The Fifth Book of the Dead called the Book of

As’Salaam

The Source of Peace     Peace and Blessing   As-Salam 

a. A Muslim form of salutation consisting of a deep bow with the right palm on the forehead

b. A salutation signifying peace, used chiefly by Muslims

1. As-Salam, as we know, is one of the names of Allah. Thus, when we say “As-Salam Alaikum” we are actually saying that may the trait of Allah (as-Salam or peace and tranquility_ be upon you and may He protect you;
2. As-Salam is also in the meaning of submission or surrender. Thus, when we say “As-Salam Alaikum” we are actually saying that we submit to what you would like for us to do
3. As-Salam is also in the meaning of protection or safety. Thus in this meaning, when we greet another believer with “As-Salam Alaikum” we are actually guaranteeing our believing brother or sister protection from any evil from ourselves and that we will not do a single thing to harm them – either physically or even spiritually. Not only would we not harm them with our hands, but we will also not cause them grief with our tongue…

…”For me there can be no opposition nor is there imperfection of action resulting from reaction.” (3)

Now we enter the realm of As’Salaam. “I am he whose essence and attributes are free from all imperfection and deficiency. I am capable of action.”(1)

“And a radiant beam of brilliant white light shall come from the heart of the guide. And the light shall blind you. And it shall strike you in your own heart. And with that white light which dissolves anger and hatred there shall be also a soft smoky gray light coming from the world of hell.”                       (Verse 7)

The voyager has been on this long journey and has been confronted with many possibilities of liberation but has not been able to find a gateway. The Voyager is fatigued and is aware of the various opportunities that come in front of him; he is quite aware of his death state now and has gone through these emotions. Though he is no longer in the body, but is still very human and traces of organic and divine are coming in front of him one after the other.

“And it is the grace of the Lord in loving wisdom that the light bathes you in its cleansing rays.” (10)

The pairing of the two words ‘loving wisdom’ communicates a spiritual truth. A relationship — a lover of wisdom follows wisdom. An aspect of the Beloved. Love without wisdom could manifest as short-sighted and ego-based. Love without knowledge or wisdom leads to suffering. While wisdom without love is intellectual and lacking in compassion. Love can inform logic. It can make us wiser. We each have greater capacities for love than we know.

“And beware of the dull smoky light from the world of hell…” (11)

This is a disquieting passage, particularly in view of what we have just read in verse two of this book; “I have none to oppose me, not even an Absolute Evil.” So, we may ask, which is it? Is it the Divine Love of As’Salaam, the reality of “If God be with us, I have none to oppose me, not even an Absolute Evil?” Or is it that we could be stuck forever in unbearable suffering and torture without any hope of salvation? How is it that we can find these two inconsistent and even contradictory passages so close together in the same book?

“And you ought now to concentrate upon the brilliant white light. And thus you ought now to pray with me:” (12)

“Alas when wandering in the world through the power of violent anger and fear, on the path of radiance of the mirror of wisdom and light, may I be led by the guide of the transit world.” (13)

“And may the Divine Lord be my protector. And may I be safely brought across the danger of the world of transit. Now may I be placed in the state of the Pure Shining Void.” (14)

“And he that prays in this way with humility and faith in the Divine Love, he shall merge in rainbow light with the heart of Reality and attain complete union with Absolute Truth.”(15)

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“Prayer is not a switch with which we can control the universe. But I do believe that we can, with our prayers, reach dimensions of existence that we do not otherwise have access to and that the openings in those higher worlds bring blessings down to us… A prayer, truly prayed, is the beginning of its own answer.”

We leave this book with Reb Zalman’s vision and bless­ing: “We strive to make our prayers a vessel for our own experiences—and yet, at the same time, to transcend all that heart and mind can grasp. We aim to be most truly ourselves, to stand in our own fullness before the living God.”

Reb Zalman would gather, women and men, at a tisch. He would sit in the rebbe’s chair, teaching Torah, and then would stand and say, ‘Everyone stand!’ So we stood. Then he would say, ‘Everybody move one chair to the left.’ And we did. So did he. Then he would say to the person who was now sitting in the rebbe’s chair: ‘Look inside for the rebbe-spark within you — and teach from there.’ And so we moved, person by person, through the night. [He] saw the possibility that in each of us was a channel for sacred Spirit. The chair was important. It called us into depth.”

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Here are the written commentaries from the Group on the Fifth Book of the Dead. There are many gems within these commentaries. In studying the Fifth Book directly, the group members were led to many sources outside the text. You  will see comments from the Vedic texts, there are several links to the Upanishads. You will notice comments from the Tibetan cultures woven into commentary within the mystical Christian dogma.

Book 5 As’Salaam. Commentary(a) – September, 2015

The Recordings of the Presentations:

The Audio Presentation  – Part I –    Book 5 – 09-23-2015

The Audio Presentation  – Part II –   Book 5 – 09-16-2015

The Audio Presentation  – Part III – Book 5 – 09-30-2015