The Ten Luminous Emanations-Experiencing the Light of the Creator

[Carmen Elsa Irarragorri-Wyland]

Experiencing the Light of the Creator

Throughout the study of the Zohar, we often hear that the Light of the Creator is drawn from the upper Worlds and in Ten Luminous Emanations, Rav Ashlag explains that the light of the Creator is not the same as the physical light and therefore, is not descending in a literal, physical way. Rather, when we speak of the Light coming down, it refers to the process the Light goes through in order for us to receive it. This understanding is an important lesson about the role that our spiritual transformation plays in experiencing the light of the Creator.

Rav Ashlag teaches that, as the Light makes its way to us, it becomes coarser, meaning there are more veils upon it. When we say the Light is going from the Upper Worlds to the lower, we mean that is becoming more veiled.
The more purified level is considered "higher" and the coarser veiled light is considered "lower".

So, when we refer to the Light coming from the Upper Worlds, we mean that a lesser degree of the Light is being revealed.

The veils that are placed upon the light corresponds directly to our Desire to Receive for the Self Alone. The more Desire to Receive for the Self Alone that we have, the more veiled the Light must become in order for us to receive it.

The Light of the Creator can only enter a vessel that is of similar form to it. Therefore, the more selfish we are, the darker the Light has become in order to match our level of desire. To the exact degree that a person is removed from the Light of the Creator, the more layers have to be added to it.

We can understand why, for instance, everyone's experience of every sacred moment differently. Though the light is the same for everyone, we each experience it differently based on our level of Desire to Receive  for the Self Alone. The light of those moments is a tremendous amount of Light, greater than even the most righteous person can receive. It has to be clothed before we can receive it. A person who has more Desire to Receive for the Self Alone will experience a much veiled, diminished, version of the Light.

When someone prays but doesn't feel the Light, is not necessarily that they aren't connecting to the Light, more likely, they are making a connection to the Light, but by the time it goes through all the layers it needs to go through to get to them, they only feel a diminished amount of it.  Likewise, there isn't a lack of Light, but the person is far removed from it, therefore the Light has become darkened going through their so many veils. This is true of any spiritual connection the person makes.

There is a famous story about the Maggid of Mezritch, a kabbalist teacher. It is said that whenever he would teach, as soon as he would say the first word, The Rabbi Zusha Hanipol would hear it and run out. The other students would get upset, because he wold go crazy, then, but the Maggid of Mezritch  would tell them that the Light that Rav Zucha Hanipol receives was so pure, because he had so little Desire to Receive for the Self Alone that he received the Light right away and was shocked by it. For the other students that had more Desire to Receive for the Self Alone, the Light had to go through a process first of becoming veiled before they could handle it.

As we dive into our spiritual work and begin transforming ourselves into more selfless, sharing beings, we also expand our vessel. We hope as we grow and diminish our Desire to Receive for the Self Alone, we are able to make it so that the Light  does not have to be so veiled before we can receive it. Through this we can experience a purer version of the Light of the Creator.