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Kabbalah teaches that every human being
shares the same ultimate purpose in life, which is to receive the complete
joy and fulfillment that God desires for us. But while this is easy to
say, true spiritual work is needed to remove the negative tendencies
that separate us from life’s gifts. And as we undertake this work,
our souls need technical support, as would a computer or any other highly
sensitive mechanism.
One of Kabbalah’s most important teachings is that we are not alone
in life’s tasks. There are powerful tools to help us, including
the Bible itself. Kabbalah teaches that the Bible is neither a topic
for academic study nor a book of commandments and prohibitions meant
to be taken literally. Rather, the Bible is a coded document in which
the true underpinnings of the universe lie hidden — including the
amazing spiritual technology known as the 72 Names of God.
What exactly are the 72 Names? According to Kabbalistic teachings, 72
unique combinations of Hebrew letters from Chapter 14 of the book of
Exodus create a spiritual vibration that is a powerful antidote to the
negative energy of the human ego. This revelation is a crucial step forward
in the work of Kabbalistic masters over thousands of years.
Each succeeding generation of sages has advanced the task of decoding
the Bible — each building on the work of those who came before,
each making its own contribution to Kabbalistic wisdom. The purpose and
commitment of the Kabbalah Centre is to continue this work. Kabbalistic
scholar Yehuda Berg devoted five years to researching and discovering
the concealed meanings of the combinations of letters that comprise the
72 Names. Their revelation has been a breakthrough in the centuries-long
history of Kabbalah.
The key to connecting with the power of the Names is found in the specific
biblical passages from which they are derived. As the Bible describes,
600,000 Israelites stood on the banks of the Red Sea. Pharaoh and the
Egyptian army were in pursuit. With the water in front of them and their
enemies behind them, there seemed to be nowhere the Israelites could
turn. They could only cry out to God for salvation. And what did the
Creator say in response to their cries? This is one of the most carefully
studied and debated passages in all biblical scholarship. The reply was:
"Why are you calling out to me?"
But whom could the Israelites call upon if not God? The Kabbalists explain
that the passage is an encrypted message explaining the secret of human
nature and the way to overcome the challenges we face throughout our
lives.
In its commentary on this passage, the Zohar, the source of Kabbalistic
wisdom, explains that there was no need for the Creator's help —
because at that moment Moses revealed the 72 Names, and the collective
consciousness of the people was elevated. But not a single molecule of
water moved until the people had physically moved forward into the sea
with unwavering certainty. Only when they were neck-deep in the waves
— and still maintained complete certainty that the water would
part — did the sea part to give them a passage to freedom.
As the Zohar makes clear, the purpose of the 72 Names is hidden in the
story in which they are found. The Names are a tool to help humanity
gain control over chaos by controlling physical nature. By their use
of the 72 Names, the Israelites overcame the ego-based negativity of
doubt and thus changed the nature of water until it no longer flowed.
According to Kabbalah, humanity is destined to have control over physical
nature; the only obstacle is our ego. Overcoming ego at its very foundation
brings control of the physical world, and that is the purpose of the
INSTRUMENT THAT IS THE 72 NAMES.
The Zohar further explains that, despite what we might believe, our ego
is not actually who we are. Rather, the Kabbalists describe the ego it
as a garment, a curtain that hides the Light of our genuine selves. Our
purpose in this world is to remove the garment that conceals our true
essence and potential. |
