| Baal HaSulam, Rabbi Yehuda Ashlag, was the | | | | have been able to understand this book. |
| greatest Kabbalist of our generation who wrote books | | | | The Book of Zohar itself states that it will be revealed |
| intended specifically for our times. This means that for | | | | particularly in our generation, that in our times it will be |
| the first time in history, he presented Kabbalah in a | | | | used to elevate humanity to an unprecedented level of |
| way that allows any person to reveal the spiritual, | | | | existence. Baal HaSulam made these words a reality |
| Upper World. | | | | by writing his Sulam (ladder) Commentary on The |
| To fully appreciate the significance of his life’s | | | | Book of Zohar. Here is how he describes this work: |
| work, we only need to remember that reading | | | | “And I have named that commentary The Sulam |
| Kabbalistic texts composed prior to Baal HaSulam – | | | | (Ladder), to show that the purpose of it is... that if you |
| whether the Torah, The Book of Zohar, and others | | | | have an attic full of goods, then all you need is a ladder |
| – is practically ineffective for a beginning student. | | | | to reach it, and then all the bounty of the world is in |
| This is because they are mostly written in a way that | | | | your hands.” |
| only other Kabbalists can understand. In contrast, | | | | In this commentary, he explained the hidden meaning |
| anyone can derive practical benefit from reading Baal | | | | of every part of The Zohar and wrote several |
| HaSulam’s texts. | | | | introductions to it, guiding the reader through the book. |
| What makes his writings so practical for us? Being a | | | | In effect, he created a completely new Kabbalistic |
| Kabbalist of the highest level, he knew how to write | | | | teaching – a practical method that can be used by |
| books that will serve as a ladder for the person | | | | anyone to attain the Upper World, regardless of age, |
| reading them: as you read them, gradually, step by | | | | nationality, gender, or geographical location. |
| step, you “climb” out of your regular perception | | | | The wisdom of Kabbalah has been passed down |
| and begin feeling the Upper World. In other words, Baal | | | | through many generations, from one Kabbalist to |
| HaSulam created a practical method for developing | | | | another, until it reached Baal HaSulam, who made it |
| our latent sense of spirituality. By using this method, we | | | | available to all. Today, anyone who wishes to reveal |
| gradually begin perceiving beyond our physical world | | | | the spiritual world is able to do so thanks to Baal |
| and feeling the hidden part of reality—the Upper | | | | HaSulam’s clear, modern prose. Here is an excerpt |
| World. | | | | from another of his main works, Talmud Eser Sefirot |
| All through his life, Baal HaSulam, worked and studied | | | | (The Study of the Ten Sefirot): |
| for up to 18 hours a day, and left us with an enormous | | | | “You must therefore understand and perceive that |
| legacy, the key to the greatest Kabbalistic book ever | | | | all the names and appellations, and all the worlds, Upper |
| written – The Book of Zohar. Most people who | | | | and lower, are all one simple Light, Unique and Unified. In |
| know anything about Kabbalah know that The Book | | | | the Creator, the Light that extends, the thought, the |
| of Zohar is the greatest and yet the most mysterious, | | | | operation and the operator, and anything the heart can |
| incomprehensible book of Kabbalah. It was written two | | | | think and contemplate, are in Him one and the same |
| thousand years ago, but only a handful of individuals | | | | thing. |