R' Ashlag Ch. 18 (sect. 3)

Rabbi Yehudah Ashlag's "Introduction to the Zohar"

-- as translated and commented on by Rabbi Yaakov Feldman

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Ch. 18

3.

“(Understand, though, that) we needn’t raise questions about the place of other (animate or inanimate) beings in the world. For humankind is the focal point of creation, whereas other beings have no intrinsic worth. In fact they’re only of consequence when they (can) help humankind achieve perfection, and they only ascend and descend in relation to him and (thus) haven’t any personal standing.”

-- R’ Ashlag now addresses a very serious objection some might have. That’s all very good as far as humankind is concerned, since it’s subsumed in G-d’s Presence in the first and third eras, and it need only endure the second so as to get from one to the other. But what of entities, pehnomena, beings, etc, that will never be subsumed in His Presence and thus don’t seem to matter at all?
-- He indicates though that that’s a moot point, since *nothing but humankind matters at bottom in the great rush and struggle to adhere unto G-d’s Presence that is corporeal existence*, other than as a subsidiary help or deterrent.

(c) 2005 Rabbi Yaakov Feldman

(Feel free to contact me at feldman@torah.org )

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