It’s a question that’s haunted mystics and theologians for centuries. And, believe it or not, the Zohar, that foundational text of Kabbalah, has something to say about it.
Specifically, Baal HaSulam, the great 20th-century Kabbalist, gives us a peek behind the curtain in his "Introduction to the Zohar." He lays out a framework for understanding the soul’s journey, a journey that begins long before our earthly arrival.
Baal HaSulam breaks it down into three states. Ready to dive in?
First, there’s the soul's existence within the Ein Sof, the Infinite. Think of it like this: before creation even began, before time and space as we know it, our souls existed as part of God's plan. They were already there, in potential, holding the blueprint for their ultimate form, the form they'll have after tikkun olam – the repair of the world – is complete.
It's a powerful idea, isn’t it? That our essence, our truest self, was preordained, waiting to be realized.