Kabbala
and the East
Rabbi
Abba said [Zohar 1:99b]:
One
day I came to a city of the people of the East, and they told me some
wisdom that they had inherited from ancient times. They also had books
explaining this wisdom, and they brought me one such book.
In
this book it was written that when a person meditates in this world,
a spirit (ruach) is transmitted to him from on high. The type
of spirit depends on the desire to which he attaches himself. If his
mind attaches itself to something lofty and holy, then that is what
he transmits down to himself. But if his mind attaches itself to the
Other Side, and he meditates on this, then that will be what he transmits
down to himself.
They
said, "It all depends on word, deed, and the individual's desire
to attach himself. Through these, he transmits downward to himself that
side to which he becomes attached."
In
that book I found all the [idolatrous] rites and practices involved
in the worship of the stars and constellations. It included the things
needed for such rites, as well as instructions how one must meditate
in order to transmit their [influence] to himself.
In
the same manner, one who wishes to attach himself on high through Ruach
HaKodesh must do so with deed, word, and desire of the heart, meditating
in that area. This is what it depends on when one wishes to bind himself
to something and transmit its influence to himself…
I
said to them, "My children, the things in that book are very close
to the teachings of the Torah. But you must keep yourselves from these
books in order that your hearts not be drawn to their [idolatrous] practices
and all the [other] facets mentioned there, and lest you be drawn away
from serving the Blessed Holy One."
All
these books can confuse a person. This is because the people of the
East were great sages, who inherited this wisdom from Abraham. He had
given it to the sons of his concubines, as it is written, "To the
sons of the concubines that Abraham had taken, Abraham gave gifts and
sent them to the countries of the East" (Genesis 25:6). [This was
originally true wisdom] but later it was drawn into many [idolatrous]
sides.
[Taken
from Meditation and Kabbala by Rabbi Aryeh Kaplan]
