31 octobre 2024
Four Levels of Desire: Kabbalistic Knowledge
As those of you who have already been following me know, we’ve explained many times through the wisdom of Kabbalah that the Creator in its infinite wisdom manifests itself through 4 levels of desire.
Rav Yehuda Ashlag, the preeminent Kabbalist, may he Rest in Peace, explained from the book of Rabbi Isaac Lucia how this universe has 4 levels of desire and those levels of desire are divided into 4 existing realms in our universe.
The strongest desire is held by humans, then animals, then by vegetables, and the last minerals or stones. Now how does this division take place? It is so simple, profound and beautiful at the same time.
For example: if a person has the strongest desire for something in their life and they can’t resist the impulse and desire for whatever they want- food, sex, pride, respect, greed etc., then they have to be tested on one level down from their desire.
So, for example, for people who have food or sex addiction, which as humans because we are blessed with the strongest desire, we are supposed to resist most of the things we want, in order to be called human and not an animal, vegetables or stone. That is why Kabbalists teach the concept of restriction.
Because as you practice your ability to say no to what you want, you justify your existence within the spiritual territory which is where you belong. All of us go through tests every day to strengthen the soul and maintain our existence in the realm we are in.
We ask ourselves should I get angry, should I scream now, and of course the self-control of the individual will justify the ability to stay in that level where you belong called human.
So, when we talk about reincarnation as it relates to the 4 levels of desire, people who cannot maintain themselves as “human” by controlling and restricting their craving for everything, the final result is a forced reduction in their desire since they cannot yet handle it.
Thus, their soul is reincarnated into animals because animals do not have the same intensity of desire as humans.
So, as a result, it’s easier to resist the level of desire or temptation in that realm. And yet, if a person still couldn’t control any of his desire then he reincarnates into vegetables. By the way, that’s where the term people often say in the hospital, where it comes from, he’s just a vegetable” because he’s just breathing and not wanting or receiving! He’s just existing in a vegetated state.
Of course, if a person couldn’t control his desire at all, restricting absolutely nothing, unleashing the desire, the need to steal. kill rape and destroy everything around him, then the best place to be is not a prison, which doesn’t allow him to improve and spiritually elevate, then the next station for him is to reincarnate into a stone where there is no need for society or anything he will just be a stone alone, desiring nothing.
What about people who kill to get a diamond? What about the diamond itself? Wow! Am I saying that all diamonds are reincarnations of a killer?
Maybe. That is a riddle for you to ponder.
If you really want to know who the strongest person in the room is, it’s the person who is capable of wanting it ALL and letting it all go at the same time. It’s the one who wants the most and shares the most. If you want a lot and are making it and hoarding it, most probably you’re failing. And if you share everything and you don’t want anything for yourself either, most probably you too are already dead inside, with no human spirit left to push you.
So, I hope this finds you well and your understanding clear so far because this subject is deeper than it looks! I hope it will begin to guide you in controlling the level of your desire and challenge you to reflect how you want your future to unfold.