What is Our Essence?

Why is it important for ourselves to know what we are made of? What we really are?  Can such knowledge help us live our lives in an authentic way, and not just live our lives on a superficial level? The truth is, if we don’t know which aspects of ourselves are positive, supportive to our path, and helping us to fulfill our potential, or conversely, which are holding us back and are self-destructive, we cannot know what parts of ourselves to place our focus on. Even more important, we cannot recognize our true worth and fulfill our ultimate potential if we remain ignorant of what we really are. Rabbi Yehudah Leib Ashlag, wrote an essay on this very question, ” What is our essence?” as his introduction to the Zohar the central text of Kabbalah. At first sight, this seems strange. The content of the Zohar deals with the intentions of our forefathers and foremothers; the reasons for the mitzvot; and the dynamics of light and vessel. These topics are described in the Perush haSulam in a complex language of root and branch, the language of Kabbalah, the language of Sephirot and Partzufim, as taught by the Holy Ari. As an introduction to the Zohar, we might therefore have expected Rabbi Ashlag to have concentrated on these elements. To our surprise, however, he focuses on this one question, “What is our essence?” By doing so, Rabbi Ashlag is teaching us that the question, “What is our essence” is actually the focus of the Zohar itself! Through the details of the inner wisdom of Kabbalah, the Zohar is teaching us what our own nature consists of. And it is in this context that it shows us our purpose in life, demonstrates the correct relationship between ourselves and God and teaches us how to serve our Creator. This podcast is dedicated in loving memory and for the ilui nishmat of Feigi Bat Rivka z”l and Aharon Kotler z”l and Sara Kotler z”l, May their memories be a blessing for us . The inspiration for this podcast came from the students who are learning A Tapestry for the Soul: the Introduction to the Zohar by Rabbi Yehudah Leib Ashlag with me. If you would like to join the group learning, please contact me, Yedidah Cohen, through the website on The picture is “One Together” by David Friedman of Tsfat . His work may be seen at

You can listen to What is Our Essence? online on Radio and Podcast. Open the player on this page to stream the available audio.

What is Our Essence? is an episode from Nehora School presents the Kabbalah of Rabbi Ashlag by Yedidah Cohen.

This episode is 21:27 long.

This episode was published on Dec 9, 2020.

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