And the answer, according to one of the great Kabbalists, has to do with timing.

Let's talk about the Ari z"l, Rabbi Isaac Luria (1534-1572), one of the most influential figures in Kabbalah. The Ari, who lived in 16th century Safed, revolutionized the understanding of Kabbalah with his profound insights. He unlocked secrets of creation, the nature of the divine, and the inner workings of the soul. He was a powerhouse.

But here's the thing: even with the Ari's groundbreaking work, according to Baal HaSulam (Rabbi Yehuda Leib HaLevi Ashlag, 1884-1954) in his introduction to the Zohar, the world wasn't quite ready for the full force of his teachings. Baal HaSulam explains that after the Ari's death, his "sanctified words could be understood only by a few elite individuals, who were not permitted to publicize them to the world." Imagine having access to such profound wisdom and being bound by a cosmic NDA!

Why the secrecy? Well, Baal HaSulam suggests the "vessels were not completely perfected." Think of it like this: you can have the most potent medicine, but if the patient's body isn't ready to receive it, it might do more harm than good. The world, metaphorically speaking, needed to mature, to refine its capacity to understand and integrate these powerful ideas.

So, when is the right time? Baal HaSulam makes a bold claim about our own era. He says that "in our generation, now that we are nearing the end of the second two thousand years, it is permitted to reveal his [the Ari's] words and the words of the Zohar to the world." That's us! We're living in a time when this ancient wisdom is meant to be unveiled.

He goes on to say, "From our generation and on, the words of the Zohar will be increasingly revealed, until all that God has planned for the complete revelation will be completed." It’s a fascinating idea, isn’t it? That the unveiling of spiritual truth is a gradual process, unfolding over generations.

What does this mean for us? Maybe it means we have a responsibility to engage with these texts, to grapple with their complexities, and to allow their wisdom to shape our lives. Maybe it means we're part of a grand, unfolding story, a cosmic reveal that’s been centuries in the making. Or maybe it's just a reminder that the most profound truths often emerge when the time is right, when we're ready to truly see them.