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a 16th Century mystic who lived in Safed (Tzfat), Israel, known also as the Ari or Ha'Ari.

The key was secret for two reasons. One, humanity was not yet ready to understand, and two, what Kabbalah reveals is beyond our language or understanding. This second reason is central to understanding what Kabbalah teaches us about itself, Torah, and the Whole of Creation: the totality of Creation is beyond our ability to understand or articulate. Therefore, what is given in the texts and what is revealed of Creation is in terms of what we do, just barely, understand. However, this must be taken beyond the literal words, sights, sounds, experiences into the realm that is beyond our understanding. This is that which is Without End, or Ein Sof. G-d.

This brief background might give some indication of why it is difficult to "explain" Kabbalah. It is a mystic tradition in Judaism secretly passed on through generations. Volumes of books contain the revelations that make up the recorded received knowledge. The received knowledge is a symbolic, metaphoric, and analogous description of understanding that is beyond our linguistic capabilities and likely beyond our ability to comprehendother than through direct experience. It takes years of study to arrive at a few glimpses, perhaps a distant glimmer, of the light contained within this tradition.

However, there are a couple of key concepts that can help the reader make a preliminary step or two into Kabbalistic ways. First is Or, or Divine Light. This is the first element of Creation in Torah. It is through Or that G-d emanates existence. Keep in mind that the language uses what we can understand to explain what we cannot understand. That is, do not mistake Or for common light.

Just to understand a little about Or could take what remains of my lifetime. A brief taste of what is involved: G-d is complete and whole, therefore in need of nothing. Yet, G-d created a vessel (the Universe) to receive Or. The vessel wanted to do more than receive, it also wanted to give Or. G-d filled the vessel with Or until it shattered. (Is this the Big Bang? See Daniel Matt's writings on this question.) The pieces of the vessel are Creation. Each bit of Creation, no matter how small or large, contains a Divine Spark from the Or of the original vessel. If that bit receives Or, emanated from G-d, in order to give Or, emanations to Creation, then that bit might move closer to joining Or and G-d. The bringing together the shattered bits of the vessel, that

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