F RO M T H E I N T RO D U C T I O N T O T H E Z O H A R
continue eradicating the egoistic will to enjoy until we achieve the purpose of Creation—equivalence and adhesion with the Creator. It is important to understand that the NRNHY constitutes the division of the entire Creation into five parts. That which functions in the general system also functions in its tiniest part. Thus, even the lowest level of the world Assiya consists of its five constituent elements, its individual NRNHY. This is because every infinitesimal desire consists of five parts: Keter (the Creator’s representative), Hochma, Bina, Tifferet, and Malchut (the four levels of Creation itself). Additionally, the pleasure guiding it also consists of five types of the Light of NRNHY. It follows that even the Light of the spiritually inanimate level in the world Assiya cannot be reached without these four kinds of attainment. No one can be dismissed from studying Kabbalah and observing the spiritual laws by means of thought for the good of people and the Creator. No one, either, can attain the level of Ruach or the level of Neshama without studying the secrets of Kabbalah. Our generation is still immersed in darkness. However, the reason for this is clearly the general decline of faith, and particularly the decline of faith in the wisdom of the sages. The most obvious example of this decline is today’s books on Kabbalah, which are teeming with materialized descriptions. Hence, a need arose for a complete commentary on The Book of Zohar, a work that would save us from misinterpreting Kabbalah. This commentary is called The Sulam (The Ladder) because it helps students gradually climb its rungs and reach spiritual heights. Everything depends on one’s desire to attain the depths of the worlds’ creation and one’s place within them. The purpose of Kabbalah can be illustrated by the following parable: A subject in a distant Kingdom broke the law, and by the King’s order he was banished from the land. He parted from his friends, 81