Intermediate Level Kabbalah: Text, Audio, and Video Resources

The Unifications of the Emotive Sefirot

(Video coming soon…) There are 3 different unifications found between the 7 lower, or emotive sefirot. These unifications are dependent on 3 different types of unification between the intellectual sefirot, particularly wisdom and understanding. The nature and difference between these 3 different unifications is explained based on the Book of Formation as well as how each unification affects a unification in the lower sefirot. Other topics covered are writing your own life story, the stories of tzadikim, and submission, separation, and sweetening in unification.

The 50 Gates of Understanding

(Audio lecture) In the lecture, Rabbi Ginsburgh gives a thorough explanation of the origins of the concept of the 50 Gates of the sefirah of understanding.

• The first source is from the Bible, from the end of the book of Job. The 50 questions G-d asks of Job correspond to the 50 Gates of Understanding.
• The second source is from the Zohar, which derives the 50 Gates of Understanding from 50 times that the Exodus from Egypt is mentioned in the Five Books of Moses.
• A third, newer source, derived from the teachings of Chassidut is also explained.

These three sources are then corresponded to the 3 foundational categories of the Ba'al Shem Tov: worlds, souls, and Divinity (see also Introduction to The Hebrew Letters). In the main part of the lecture, Rabbi Ginsburgh goes through the 8 manifestations of the 50 Gates of Understanding as they appear in the writings of the Arizal. Each of these manifestations is explained. One of the main foci of the lecture is the kavanot (the Kabbalistic intentions) of Keriyat Shema.

The Foundations of the Sefirot

(Video available) In this lecture given in Los Angeles (October 22, 2007), Rav Ginsburgh explains some of the most basic fundamentals regarding the sefirot and the study of Kabbalah in our generation. You can also watch the video of this class. Click here for the full article.

Absolute Nothing, Relative Nothing, Intangible Something, Tangible Something.

Absolute nothing is the awareness that besides the absolute existence of God all is naught and that God’s absolute existence is absolutely incomprehensible;  relative nothing is the state of nothing that precedes creation ex-nihilo; intangible somethingis the aspect of reality we can’t directly experience; tangible something is the aspect of reality we can directly experience.

Lights of Chaos in Vessels of Order

When the great, high-energy lights of Chaos (self-expression) enter and combine with the pleasant, sensitive vessels of Order (interrelationship), the union gives rise to messianic consciousness.

Eyes of the Congregation

The sages are called “the eyes of the congregation.” They are visionaries, they are guides, and they open our eyes to see truth.

From Afar God Appears to Me

Would it not be for the consciousness of my sin staring me in the face I would not experience God’s infinite compassion towards me. Although I am far from Him He is so close to me, loving me and being compassionate no matter what.

The Language of Creation

The Torah has body and soul, law and mystery. Both derive from a common source: the Hebrew language.