The Kabbalist
A cinematic novel
by Semion Vinokur
LAITMAN
KABBALAH PUBLISHERS
… A story about the most mysterious personality of the 20th century…
The Kabbalist: a cinematic novel
Copyright © 2012 by Michael Laitman
All rights reserved
Published by ARI Publishers
1057 Steeles Avenue West, Suite 532, Toronto, ON, M2R 3X1, Canada
2009 85th Street #51, Brooklyn, New York, 11214, USA
Printed in Canada
No part of this book may be used or reproduced
in any manner without written permission of the publisher,
except in the case of brief quotations embodied
in critical articles or reviews.
ISBN: 978-1-897448-75-5
Library of Congress Control Number:2012936447
Translation: Avraham Cohen, Yana Balyasny
Associate Editors: Leah Goldberg, Gianni Conti, Mary Miesem
Copy Editor: Claire Gerus
Design: Alexander Mochin
Layout: Baruch Khovov
Executive Editor: Chaim Ratz
Printing and Post Production: Uri Laitman
FIRST EDITION: JANUARY 2013
First printing
This novel is about Baal HaSulam,one of the greatest Kabbalists of all time.
Baal HaSulam climbed all 125 levels of spiritual attainment.
He obtained a complete connection with the power that governs the world.
He lived in the 20th century and foresaw all that has happened.
He passionately desired to save humankind from future disasters and affliction.
That is why he wrote for us a complete interpretation of The Book of Zohar.
We can observe the actions of a Kabbalist, but it is practically impossible to penetrate his inner world.
This story is an attempt to understand the inner man and to show that there are no miracles besides that ofa person transforminghimself.
To Michael Laitman-
the teacher of our generation
WARSAW – END OF THE 19TH CENTURY – NIGHT.
A LONE STREETLIGHT ILLUMINATES THE EMPTY STREET.
WIND AND RAIN BLOW ALONG THE DESERTED STREETS.
SUDDENLY, A MAN SCREAMS. A WOMAN’S VOICE RESPONDS IMMEDIATELY:
-Simcha, what happened?!
RAIN POURS OVER A TWO-STORY BUILDING; INSIDE, A WINDOW ON THE SECOND FLOOR IS DIMLY LIT.
A woman's voice:Don't scare me! What did you dream about?
Simcha’s voice:You will give birth to a son.
A woman’s voice:You dreamed about our boy?! Speak!
ROOM. NIGHT.AN OPEN BOOK IS LYING ON THE TABLE.
Simcha’s voice:Six letters came out of this book and formed one word.
A woman’s voice(exhausted):
It's all because we keep this book in our home. Rabbi Feldman asked you to take it as far away as possible… as far as you can….
A WOMAN'S HAND REACHES FOR THE BOOK, BUT A MAN'S HAND TOUCHES ITAND STOPSHERS FROM REACHING IT.
Simcha’s voice:The Creator will shake this boy’s hand.
JUST AS HE UTTERS THESE WORDS, THERE IS A LOUD KNOCK ON THE WINDOW.
NOW IT'S THE WOMAN WHO SCREAMS.
A WHITE BIRD IS RESTING ON THE WINDOWSILL.
IT TAKES OFF, SOARS OVER A BENCH, AND DISAPPEARS INTO THE DARKNESS OF THE NIGHT.
A MAN DRESSED IN A BLACK COAT IS SITTING OUTSIDE ON THE BENCH IN THE POURING RAIN. WATER IS POURING DOWN HIS HAT ONTO AN OPEN BOOK IN HIS HANDS.
THE MAN LIFTS HIS HEAD AND LOOKS UP AT THE WINDOW ON THE SECOND FLOOR.
HE LOOKS LIKE BAAL HASULAM IN HIS LATER YEARS.
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Picture
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***
ON SEPTEMBER 5,1886, A SON IS BORN INTO SIMCHA HALEVI ASHLAG’S FAMILY.
A WOMAN'S HANDS LIFT UP A TINY WRINKLED BABY BOY.
THE BABY CRIES OUT SILENTLY, AS IF SIGHING, THENSTOPS AND GROWS QUIET.
A woman’s voice:Look at him, he's not crying. Shake him!
WHIRLING WHITE WALLS… WHITE CEILING… WINDOWS… BLURRED FACES OF WOMEN.
A woman’s voice:What are you looking at?! What is he looking at?What does he see on that wall?
A second woman’s voice(quietly):
Or maybe behind it?
THE NEWBORN IS SILENTLY LYING IN THE CRADLELOOKING AT THE CEILING WITH WISE, ADULT EYES.
***
ASYNAGOGUE – DAYTIME.
RABBI FELDMAN BENDS OVER THE CHILD.
A CIRCUMCISION KNIFE GLITTERS BRIEFLY IN HIS HAND.
A MOMENT LATER HE THROWS THE FORESKIN ONTO THE SAND.
HE LOOKS AT THE BABY WITH BEWILDERMENT. THE INFANT IS NOT CRYING.
RABBI FELDMAN LIFTS HIM AND HANDS HIM OVER TO HIS FATHER, CONCLUDING THE SERVICE WITH THE WORDS:
- … let him be known in Israel as… (looks at Simcha)
Simcha:Yehuda Leib.
Rabbi Feldman:
Yehuda Leib,son of HaLevi Ashlag (and adds) - the child who doesn’t cry.
***
ASHLAG FAMILY HOME. MORNING.
THREE-YEAR-OLD YEHUDA IS SITTING AT THE TABLE.
HIS FATHER IS WATCHING HIM FROM A DISTANCE.
YEHUDA'S SMALL FINGER MOVES ALONG THE LINES OF AN OPEN BOOK.
YEHUDA’S VOICE IS HEARD:
- “These gates have one lock and a narrow opening to insert the key. It is said about that secret:‘In the beginning, God created…’"
***
YEHUDA AND HIS FATHER ARE WALKING DOWN THE STREET.
YEHUDA IS HOLDING HIS FATHER'S HAND.
YEHUDA’S VOICE ECHOES WHILE FADING INTO THE DISTANCE:
- “The key is a master of six gates; it locks and it unlocks six gates. ‘In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth.’”
THEY WALK INTO THE SYNAGOGUE PAST A LONG LINE OF OLD BOOKS, AND APPROACH RABBI FELDMAN, WHO IS WATCHING THEM CLOSELY.
Simcha:I need your advice, honorable rabbi. Yehuda, you can go and browse the books.
YEHUDA WALKS TOWARD THE BOOKS.
WHILE HE IS WALKING WE HEAR HIS FATHER WHISPERING:
We are very worried about him. Sometimes we have a feeling that he is older than we are.
YEHUDA IS WALKING ALONG THE BOOKSHELVES,EXAMINING THE BLACK BOOK COVERS.
RABBI FELDMAN’S GAZE IS FIXED ON HIM.
SUDDENLY YEHUDA STOPS NEXT TO AN OLD TATTERED BOOK.
RABBI FELDMAN JUMPS UP AND QUICKLY WALKS OVER TO THE BOY, STOPPING BEHIND HIM. HE MUTTERS:
The Book of Zohar… I see.
HE TURNS AND QUICKLY WALKS BACK.
HE STOPS NEXT TO A WINDOW AND CALLS SIMCHA.
Rabbi Feldman:Doyou confirm that you have The Book of Zohar in your home?
Simcha (under Rabbi Feldman’s piercing stare):
Yes, I do. It’s a gift from my wife's father.
Rabbi Feldman:Unfortunate soul! Hide it, and as far away as possible.
RABBI FELDMAN BRINGS HIS FACE VERY, VERY CLOSE TO SIMCHA’S AND WHISPERS:
I want your son to be a Jew, and this book will lead him away from the path of Torah. He doesn't understand what is written there, does he? He doesn’t understand, right?
Simcha:I have a feeling he does.
RABBI FELDMAN GLANCES BACK AT YEHUDA.
YEHUDA IS STRUGGLING TO HOLD THE HEAVY BOOK IN HIS HANDS, OPENED TO THE FIRST PAGES.
HE READS IT, SYLLABLE BY SYLLABLE, MOVING HIS LIPS:
- “Every day the voice calls upon all the people in the world: ‘It depends on you. Separate a part from what’s yours to the Creator…’”
Rabbi Feldman:Nonsense.If grownups can’t master it, what can this child understand? How old is he?
Simcha:Three years old.
RABBI FELDMAN SEES YEHUDA TURNING THE PAGE AND HEARS HIS VOICE:
-“There are fire, water, and air, the first three days of creation.”
Rabbi Feldman(sighs):
Hide the book, as quickly as possible! Now!
***
ASHLAG FAMILY HOME. YEHUDA’S ROOM.
SIMCHA IS STANDING ON A CHAIR PUSHING THE BOOK INTO THE FAR END OF THE UPPERMOST SHELF.
THEN HE LOOKS OVER HIS SHOULDER, JUMPS FROM THE CHAIR, AND WALKS OUT OF THE ROOM.
***
HEIDER.[1] MORNING.
SHMUEL, THE TEACHER, IS WALKING ALONG THE AISLE BETWEEN ROWS OF LONG DESKS WITH LITTLE CHILDREN SITTING BEHIND THEM.THEIR FEET DANGLE ABOVE THE FLOOR, AND THEIR EYES ARE FOLLOWING THE TEACHER'S POINTER STICK.
MONOTONOUSLY REPEATING AFTER HIM, THE CHILDREN RECITE A QUOTE FROM THE WEEKLY TORAH PORTION:
-“Terah lived seventy years and became the father of Abram, Nahor, and Haran. Now these are the records of the generations of Terah. Terah became the father of Abram, Nahor, and Haran. Haran became the father of Lot…”
SECRETLY, YEHUDA TAKES AN APPLE OUT OF HIS POCKET.THE TEACHER'S LONG POINTER STICK HITS HIS HAND IMMEDIATELY.
YEHUDA SCREAMS AS THE APPLE ROLLS ON THE FLOOR.
THE TEACHER BRINGS THE POINTER NEXT TO YEHUDA'S LIPS.
The teacher:Find the strength to kiss the stick that beats you, Yehuda.
YEHUDA TURNS AWAY.
The teacher(firmly):
In that case, Yehuda, you will have to ask the Creator for the strength to kiss it.
THE POINTER LINGERS BEFORE YEHUDA'S EYES.
YEHUDA BOWS HIS HEAD, BUT THE TEACHER DOES NOT CONCEDE.
THE END OF THE POINTER TOUCHES YEHUDA’S LIPS AGAIN.
The teacher (insisting):
Well, do it! three, four.junction in the list ofs not a simple place
YEHUDA GIVES IN.
HE KISSES THE POINTER, AND IT IMMEDIATELY FLIES OVER THE CHILDREN'S HEADS.
THE TEACHER WALKS AWAY.
THE CHILDREN MONOTONOUSLY RECITE:
-“Terah lived seventy years, and became the father of Abram, Nahor, and Haran…”
YEHUDA'S FRIEND, YANKELE,[2] SITS AT HIS SIDE.
AS SOON AS THE TEACHER TURNS AWAY, YANKELE PICKS UP THE APPLE AND PUTS IT BACK IN YEHUDA'S POCKET.
***
WARSAW. THE JEWISH QUARTER.YEHUDA AND YANKELE ARE WALKING DOWN THE STREET TAKING TURNS BITING THE APPLE.
YEHUDA DRAGS YANKELEAROUND THE CORNER, AND AFTER A FEW STEPS THEY WIND UP AT THE ENTRANCE TO AN ODD-LOOKING SHOP.
BOOKS LINE THE WALLS FROM FLOOR TO CEILING IN THE DIMLY LIT STORE.
YEHUDA DIVES INSIDE, WALKS PAST AN OLD MANSLEEPING AGAINST THE WALL, AND SITS DOWN AT A LARGE WOODEN TABLEIN FRONT OF A PILE OF BOOKS.
HE FLIPS THROUGH THE PAGES AS IF PHOTOGRAPHING THEM.
YANKELE OBSERVES HIM WITH A MIXTURE OF AWE AND FEAR.
Yankele:God gave you such powers, Yehuda.
THE PILE OF BOOKS IN FRONT OF YEHUDA IS QUICKLY DISAPPEARING.ONE LAST BOOK REMAINS.
-I don't know who gave them to me, Yehuda mumbles.
Yankele:The Creator wants you to become a great rabbi so that youwill teach others.
Yehuda (putting down the book):
What do I have to teach them?
Yankele:To love God, to observe His commandments, to pray wholeheartedly, and to be a Jew.
Yehuda:Who told you all that?
Yankele:It’s written in all our books.
Yehuda(irritably):
I don’t know. I don’t know what’s written in these books!
AN OLD RASPY VOICE COMES FROM BEHIND YEHUDA:
- Old Solomon prepared you a good portion.
OLD SOLOMON APPROACHES THE KIDS, SHUFFLING ALONG IN HIS SHABBY OLD SLIPPERS.
Solomon(in awe):What, you have read them all already?!
Yehuda:Solomon,where is…
Solomon(spreads his hands):
Old Solomon does not have this book. Solomon searched everywhere; he looked into places he had never looked before.
HE POINTS HIS FINGER UP.
Up there, on the shakiest shelf Solomon found the letters of Ramak.[3]And over there (he turns sharply), in the spider's corner, he found the great Ramchal.[4]
SOLOMON STOPS IN FRONT OF YEHUDA AND SPREADS HIS HANDS.
-But he couldn't find The Zohar anywhere.
SOLOMON TURNS AROUND ABRUPTLY AND STARTS WALKING ALONG THE BOOKSHELVES.
HE APPEARS TO BE TALKING TO HIMSELF.
-But it was here, I can swear! Old Berele brought it to Solomon.
HE SITS AT THE TABLE AND SLAMS HIS HAND ONTO IT.
-Berele told Solomon: “Save this book for little Yehudale.”
SOLOMON’S VOICE GROWS SOFTER.
-So where is it, I’m asking you, Solomon, you old fool?!
SOLOMON GROWS SILENT.
YANKELE LOOKS BACK.
THE OLD MAN IS SLEEPING IN HIS PLACE.
YEHUDA IS LOST IN THE BOOK.
EVERYTHING DISAPPEARS FOR HIM.
Yankele:
I have all kinds of thoughts about God, too, Yehuda. I,too,have an opinion.
YEHUDA DOESN'T ANSWER.
Yankele continues:
Don't think that there aren't others like you.
YEHUDA IS SILENT.
HIS MIND IS SOMEWHERE ELSE.
YANKELE WALKS OUT OF THE STORE.
***
THE JEWISH QUARTER. DAYTIME.
AFTER TAKING JUST A FEW STEPS, YANKELE HEARS SIMCHA’S VOICE CALLING HIM FROM ACROSS THE STREET.
Simcha:Where is Yehuda? Do you know where he is, Yankele?
YANKELE STEPS UP HIS PACE AS HE WALKS AWAY PRETENDING NOT TO HEAR HIM.
SIMCHA CHASES HIM, CROSSING THE STREET.
-“Where is Yehuda?”- he asks. “He didn't come back from school.”
-“YourYehuda is sitting in a bookstore with an old man who mumbles to himself and is reading forbidden books.”- Yankele answers abruptly and angrily.
***
THE BOOKSTORE.
A SHADOW APPEARS OVER YEHUDA, WHO IS LOST IN A BOOK.
Simcha’s voice:Come, Yehuda. That’s enough.
YEHUDA LOOKS UP AT HIS FATHER.
Simcha:Your mother and I are worried about our boy!
SOLOMON’S VOICE IS HEARD FROM THE CORNER:
-Spare him your foolish care. He has been under the Creator's care for a long time already.
SIMCHA GRABS HOLD OF YEHUDA'S HAND AND SHARPLY YANKS HIM.THEY WALK PAST SOLOMON.
SOLOMON STEALTHILY REACHES OUT TO TOUCH YEHUDA'S CLOTHES … AND THEN KISSES HIS HAND.
***
HEIDER. THE MORNING SUN’S RAYS SEEM TO BE DANCINGON THE TABLES.
YEHUDA IS SURROUNDED BY A CROWD OF CHILDREN.
HE IS BLINDFOLDED.
A child’s voice:Page nine, row thirteen from the top.
WITHOUT A MOMENT’S HESITATION, YEHUDA RECITES BY HEART A TEXT FROM THE TORAH:
-“And God saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth…”
A CHILD'S FINGER MOVES ALONG THE LINE OF TEXT.
Someone says with admiration: Yes!
THEY FLIP A FEW PAGES FORWARD AND ANOTHER CHILD CONTINUES:
-Page fifteen, third line from the bottom.
Yehuda(instantly):
- “And they said, Come, let us build ourselves a city, and a tower, whose top may reach unto heaven…”
The children (in awe):
Wooooow!
SUDDENLY, YANKELE RAISES A LONG NEEDLE AND SMASHES IT INTO THE BOOK – PRECISELY INTO THE LETTER Kaf.THE NEEDLE PENETRATES THE BOOK, PAGE AFTER PAGE.
Yankele:Take off the blindfold!
YEHUDA TAKES OFF THE BLINDFOLD AND LOOKS AT THE LETTER KAF.
Yankele:Well?!
Yehuda:Samekh.
YANKELE TURNS THE PAGE.
THE LETTER “SAMEKH” IS PIERCED THROUGH BY THE NEEDLE.
AN ADMIRING WHISPER:
Right.
The children (in unison):
Wooooow!
Yankele:Next!
Yehuda:Het.
YANKELE TURNS OVER THE NEXT PAGE… AND EVERYONE SEES: THE NEEDLE HAS GONE THROUGH THE LETTER “HET.”
-“Wooooow! More!” urge the children.
Yankele:
Next!
Yehuda:Peh.
HE TURNS ANOTHER PAGE.
HE'S RIGHT, IT'S “PEH.”
The children (shouting unrestrained):
Woooooooow!
YEHUDA CONTINUES:
-Mem, Dalet, Aleph, Bet…
SUDDENLY THE VOICE OF SHMUEL, THE TEACHER, IS HEARD.
-Well done, Yehuda!
THE TEACHER STANDS AT THE DOOR LOOKING DOWN AT YEHUDA.
The teacher:Many great Hassidim[5]knew the Torah so well that it appeared to them in their dreams, word for word, letter by letter. You will become a great Hassid, Yehuda, if you bring your big "I" under control.
THE TEACHER APPROACHES YEHUDA AND STROKES HIS HEAD.
-The Creator guides us the same way, Yehuda. One day you get the stick, the next day – a candy.
THE TEACHER TAKES OUT A LOLLIPOP COVERED WITH TOBACCO CRUMBS FROM HIS POCKET AND GIVES IT TO YEHUDA.
THE CHILDREN’SEYES ARE ALL FIXED ONTHIS TREAT, WHICH APPEARS TO THEM AS THE MOST DELICIOUS THING IN THE WORLD.
The teacher:Everything He does is because He loves us.
The teacher looks at the class:
Learn to love Him, children, and you’ll see that our God is always with you whether you are good or bad.
YEHUDA SEES THE EYES OF THE OTHER CHILDREN BURNING WITH ENVY AND PUTS THE CANDY ON THE TABLE, AWAY FROM HIM.
The teacher:No, no, no, Yehuda. Eat it. You deserve it. And all the others have earned the privilege of watching you eat it. Maybe their envy will make them know the Torah as well as you.
Yehuda:Why know it like that?
The teacher:What do you mean?
Yehuda:I know it by heart, every line, each word. So what?
The teacher:We-ell, Yehuda, it's strange to hear such a question from you.
(Suspiciously) Are you doing it on purpose? I have a feeling that you want to check my knowledge, Yehuda?Don't.
Yehuda(very clearly):
I really don't get it. Why do I have to know this book by heart?
The teacher:To observe the laws and commandments, one should learn them by heart.
Yehuda:Why observe them?
THE CHILDREN TURN THEIR EYES FROM THE TEACHER TO YEHUDA, THEN FROM YEHUDA BACK TO THE TEACHER. THEY ARE SCARED.
The teacher(firmly):
So as to be the chosen people (he quotes, lifting the pointer stick above his head): “You will be unto Me a Kingdom of priests and a holy nation” (Exodus, 19:6). This is what is written, “And all the people answered with one voice and said, ‘All the words which the Lord has spoken we will do’”(Exodus 24:3). Do you remember?
Yehuda:Yes, I do.
YEHUDA IS PALE BUT DOESN'T LOOK AWAY FROM THE TEACHER.
The teacher:What is it that you don't understand, Yehuda?
Yehuda(quietly):I don't understand… why I was born.
A SILENT PAUSE. THE TEACHER SHMUEL LOOKS AT YEHUDA.
The teacher:You were born to observe the laws of God Almighty.