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Kabbalah and the East
Excerpted from "Meditation and Kabbalah"
Rabbi Aba said: One day I came to a city of the people
of the East, and they told me some wisdom that they had inherited from ancient
times. They also had books explaining this wisdom, and they brought me one such
book.  | | " When a person meditates in this world, a spirit is transmitted to him from on high..." | | |
In this book, it was written that when a person
meditates in this world, a spirit is transmitted to him from on high. The type
of spirit depends on the desire to which he attaches himself. If his mind
attaches itself to something lofty and holy, then that is what he transmits down
to himself. But if his mind attaches itself to the Other Side, and he meditates
on this, then that will be what he transmits down to himself.
They said, "It all depends on word, deed, and the
individual's desire to attach himself. Through these, he transmits downward to
himself that side to which he becomes attached."
In that book I found all the [idolatrous] rites and
practices involved in the worship of the stars and constellations. It included
the things needed for such rites, as well as instructions how one must meditate
in order to transmit their [influence] to himself. | | " The people of the East were great sages, who inherited this wisdom from Abraham..." | | |
In the same manner, one who wishes to attach himself
on high through Ruach HaKodesh must do so with deed, word, and desire of
the heart, meditating in that area. This is what it depends on when one wishes
to bind himself to something and transmit its influence to himself...
I said to them, "My children, the things in that book
are very close to the teachings of the Torah. But you must keep yourselves from
these books in order that your hearts not be drawn to their [idolatrous]
practices and all the [other] facets mentioned there, and lest you be drawn away
from serving the Blessed Holy One."
All these books can confuse a person. This is because
the people of the East were great sages, who inherited this wisdom from Abraham.
He had given it to the sons of his concubines, as it is written, "To the sons of
the concubines that Abraham had taken, Abraham gave gifts" (Gen. 25:6). [This
was originally true wisdom] but later it was drawn into many [idolatrous] sides.
( Zohar I:99b)
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There are so many websites on<Michael Alexander, from USA MICHIGAN, 7/30/2005
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