist, Dr. Michael Laitman.

With lessons and workshops led by Dr. Laitman based on The Zohar, attendees at the convention were guided to uncover the essence of The Book of Zohar, which is the inner, united and whole reality, above the boundaries of time and space, and which can be discovered by everyone who longs for it.

Are You New to The Zohar?

If you’re interested in The Zohar and everything it has to offer at a deeper level, the Bnei Baruch Kabbalah Education & Research Institute recommends starting with a beginner course in the fundamentals of Kabbalah. Courses are free, and are available for self-study and as live video classes. Sign Up for a Free Course »

Exodus, 27:20-30:10

This Week’s Torah Portion | February 2 – February 8, 2014 – Adar I 2 – Adar I 8, 5774

In A Nutshell

In the portion, Tetzaveh (Command), the Creator provides Moses with additional details regarding the tabernacle, and commands the children of Israel to take olive oil to light the everlasting candle in the tent of meeting outside the veil, so it may burn from dusk to dawn.

The Creator instructs Moses to appoint Aaron and his sons, Nadav, Avihu, Elazar, and Itamar to be his priests. He elaborates on the commandment of preparing the holy garments “for honor and glory” (Exodus, 28: 2): the vest, fringe, coat, and the rest of the garments of the priest.

Afterward comes an explanation on the sanctification of Aaron and his sons for their role in the tabernacle, including the offering of an ox and two rams on the altar of the incense that will be positioned inside the tabernacle before the veil, and how the incense is to be made. Finally, the Yom Kippur (Day of Atonement) is mentioned, which is to take place once a year.

 Commentary by Dr. Michael Laitman

The portion, Tetzaveh (Command), is very matter-of-fact, short, and pragmatic. The whole of the substance of creation is the desire to receive. This is the solid basis from which we should begin. We feel the will to receive within us divided into four levels: still, vegetative, animate, and speaking. All our desires are divided in this manner, and we give them the shape of bestowal, namely to aim them toward giving. All desires must be aimed toward our connection “as one man with one heart,”^[1] with love of others, as in “love your neighbor as yourself.”^[2]

To the extent that we correct each one of our desires, we shape the image of man—becoming similar to the Creator. This is Adam HaRishon (the first man), who shattered and divided into myriad souls. Our purpose is to reassemble those souls into that single soul. We achieve this by annulling our egos and connecting all our desires. The connection is on the levels of still, vegetative, animate, and speaking. In these degrees we gradually reconnect everything into the new reality that the Torah narrates.

First, the oil for the lamp is a special oil, which must be lit in a special way. Subsequently, from the emitted light we can prepare the priesthood garments that clothe the will to receive.

The will to receive remains the same whether it strives to benefit others or itself. The difference lies in how we use it—for our own sake or for the sake of others. That is, do we want to use it to benefit ourselves although it is detrimental to others, or do we want to benefit others? There are two options with myriad variations.

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• Everlasting Candle
• Olive Oil
• Priest
• Breastplate

Everlasting Candle

A person who wants to reach the point of contact with the Creator, called “the priest’s work in the Temple,” must first see to always having the light that reforms, for only with it is one sanctified—adding the aim to bestow to one’s desires, thus rising closer to the Creator.

Olive Oil

In spirituality, olive oil is the light that reaches Zeir Anpin, Malchut.

Priest

A priest is man’s highest degree. It comes from the left line and from the right line and reaches pure and complete bestowal. This degree includes the degree of Bina, ZAT of Bina, and the upper degree, GAR of Bina. It is impossible to be a priest without also having Levites and Israel in you. That is, a person tends to the entire world, as well as to Israel, and unites with everyone.

It is hard work to achieve the degree of a priest. A person must actualize the greatest and most powerful desires.

Breastplate

On the degree of clothing there are things that belong to the inner part of the soul. The breastplate is one of them.

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