“Mama, how did you learn to drive?” asked my 4-year-old son as we were traveling home after spending three days at the North American Kabbalah Congress. I began to think about his question. It was an opportunity for a lesson much deeper then meets the eye. The process of learning is essential to attaining wisdom. Is learning how to drive similar to learning the wisdom of Kabbalah? After a minute of thinking, I came up with rather a long answer.

First, you watch how other people drive. (That was me watching my friend study Kabbalah.) Then you find a good teacher. (Rav Laitman.) Then you begin to study with that teacher. There are rules that you have to learn, and there are skills that you have to acquire. You have to listen to your teacher, learn the rules, and practice the skills. That is how you learn to drive.

I was happy. This was great. Because of Kabbalah, I can answer my son’s questions better then ever before. I was on cloud nine! I did not expect, not was ready for the next question.

“Mama, why did God make us?” My heart began to accelerate, my thoughts racing to find the right answer. I have been studying Kabbalah for two weeks. In my heart, I know the answer, but can I put it into words for this young Kabbalist?  “Because God loves us”, I said. That did not satisfy my son. He asked his original question again and again, until finally I told him that I needed to think about it. Surprisingly, he agreed to wait in silence. The rest was the most amazing conversation I ever had with my son.

Mama: God has a lot of love and wants to share it. God created us so that He can give his love to us. Our job is to accept His love and to learn to love Him.

Son: But I can’t see God! Where is He?

Mama: Well, you can’t see God, but you feel God. Can you see happiness? Can you taste anger? Can you touch love? Can you smell frustration? Can you hear sadness?

Son: No.

Mama: But you can feel happiness, anger, love, frustration, and sadness, right?

Son: Yes.

Mama: Same with God. We can’t see God, but we feel God and His love for us.

Son: I can touch a boat, a tree, a car, a cookie!

Mama: Yes!

Son: But I can’t touch love!

Mama: That’s correct!

Son: I feel love!

Story by Natasha Sigmund
Photos from Kabbalah Congress 2007 "Future in Unity"
by Dinah Angelov and Yelena Strokin

Big thanks to our women for the Kid's Program on the congress: Brenda Grinapol, Rivka Pavlova, Stella Segal, Rufiya Blank, Natasha Sigmund, Erika Katanov, Irina Kosteenberg, Victoria Stosman, Galina Ignatova, Inessa Malyaeva, Yelena Strokin

More photos ...