Rav Laitman talks about his teacher's father, the Baal Sulam (hebrew for: owner of the ladder) :
"... He revealed the wisdom to the world. No other Kabbalist apart from Baal HaSulam wrote for people who don't yet have a sensation of the upper world. He was the first to put the wisdom in a format that anyone who simply desired something above this world could understand. His books enable people to enter the feeling of the upper world and get close to the Creator.
Lately we've started explaining to academics in Israel about the importance of Baal HaSulam and his vital role in Jewish Philosophy. They realized that they had missed him and hadn't seen how big he really was. His books explain the entire history of all of mankind - all the reality beforehand - about the creation of the worlds and ours, and the entire process mankind is going through.
Through all of this he essentially paved the way for getting into kabbalah. And his son, who was my teacher, expanded upon his father's writings even more by talking about the internal work an individual must undergo for spiritual advancement. So that anyone who has an interest beyond this world, who feels that this world doesn't fill him, can simply open Baal HaSulam's books and through them arrive there."
For someone who has studied kabbalah, but never read a book by Rav Laitman, which would you recommend as a first read?
Posted by: danielle | August 30, 2005 at 05:21 AM
Hi Danielle!
I recommend Attaining The Worlds Beyond (that I helped edit!)
You can hear the audio version here:
http://kabbalah.info/engkab/worlds_beyond.htm
But apart from having the books the best thing is to join a group in your area or the virtual women's group - I can put you in touch with them if you want ...
Posted by: Josia | August 30, 2005 at 08:59 AM