Kabbalah Says: There Is No Coercion in Spirituality

What's it like to be a Kabbalist? Can you see"proper behavior." Any changes in his attitude
through walls? Do you live in seclusion, meditatingoccur naturally, without any coercion or external
all day and using just the barest necessities? Caninstruction.
you manipulate other people's thoughts andKabbalah maintains that any teaching or activity
feelings? Can you stop a train with just yourthat restrains a person is faulty. We cannot
thoughts?enforce any kind of behavior on people, since this
The fact is that a Kabbalist's only concern is to beis simply ineffective. Therefore, Kabbalistic
in harmony with the force that enlivens the wholeeducation does not try to suppress any of our
of reality, called "Upper Light." When one gainshabits or preferences. Rather, Kabbalah guides a
contact with this Upper Light, one changes fromperson on how to achieve balance and harmony
within and begins to feel new sensations. Actually,with Nature from within, and only if the person
what one feels are the qualities that are presentdesires this. Through Kabbalah, one learns about
in the Upper Light - qualities of love, bestowal,the qualities of the Upper Light, how to gain
perfection, and eternity. The Kabbalist's relationshipcontact with it, and how to become similar to it.
with the Upper Light is called the "Upper World," aTherefore, there is no coercion in teaching people
realm beyond time and space.the wisdom of Kabbalah. When Rav Kook, the
As a result of the Kabbalist's internal changes, hisgreat 20th century Kabbalist, was asked who
relation toward others also changes. He naturallycould study Kabbalah, his answer was: "Anyone
begins to feel love toward other people, as ifwho wants to." And in fact, it also works the
they were his kin. This is because he is occupiedother way around: You can't really study Kabbalah
with his relationship with the Upper Light, and sinceif you don't desire it; because what you study -
the Upper Light is all love and bestowal, thethe connection with the Upper Light - is felt
Kabbalist naturally adopts these qualities as well.specifically through your desire. So it would be
However, this isn't something that you willincorrect to urge anyone to study, since it can't
necessarily be able to discern on the outside. Abear any fruit.
Kabbalist doesn't change because someoneToday, Kabbalah is available to all, and anyone
teaches him how to behave and preaches moralwho wishes is able to learn about the Upper Light,
principles to him, or because he reads aboutits qualities, and how to achieve harmony with it.