The Misunderstood Paul

Paul has taught his disciples the inner light of the Torah, a spiritualization of its outer actions, so to say. This in Kabbalah is called the Torah of Yetzirah, the Torah of the world of formation. There, in this world, we have our own inner calendar. All other things in this world are only a shadow of it (Colossians 2:17). The substance of all the worlds is the spirit of Christ (ibd.). In relation to the life of the worlds, everything in this world is just a passing shadow. That's why we should not bother ourselves or others with foods or drinks or the observance of special times, Shabbats, or festivals (Colossians 2:16). It's everyone's own choice if he wants to keep them or not.

Shabbat in the spiritual world is an inner state, when we reap the fruits of our inner work. The weekdays are spiritual degrees of an inner correction. When we have brought the Sefirot Chesed, Gevurah, Tiferet, Netzach, Hod, and Yesod to a state of correction, we can receive their energy in the vessel of Malchut. A corrected Malchut, which is fit for use, can receive all the bounty of the upper worlds. This state of receiving the full impact of light corresponding to my present degree I'm on currently is called the Shabbat - a state of complete peace and unity, a state of joy and ecstasy. The lowest degree of the spiritual ladder compared to the joys in our world provides a million times greater pleasures than everything we can experience in our world. We come into contact with the upper world when we have managed to accomplish our inner corrections. All the Torah is summarized in love thy neighbor as thyself. Without the fulfillment of this law, we cannot arrive at the state of loving God with all our heart, which is the highest precept. Like the cross has a horizontal and vertical dimension, we need both mercy and wisdom. Mercy expresses itself in good deeds to our neighbors. Wisdom we achieve through studying the authentic scriptures of the Torah tradition.

The Apostle Paul spoke about the Garden of Eden as a spiritual state that we should attain (2 Corinthians 12:4). The pathway of the Apostles has always been one that sought transcendence. It was a pathway of the inner light of the Torah through the enlivening spirit of Christ. We must come away from mere religious beliefs of passiveness. Rather, we must make ourselves a pure vessel, which will be ready to channel the light of the worlds. The Apostle Paul has never been against the Torah, but he taught the living Torah of the Messiah instead of a Torah that is only based on externality and legality. May we walk according to the pathways of this hidden light, and we will also be elevated to the state of Eden.