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06 30th, 2009| 
Rav Yehuda Ashlag, the author of the prime commentary, HaSulam (“The Ladder”), on the Zohar, which is the central text of the Kabbalah, taught the Kabbalah in Israel at the opening of the 20th century. Rav Ashlag’s prime student, Rav Yehuda Tzvi Brandwein took over leadership of the center where Ashlag taught after Ashlag passed away.
Rav Berg, founder of the Kabbalah Center, studied Kabbalah in Israel, and he was one of the students who would attend the classes of Rav Brandwein. Indeed, Rav Berg felt that he was given the mandate by Brandwein to take over the position of teacher of the Kabbalah, and to open the secrets of the Kabbalah to the world. Founding the Kabbalah Center has made Rav Berg a leading figure at the forefront of adult spiritual education.
The Kabbalah Center has flourished under the leadership of Rav Berg, his wife, Karen, and his sons, Yehuda and Michael Berg.
Rav Berg explains that before creation of the universe the world was in a perfect state. At the beginning of the universe as we know it, there was a “Big Bang” which caused the light-filled vessel which was the universe, to shatter, which caused the separation of the vessel, which was previously united with the light that filled it, from the light. The light became the force of creation, and the shattered vessel the force of desire. The broken pieces of the holy vessel, together with the force of the sacred light, are what our physical universe is today.