And You Shall Choose Life

Preceding the time this essay was written in 1933-34, Kabbalah was considered taboo. But Rav Ashlag, the founder of The Kabbalah Centre, was a visionary pioneer. He stood in the face of opposition and made it his mission to plead the case of studying this wisdom. In advance of World War II, he foresaw that darkness would fall upon the world. He believed that learning Kabbalah was the only way for people to reveal Light. Like a revolutionary, fighting the status quo, Rav Ashlag fought for people to unlock their consciousness.

He dedicated himself to revealing concealed aspects of the Bible and decoding the messages within. This essay was originally written as an introduction to The Study of the Ten Luminous Emanations -one of the most difficult and yet profound kabbalistic texts. Edited by Rav Michael Berg, the goal of this essay was to implore the study of Kabbalah. It was Rav Ashlag's belief that walking a kabbalistic path enabled people to find their true purpose and subsequently enjoy a life of fulfillment.

This book gives insight into one of the greatest kabbalistic thought leaders of all time. The text is deep and complex. One of the most challenging aspects is the tone of urgency. As people were swept up in pain and suffering, Rav Ashlag tried to explain that despite outer events, the Creator is good. "Choosing life" means challenging the sleepy way most people live. It means forming a connection to God, removing ego and pursuing the spiritual path of Kabbalah. Although written many decades ago, the essays are timeless. The thoughts and messages within this text are what led to the formation of The Kabbalah Centre.

Rav Yehuda Ashlag was born in Warsaw, Poland, in 1884. From early childhood, he demonstrated remarkable ability, originality, and dedication in the study of the Talmud, the Zohar, and other sacred texts.In his 30s, Rav Ashlag met a Warsaw merchant, a great kabbalist who became his teacher. Their relationship ended when, as Rav Ashlag admitted, "My arrogance caused a separation between us," and the teacher disappeared. They later reunited, and after much pleading, the teacher revealed an important kabbalistic secret to Rav Ashlag, then died the next day. The teacher's identity and the secret have remained unknown.After his teacher's death, Rav Ashlag moved to what is now Israel, where he transformed Kabbalah from a secret wisdom into a widely accessible body of teachings aimed at revolutionizing the world. Drawing on the Zohar, he predicted that 1995 would mark a turning point toward a mass movement for Kabbalah and spiritual transformation. Rav Ashlag wrote and published two major works: "Talmud Eser Sefirot" ("Study of the Ten Luminous Emanations") and his "Sulam Commentary on the Zohar," completed over ten years (1943-1953). This monumental work earned him the title Ba'al HaSulam (Master of the Ladder). The Sulam includes a translation of the Zohar from Aramaic to Hebrew, with detailed commentary and interpretation.In addition to his writings, Rav Ashlag founded The Kabbalah Centre in Israel in 1922. He was the teacher and spiritual master of Rav Yehuda Brandwein, who succeeded him as leader of The Kabbalah Centre upon Rav Ashlag's passing in 1956. In 1969, Rav Brandwein passed the leadership to his student Rav Berg. Rav Ashlag had foretold that one of his students would bring Kabbalah to the world. Under Rav Berg and Karen Berg, The Kabbalah Centre became an international spiritual movement with millions of publications sold and tens of thousands of students worldwide.Rav Ashlag was the first kabbalist to make the Zohar and the wisdom of Kabbalah accessible to everyone. His legacy continues to guide us toward personal and global transformation.

Rav Michael Berg is co-director of the Kabbalah Centre International and a distinguished kabbalistic scholar and teacher. He was born into a kabbalistic tradition as the son of the Rav and Karen Berg, the founders of The Kabbalah Centre. Raised within a lineage that dates back more than 100 years, Rav Michael Berg steeped himself in the wisdom of the Zohar from a young age. He became adept at combing through ancient materials and distilling complex information into elegant thought and language. He was the first person to translate the entire 23-volume Zohar and commentary from ancient Aramaic into English, beginning this monumental task when he was only 18 years old and completing it ten years later. He also completed the translation of the Tikunei HaZohar ("Corrections of the Zohar") Volume III from Aramaic into Modern Hebrew. Under his supervision, the Kabbalah Centre has increased the distribution of Zohars to millions of people in need across the globe. His compendium of works includes the translation and editing of some of Rav Ashlag's fundamental texts: The Wisdom of Truth, And You Shall Choose Life, On World Peace, and The Thought of Creation. Rav Ashlag is the founder Yeshivat Kol Yehuda, the forerunner of The Kabbalah Centre, and the author of the Sulam ("The Ladder") and Talmud Eser Sefirot ("Ten Luminous Emanations,") both central texts in the study of Kabbalah. Rav Michael Berg penned the first book under the Kabbalah Centre Publishing imprint: The Secret, in addition to, Becoming Like God, Secrets of the Zohar, and Secrets of the Bible. His book The Way (Wiley) became a national bestseller. Born in Israel, he studied at The Rabbinical Seminary of America in New York City, and at Yeshiva Shaar Hatorah, following which he earned his rabbinical ordination. Along with his wife, Monica, he co-hosts the Spiritually Hungry podcast, exploring life's big questions offering spiritual guidance in contemporary terms. He also directs Kabbalah.com, the Kabbalah Centre's online learning platform, which provides kabbalistic wisdom through written and video content in multiple languages. His teachings bring new insights to this ancient wisdom, reaching thousands weekly on Kabbalah.com. He resides in New York with his wife Monica and their four children, David, Joshua, Miriam, and Abigail.