The Revolutionary Kabbalah of Rabbi Yehuda Ashlag | Baal HaSulam

Who was Rabbi Yehuda Leib Ashlag (1885–1954), the Baal HaSulam—and why did his revolutionary approach to Kabbalah become so influential? Best known for his monumental Sulam commentary on the Zohar and Talmud Eser Sefirot, Rabbi Ashlag developed a profound vision of human existence built around two fundamental ideas: Ratzon Lekabel - the will to receive—and Ratzon Lehashpia - the will to bestow. In this class, Rabbi Naftali Citron and Dr Raphael Kellman explores the remarkable life and thought of the Baal HaSulam: his roots in Polish Chassidus; his connections to Porisov, Kalushin and Belz; his mastery of Talmud and Kabbalah; his encounter with modern European philosophy and socialism; his move to Eretz Yisrael; and his revolutionary interpretation of the Kabbalah of the Ari and the Zohar. We also confront a fascinating and controversial question: How much of the Baal HaSulam's system represents the transmission of earlier Kabbalistic and Chassidic teachings—and how much represents a radically new path? At the heart of his teaching lies a dramatic understanding of the human condition. The desire to receive can become the root of ego and selfishness. The spiritual task of the human being is transformation: moving from receiving for oneself toward giving to others and ultimately toward devekut with the Creator. We conclude by studying the Baal HaSulam inside, from his introductions to the study of Kabbalah, and examining the relationship between his spiritual ideal of giving and his unusual engagement with socialist ideas. Topics include: Rabbi Yehuda Ashlag • Baal HaSulam • Kabbalah • Zohar • Talmud Eser Sefirot • Ratzon Lekabel • Ratzon Lehashpia • Lurianic Kabbalah • Chassidus • Ishbitz • Jewish Mysticism • Socialism and Kabbalah #baalhasulam #Kabbalah #Zohar