People continuously seek purpose in their lives. There are times when things seems to be going well and ones purpose in life appears to be clear and then there are other times, in every life, when that purpose, which seemed so clear only a short time back is completely clouded and cannot become clear no matter how hard one tries. Perhaps we each have to analyze the validity of our various definitions of purpose, but to do so we must first look back to the source of our current day perspectives.
Zealous pursuit of material pleasure, motivated by our collective desires, has led us into a world which continues to be driven by this objective, yet “purpose” remains fleeting and people continue to seek 'it' in their lives. However, if mans' purpose was a lost cause then we would move more rapidly, as a human race, toward the brink of our own self inflicted destruction, but that's not quite the way it is...
Purpose is the central element of any culture, if it can be identified it can be nurtured to increasingly empower society, but when single minded devotion to purpose is diluted by other purposes that compliment the collective ‘noise’ of desire then our actual purpose is diluted. If we go back to the roots of our spiritual culture in the western world, particularly around the time of the revelation to the people at Mt. Sinai, we will see that purpose in life was centered on the soul. At this time, as is evident in the Torah and in Egyptian archaeological records, the passage of the soul was clearly the focus of so many aspects of society. Whilst the Egyptian records refer to the soul’s passage in the afterlife (to a greater degree), in everyday life passage remained the focus. Either way, the soul was at the absolute center of purpose and thought that prevailed in society.
Society’s absolute commitment to elevation of the soul was the living purpose of the mainstream so much so that their conscious minds were readily aware of and always centered on the potential impact their actions may have on the elevation of their souls in the afterlife. Negative moral behavior would lead to a demise of the energy of the soul, which was seen as the antithesis of ones G-d or god given responsibility. By the end of life’s term the body and mind should be elevated to the purest state so that the elevated soul be returned to rising to a higher heaven that its origin. Torah and Kabbalah resolved that a single purpose cannot be defined by multiple gods and that was the defining difference between the holy people of Israel and Egypt.
If we were all truly committed to the improvement of life on planet earth we would first begin to recognize our life purpose so that it could manifest in our thoughts and actions, in the way we operate and function as individuals and as societies and finally as a common race of human beings . In the absence of messianic intervention, a dramatic change is not possible, but if one contemplates the era in which we find ourselves and takes a global view of significant ecological, territorial and cultural events of recent history one can only begin to draw conclusions that improvement, through unity, is the only logical direction toward which society must move, in order that we can ultimately attain the peaceful objectives that are ultimately prophesized for the human race; to bring G-d to dwell amongst us in a direct and absolute fashion.
This objective is clearly referred to in the Torah, particularly in the lead up to messianic times when we (on earth) are to make a home for G-d to dwell amongst us. In Hebrew 'home' is written בית (bayit). The same word is used for the second letter of the Hebrew alphabet (bet - בית), the letter is ב (bet or beit) representing the number 2. The gematria of (ta’avah) meaning “desire” or passion בית = 412 = תאוה (bayit). Generally ta’avah is referred to as a negative desire, but when it is associated with a righteous person it becomes positive. The signs are therefore clear, our progressive return to a righteous state will correct the energy of our collective desires and bring with it the presence of G-d to dwell in the house that we make for Him. There are some very special connotations related to the energy associated with the letter ב (bet), particularly as they relate to the third and final temple in Jerusalem. The letter ב (bet) is the first letter of Torah.
Discovering our collective purpose as a human race seems to be a perplexing problem, but there can be no greater purpose than to bring G-d’s presence to dwell amongst us in a real and absolute sense.
Friday, March 30, 2007
Tuesday, March 27, 2007
Which Way from here?
At the beginning of each day during services in synagogues and homes around the world several short blessings are pronounced before any other prayers are conducted. Amongst these blessings are particular paragraphs of interest including;
“My G-d, the soul which You have given within me is pure. You have created it, You have formed it, You have breathed it into me and You preserve it within me. You will eventually take it from me, and restore it within me in the Time to Come. So long as the soul is within me, I offer thanks to You, Lord my G-d and G-d of my fathers, Master of all works, L-rd of all souls. Blessed are You, L-rd, who restores souls of dead bodies.”
…continuing…
“And may it be Your will, L-rd our G-d and G-d of our fathers, to accustom us to study Your Torah, and to make us cleave to Your commandments. Do not bring us into sin, nor into transgression or iniquity, nor into temptation or scorn; and may the evil inclination not have mastery over us. Keep us far from an evil person and an evil companion. Make us cleave to the good inclination and to good deeds, and compel our inclination to be subservient to You. Grant us this day, and every day, grace kindness, and mercy in Your eyes and in the eyes of all who behold us; and bestow bountiful kindness upon us. Blessed are You, L-rd, who bestows bountiful kindness upon His people Israel.
May it be Your will, L-rd my G-d and G-d of my fathers, to protect me this day, and every day, from insolent men and from impudence; from a wicked man, from an evil companion, from an evil neighbor, and from an evil occurrence, from an evil eye, from a malicious tongue, from slander, from false testimony, from men’s hate, from calumnious charges, from unnatural death, from harsh diseases, and from misfortune; from the destructive adversary and from harsh judgment; from an implacable opponent, whether or not he is a member of the Covenant; and from the retribution of gehinnom (hell).”
The prayer is said for the soul, for the things that are not tangible, the abstract and unknown. If one considers carefully what is actually being said, word for word, it becomes evident, once the soul is consciously called into focus, that the forces about which the prayer is most concerned are those of the dark side, the evil forces whether directly targeted or delivered by a carrier. This prayer is said in the morning time when the G-d in His merciful state shines His countenance upon us as we ask;
“and may the evil inclination not have mastery over us. Keep us far from an evil person and an evil companion. Make us cleave to the good inclination”.
Here the objective is clear and the request is straight forward; keep evil away and make us cleave to the forces of good, which we may not be able to consciously identify. If this statement came true, evil thoughts would be rejected and good thoughts promoted by our cleaving. Through this we would know the thoughts to which we ought to focus our attention. This then becomes the object of our thinking through the day whenever we think of anything, two questions should come to mind either prospectively or retrospectively;
Was it from the side of evil?
Was it from the side of good?
So long as we identify the source of our thoughts we will begin to manage our thinking so that our thoughts can be dominated by that side, which we choose to be dominated by. These thoughts are translated into prevailing actions, which over time will begin to modify the way we function.
Most people have experienced a concept referred to as ‘synchronicity” – this occurs when events appear to happen by apparent coincidence, particularly when things appear to be too coincidental. Then a simple explanation won’t suffice and one is left to ponder the reasons why the events occurred in such a specific manner. Could there be a meaning behind the events? Could there be a message? What should I do? In fact many people follow instincts at junctures like these where all their retained pragmatic logic gets shifted aside for the more esoteric logic, which is simply a reaction to the events they just experienced or is it?
Events like these are occurring all the time, but it is only the rare occasion that one consciously recognizes the synchronicity and only because at that moment the conscious mind happens to be in sync with the soul. Most times the intellectual ‘noise’ is too great for synchronicity be consciously noticed. Although it will continue to occur, without recognizing this phenomena decisions directed by free choice absent of this higher state of consciousness, may be squandered because of a simple lack of awareness and sensitivity.
One of the most important messages is that people build a greater awareness of the energy forces of G-d and the spiritual realm in which they occur so their perspectives can be elevated on the ‘wings of eagles’, the guiding forces that are constantly being sent through your soul to your sub-conscious and conscious brain. An awareness of these is the starting point for a journey to the inner realm where a holistic comprehension of each decision you face through each thought that comes to you can be better understood.
At the highest point of morning prayer the Daily Amidah, an ancient prayer that was once mediated over 3 times each day for 2-3 hours where each and every word was carefully concentrated upon such that rolling prayer continued throughout the day, there is a section as follows;
“Let there be no hope for informers and may all heretics and all the wicked instantly perish; may all enemies of Your people be speedily extirpated; and may you swiftly uproot, break, crush and subdue the reign of wickedness speedily in our days. Blessed are You, L-rd, who crushes enemies and subdues the wicked.
May Your mercies be aroused, L-rd our G-d, upon the righteous, upon the pious, upon the elders of Your people Israel, upon the remnant of their sages, upon the righteous proselytes, and upon us. Grant us ample reward to all who truly trust in Your name, and place our lot among them; may we never be disgraced, for we have put our trust in You. Blessed are You, L-rd, the support and security of the righteous.”
In this prayer we see that all righteous people are being prayed for, people of all nations, a unifying message that seeks to create a unifying prayer for G-d to strengthen all of us.
It is becoming increasingly clear as we develop a full perspective that the purpose of our lives has become distorted by intellectual noise spoken of earlier. The noise is prevalent because of the good and evil factors discussed and it continues to prevent our clarity of purpose to be revealed, or does it?
“My G-d, the soul which You have given within me is pure. You have created it, You have formed it, You have breathed it into me and You preserve it within me. You will eventually take it from me, and restore it within me in the Time to Come. So long as the soul is within me, I offer thanks to You, Lord my G-d and G-d of my fathers, Master of all works, L-rd of all souls. Blessed are You, L-rd, who restores souls of dead bodies.”
…continuing…
“And may it be Your will, L-rd our G-d and G-d of our fathers, to accustom us to study Your Torah, and to make us cleave to Your commandments. Do not bring us into sin, nor into transgression or iniquity, nor into temptation or scorn; and may the evil inclination not have mastery over us. Keep us far from an evil person and an evil companion. Make us cleave to the good inclination and to good deeds, and compel our inclination to be subservient to You. Grant us this day, and every day, grace kindness, and mercy in Your eyes and in the eyes of all who behold us; and bestow bountiful kindness upon us. Blessed are You, L-rd, who bestows bountiful kindness upon His people Israel.
May it be Your will, L-rd my G-d and G-d of my fathers, to protect me this day, and every day, from insolent men and from impudence; from a wicked man, from an evil companion, from an evil neighbor, and from an evil occurrence, from an evil eye, from a malicious tongue, from slander, from false testimony, from men’s hate, from calumnious charges, from unnatural death, from harsh diseases, and from misfortune; from the destructive adversary and from harsh judgment; from an implacable opponent, whether or not he is a member of the Covenant; and from the retribution of gehinnom (hell).”
The prayer is said for the soul, for the things that are not tangible, the abstract and unknown. If one considers carefully what is actually being said, word for word, it becomes evident, once the soul is consciously called into focus, that the forces about which the prayer is most concerned are those of the dark side, the evil forces whether directly targeted or delivered by a carrier. This prayer is said in the morning time when the G-d in His merciful state shines His countenance upon us as we ask;
“and may the evil inclination not have mastery over us. Keep us far from an evil person and an evil companion. Make us cleave to the good inclination”.
Here the objective is clear and the request is straight forward; keep evil away and make us cleave to the forces of good, which we may not be able to consciously identify. If this statement came true, evil thoughts would be rejected and good thoughts promoted by our cleaving. Through this we would know the thoughts to which we ought to focus our attention. This then becomes the object of our thinking through the day whenever we think of anything, two questions should come to mind either prospectively or retrospectively;
Was it from the side of evil?
Was it from the side of good?
So long as we identify the source of our thoughts we will begin to manage our thinking so that our thoughts can be dominated by that side, which we choose to be dominated by. These thoughts are translated into prevailing actions, which over time will begin to modify the way we function.
Most people have experienced a concept referred to as ‘synchronicity” – this occurs when events appear to happen by apparent coincidence, particularly when things appear to be too coincidental. Then a simple explanation won’t suffice and one is left to ponder the reasons why the events occurred in such a specific manner. Could there be a meaning behind the events? Could there be a message? What should I do? In fact many people follow instincts at junctures like these where all their retained pragmatic logic gets shifted aside for the more esoteric logic, which is simply a reaction to the events they just experienced or is it?
Events like these are occurring all the time, but it is only the rare occasion that one consciously recognizes the synchronicity and only because at that moment the conscious mind happens to be in sync with the soul. Most times the intellectual ‘noise’ is too great for synchronicity be consciously noticed. Although it will continue to occur, without recognizing this phenomena decisions directed by free choice absent of this higher state of consciousness, may be squandered because of a simple lack of awareness and sensitivity.
One of the most important messages is that people build a greater awareness of the energy forces of G-d and the spiritual realm in which they occur so their perspectives can be elevated on the ‘wings of eagles’, the guiding forces that are constantly being sent through your soul to your sub-conscious and conscious brain. An awareness of these is the starting point for a journey to the inner realm where a holistic comprehension of each decision you face through each thought that comes to you can be better understood.
At the highest point of morning prayer the Daily Amidah, an ancient prayer that was once mediated over 3 times each day for 2-3 hours where each and every word was carefully concentrated upon such that rolling prayer continued throughout the day, there is a section as follows;
“Let there be no hope for informers and may all heretics and all the wicked instantly perish; may all enemies of Your people be speedily extirpated; and may you swiftly uproot, break, crush and subdue the reign of wickedness speedily in our days. Blessed are You, L-rd, who crushes enemies and subdues the wicked.
May Your mercies be aroused, L-rd our G-d, upon the righteous, upon the pious, upon the elders of Your people Israel, upon the remnant of their sages, upon the righteous proselytes, and upon us. Grant us ample reward to all who truly trust in Your name, and place our lot among them; may we never be disgraced, for we have put our trust in You. Blessed are You, L-rd, the support and security of the righteous.”
In this prayer we see that all righteous people are being prayed for, people of all nations, a unifying message that seeks to create a unifying prayer for G-d to strengthen all of us.
It is becoming increasingly clear as we develop a full perspective that the purpose of our lives has become distorted by intellectual noise spoken of earlier. The noise is prevalent because of the good and evil factors discussed and it continues to prevent our clarity of purpose to be revealed, or does it?
Thursday, March 15, 2007
G-d’s Interactive Angels
Well known to man for thousands of years are the works of G-d’s legions of angels and special souls. Each major angel, represented by one of G-d’s 10 ineffable names, is in charge of legions of lesser angels that perform their work according to His commands. These are the angels that interface directly with our souls, these are the energies that connect and steer us through every aspect of our life, these are the vessels that have been meditated upon, visited and which visit us frequently delivering all that is His will.
Visions of these angels have been contemplated and expounded upon by the greatest prophets and sages many of whom have described their experiences. Methods for elevating thought to the heights of these supernal beings have been well documented and exist in books that are only recently being published in English and other languages. Mediation techniques so specific they are arguably the most complex and sophisticated techniques known, revealing the perfected mind state that must be reconstructed in order that holiness of thought can yield a true perception of our connection to G-d. Spoken of as 'dangerous' even the most stable rabbinical sages have been psychologically scarred for life or have passed from this world as a direct result of their ascension and elevation away from the physical world of Asiyah through these meditations.
Consider that many of the thoughts you are stimulated to think originate by external Divine stimulus, by the activities of others around you and by desires that are ever present. Thoughts can be categorized, but the one we are interested to review is desire; the root of the ‘noise’ that we have grown accustomed to in our lives.
So where do these thought stimulation's come from? How do they arrive in our minds?
Contemplating ‘thought’ itself, prompts us to first classify types of thought most of which are generated by continuously recycling information – much like a washing machine that tumbles clothes around and around. In the undisciplined mind, the one without dominant intent or determination to achieve a purpose, thoughts that are continuously recycled can be classified as producers of ‘noise’. However, there are two primary thought categories and many different sub categories, which have been very carefully analyzed by psychologists, professional people, Rabbis, Priests and Clerics. Since we have already identified the first category as ‘desire’ we will now focus only on those thoughts in the second category ‘analytical’.
At the level of conscious thought, analysis is often the more substantive process. Generally analysis emerges by concentrating on a particular subject over time. Essentially thoughts are ‘brewed’, but this does not fully describe how they emerge, rather the process of ‘brewing’ relates to the concentration on the subject and not the emergence of the thought. Brewing simply enables the subject matter to be elevated and to permeate the conscious and sub-conscious such that the energy of the subject begins to infuse with the essence of the intellect through the Sefirot. By quieting the noise of desire and of the intellect, through silent concentration, gates (aspects) to each Sefirah are opened to receive the external energies that interact, intertwine and influence the sub attributes of each relevant Sefirah whose gates have been stimulated and activated to open. As mentioned earlier there are 49 major attributes of the lower (emotional) Sefirot each of which are meditated upon during the counting of the Omer. However, each 1/7th of each Sefirah also has 7 further sub gates, making a total of 49 sub-gates per Sefirah, which are the third dimension of its attributes. The 50th gate is the highest level, the body of the vessel and therefore the passage of transfer between Sefirah.
Interaction between the Sefirot of the soul and the Sefirot of the subject or object being contemplated are communicated through the brain. Acting as a large antenna and transceiver ultra sensitive energies, emerging through the soul, stimulate the most sensitive parts of the brain. This results’ in slight chemical changes, which begin to flow more actively as the neurons in the brain, responsible for the emergence of thought, convert this energy, by chemistry, into a specific neuron stream. By activating or de-activating memory agents, that store inert knowledge that your brain possesses[1], a direct thought is created. The quality of access to inert knowledge is contingent on low level impedance from the ‘noise’ of the intellect. There are significantly more complex descriptions that exist in the teachings of Rabbis who have studied the origin and passage of thought, this description attempts to summarize the quantum mechanics of the process and to reconcile it with modern psychology.
The Sefirot provide us with a reference defined as a web of highly sophisticated interconnected energies through which G-d interfaces with all that there is on a spiritual and physical level. G-d’s ministering angels can therefore influence our thinking by way of our soulful interaction with His Sefirot passed down through each universal realm.
Reducing intellectual noise enables us to achieve progressively intensified concentration for disciplined and corrected thought. When that thought is focused on purification, preparation and subjects of holiness, intrinsic wisdom and understanding locked by our minds can be released. The pathway for any thought is always clearly mapped and can be followed all the way up the line through the Sefirot of the world of Asiyah to the Sefirot of each of the higher worlds. Commanding the higher Sefirot that control Understanding and Wisdom comes by first reaching the lower Sefirot that control Justice and Mercy. The path through the Sefirot is well documented in many works of Kabbalah.
By way of meditation and deep prayer the minds capacity to conceptualize the soul and the angels of G-d’s universe that interact with the soul will emerge. In this framework of elevated mental holiness the perception of G-d’s legions becomes apparent. This is beautifully described in many ancient writings using elaborate terms like; Chariots, Hands, Wheels, Wings, Speaking Silence, Glowing husks and Living Creatures.
God’s angels are always hard at work communicating with our souls.
[1] The Society of Mind – Marvin Minsky
Visions of these angels have been contemplated and expounded upon by the greatest prophets and sages many of whom have described their experiences. Methods for elevating thought to the heights of these supernal beings have been well documented and exist in books that are only recently being published in English and other languages. Mediation techniques so specific they are arguably the most complex and sophisticated techniques known, revealing the perfected mind state that must be reconstructed in order that holiness of thought can yield a true perception of our connection to G-d. Spoken of as 'dangerous' even the most stable rabbinical sages have been psychologically scarred for life or have passed from this world as a direct result of their ascension and elevation away from the physical world of Asiyah through these meditations.
Consider that many of the thoughts you are stimulated to think originate by external Divine stimulus, by the activities of others around you and by desires that are ever present. Thoughts can be categorized, but the one we are interested to review is desire; the root of the ‘noise’ that we have grown accustomed to in our lives.
So where do these thought stimulation's come from? How do they arrive in our minds?
Contemplating ‘thought’ itself, prompts us to first classify types of thought most of which are generated by continuously recycling information – much like a washing machine that tumbles clothes around and around. In the undisciplined mind, the one without dominant intent or determination to achieve a purpose, thoughts that are continuously recycled can be classified as producers of ‘noise’. However, there are two primary thought categories and many different sub categories, which have been very carefully analyzed by psychologists, professional people, Rabbis, Priests and Clerics. Since we have already identified the first category as ‘desire’ we will now focus only on those thoughts in the second category ‘analytical’.
At the level of conscious thought, analysis is often the more substantive process. Generally analysis emerges by concentrating on a particular subject over time. Essentially thoughts are ‘brewed’, but this does not fully describe how they emerge, rather the process of ‘brewing’ relates to the concentration on the subject and not the emergence of the thought. Brewing simply enables the subject matter to be elevated and to permeate the conscious and sub-conscious such that the energy of the subject begins to infuse with the essence of the intellect through the Sefirot. By quieting the noise of desire and of the intellect, through silent concentration, gates (aspects) to each Sefirah are opened to receive the external energies that interact, intertwine and influence the sub attributes of each relevant Sefirah whose gates have been stimulated and activated to open. As mentioned earlier there are 49 major attributes of the lower (emotional) Sefirot each of which are meditated upon during the counting of the Omer. However, each 1/7th of each Sefirah also has 7 further sub gates, making a total of 49 sub-gates per Sefirah, which are the third dimension of its attributes. The 50th gate is the highest level, the body of the vessel and therefore the passage of transfer between Sefirah.
Interaction between the Sefirot of the soul and the Sefirot of the subject or object being contemplated are communicated through the brain. Acting as a large antenna and transceiver ultra sensitive energies, emerging through the soul, stimulate the most sensitive parts of the brain. This results’ in slight chemical changes, which begin to flow more actively as the neurons in the brain, responsible for the emergence of thought, convert this energy, by chemistry, into a specific neuron stream. By activating or de-activating memory agents, that store inert knowledge that your brain possesses[1], a direct thought is created. The quality of access to inert knowledge is contingent on low level impedance from the ‘noise’ of the intellect. There are significantly more complex descriptions that exist in the teachings of Rabbis who have studied the origin and passage of thought, this description attempts to summarize the quantum mechanics of the process and to reconcile it with modern psychology.
The Sefirot provide us with a reference defined as a web of highly sophisticated interconnected energies through which G-d interfaces with all that there is on a spiritual and physical level. G-d’s ministering angels can therefore influence our thinking by way of our soulful interaction with His Sefirot passed down through each universal realm.
Reducing intellectual noise enables us to achieve progressively intensified concentration for disciplined and corrected thought. When that thought is focused on purification, preparation and subjects of holiness, intrinsic wisdom and understanding locked by our minds can be released. The pathway for any thought is always clearly mapped and can be followed all the way up the line through the Sefirot of the world of Asiyah to the Sefirot of each of the higher worlds. Commanding the higher Sefirot that control Understanding and Wisdom comes by first reaching the lower Sefirot that control Justice and Mercy. The path through the Sefirot is well documented in many works of Kabbalah.
By way of meditation and deep prayer the minds capacity to conceptualize the soul and the angels of G-d’s universe that interact with the soul will emerge. In this framework of elevated mental holiness the perception of G-d’s legions becomes apparent. This is beautifully described in many ancient writings using elaborate terms like; Chariots, Hands, Wheels, Wings, Speaking Silence, Glowing husks and Living Creatures.
God’s angels are always hard at work communicating with our souls.
[1] The Society of Mind – Marvin Minsky
Thursday, March 01, 2007
Truth
The demise of Ancient Egypt's religious culture and growing acceptance of Israelite monotheism draws the natural conclusion that idolatry and paganism were deeply flawed, therefore it did not withstand the true test of time. In the period Abraham through Moses, Egypt’s intellectuals contested the perfect logic of Israelite mysticism. With Israels departure, Egyptians had finally met their spiritual match and it took less that 1000 years after that for Egypt to completely relinquish its belief system in its entirety.
A consistent doctrine that has strayed from its holy origin must ultimately re-orient with its source in order that its constituents benefit through prescribed methodologies to yield wisdom and understanding so that truth and knowledge can embellish their lives.
It is difficult to discover a depth of understanding from a literal reading of Torah and even more so through translations that do not share the same grammatical and numerical construct as its holy language source. Correct interpretation is made more complex because each Hebrew letter is founded upon particular energies that connect and flow in the 'spiritual vessels' attributed to G-d’s 10 names, His angels of the highest realm, the highest Sefirot, the essence of which is captured in every one of Torah's holy 22 letter alphabet. In the lower realms these energies take their form as the letters and words of thought and speech.
The word 'alphabet' originates by combining the first two letters of Hebrew 'Aleph and Bet'. Whilst those with an anti Semitic slant may present an argument in favor of the Greek letters Alpha and Beta, it is the source of the Greek language that owes a deep gratitude to its Hebrews origin. The Holy Hebrew tongue is not a man made code and The Torah is not a document dictated by a man, it is the words of G-d transcribed through a man in a language determined by G-d.
New found knowledge establishes the basis around which more people begin to understand these deeper 'mystical' insights of Kabbalah. Growing curiosity and increased desire for truth is destined to re-orient the masses of the world toward a holy path that will ultimately accomplish the prophecies about which the Torah speaks. However, in the absence of complete acceptance and reliance on ancient Hebrew's holy source documents other religions, which are based in whole or in part on some translation of Torah, cannot reference the complete source construct that reveals the inner (mystical) beauty of Torah.
Christianity and Islam have simplified Judaism such that neither are synchronized to their source!
Over time, mans ever improving awareness of historical and scientific fact, together with the revelations of Torah, enables increasing focus and distinction of 'truth'. Therefore, doctrines that are not true to their source will be exposed and eventually judged as being flawed. A blatant example is found in The New Testament prophecy of 'messianic return'. Jesus (Yeshu - Salvation), an orthodox Jew did not believe in Messiah in the absence of the third temple, nor in the 'messianic return', nor the concept of trinity, yet Christianity is founded on these precepts.
Deeply embedded in Torah is life's truth, how we ought to live it and most importantly how people can return to a state of 'inner peace' as individuals to bring peace, harmony and purpose to life for the benefit of all people. Through the mystical revelations of Kabbalah small diverse sub-sections of the mainstream are just beginning to see the deeper wisdom in the words of the Torah. As demands for this knowledge increase and access to it via the Internet improves, so other religions will become progressively marginalized as they are confronted by the 'dead end' of logic in the face of their increasingly sophisticated constituents.
Religions based on a relationship with Torah don't believe in different G-d’s, but each religion has its own systems that enable people to connect with G-d and there is no system quite like Israels' Kabbalah and Chasidus, which encapsulate the deep fabric of Jewish life, tradition and belief. These are the embodiment of the perfected logical construct containing the secrets through which people unite with G-d. Not all people interpret Kabbalah correctly, in fact most people get it wrong, nevertheless deep inside Torah the correct messages lie waiting. So long as we refine the methodologies for extracting truth and establishing proper guidelines for pursuing it we will move at an ever increasing rate toward the supernal light (spirituality) that is beginning to shine upon us during this pre-messianic period through which we are living.
The most advanced works of Kabbalah and Chasidus focus their attention on the mind and its relationship to the animal and Divine Soul. Many of these works, produced from their source in Torah, are the worlds most complete and truthful studies of psychology because they emanate from the psychology of the G-dhead itself. Since man was created in the image of G-d, what better source than Torah to reveal the mechanics of mans complex mind.
The Hebrew word for truth is אםת (emmet) numerically 1-40-400 . Of significance is the fact that the 3 letters of this word are, in order, the first, middle and last in the Hebrew alphabet.
A consistent doctrine that has strayed from its holy origin must ultimately re-orient with its source in order that its constituents benefit through prescribed methodologies to yield wisdom and understanding so that truth and knowledge can embellish their lives.
It is difficult to discover a depth of understanding from a literal reading of Torah and even more so through translations that do not share the same grammatical and numerical construct as its holy language source. Correct interpretation is made more complex because each Hebrew letter is founded upon particular energies that connect and flow in the 'spiritual vessels' attributed to G-d’s 10 names, His angels of the highest realm, the highest Sefirot, the essence of which is captured in every one of Torah's holy 22 letter alphabet. In the lower realms these energies take their form as the letters and words of thought and speech.
The word 'alphabet' originates by combining the first two letters of Hebrew 'Aleph and Bet'. Whilst those with an anti Semitic slant may present an argument in favor of the Greek letters Alpha and Beta, it is the source of the Greek language that owes a deep gratitude to its Hebrews origin. The Holy Hebrew tongue is not a man made code and The Torah is not a document dictated by a man, it is the words of G-d transcribed through a man in a language determined by G-d.
New found knowledge establishes the basis around which more people begin to understand these deeper 'mystical' insights of Kabbalah. Growing curiosity and increased desire for truth is destined to re-orient the masses of the world toward a holy path that will ultimately accomplish the prophecies about which the Torah speaks. However, in the absence of complete acceptance and reliance on ancient Hebrew's holy source documents other religions, which are based in whole or in part on some translation of Torah, cannot reference the complete source construct that reveals the inner (mystical) beauty of Torah.
Christianity and Islam have simplified Judaism such that neither are synchronized to their source!
Over time, mans ever improving awareness of historical and scientific fact, together with the revelations of Torah, enables increasing focus and distinction of 'truth'. Therefore, doctrines that are not true to their source will be exposed and eventually judged as being flawed. A blatant example is found in The New Testament prophecy of 'messianic return'. Jesus (Yeshu - Salvation), an orthodox Jew did not believe in Messiah in the absence of the third temple, nor in the 'messianic return', nor the concept of trinity, yet Christianity is founded on these precepts.
Deeply embedded in Torah is life's truth, how we ought to live it and most importantly how people can return to a state of 'inner peace' as individuals to bring peace, harmony and purpose to life for the benefit of all people. Through the mystical revelations of Kabbalah small diverse sub-sections of the mainstream are just beginning to see the deeper wisdom in the words of the Torah. As demands for this knowledge increase and access to it via the Internet improves, so other religions will become progressively marginalized as they are confronted by the 'dead end' of logic in the face of their increasingly sophisticated constituents.
Religions based on a relationship with Torah don't believe in different G-d’s, but each religion has its own systems that enable people to connect with G-d and there is no system quite like Israels' Kabbalah and Chasidus, which encapsulate the deep fabric of Jewish life, tradition and belief. These are the embodiment of the perfected logical construct containing the secrets through which people unite with G-d. Not all people interpret Kabbalah correctly, in fact most people get it wrong, nevertheless deep inside Torah the correct messages lie waiting. So long as we refine the methodologies for extracting truth and establishing proper guidelines for pursuing it we will move at an ever increasing rate toward the supernal light (spirituality) that is beginning to shine upon us during this pre-messianic period through which we are living.
The most advanced works of Kabbalah and Chasidus focus their attention on the mind and its relationship to the animal and Divine Soul. Many of these works, produced from their source in Torah, are the worlds most complete and truthful studies of psychology because they emanate from the psychology of the G-dhead itself. Since man was created in the image of G-d, what better source than Torah to reveal the mechanics of mans complex mind.
The Hebrew word for truth is אםת (emmet) numerically 1-40-400 . Of significance is the fact that the 3 letters of this word are, in order, the first, middle and last in the Hebrew alphabet.
Friday, February 23, 2007
G-d in Life
Have you ever considered where the inspiration for the famous artworks of Raphael, Gabriel, Michael, Aziel or Haniel come from and why they were such an important study for artists of the Renaissance period?
These are G-d’s emissaries, His angels of the highest order and their depiction opposes Jewish Law. Their renderings are inspired by Kabbalah and their pictorial commissions, the result of Rome’s fascination with Jewish mysticism. Their importance to the Roman Catholic doctrine reflects a concerted effort by Rome to reach out to mainstream population groups through a progression of contemporary views. These artworks also represents a slap in the face of Jewish culture and belief and at the time would have been deeply hurtful and disrespectful to all who truly believed in and respected the Oneness of G-d and His omnipotence.
Each of these angels are a manifestation of the Sefirot in the highest universal realms and each is in turn linked to an attribute of G-d which is expressed by the use of His ten ineffable names as written in the Hebrew Torah. The mystical revelations of the Torah reveal the existence of angelic legions and supernal beings that administer G-d’s commands in the universal realms that He created. Included at the top of His infrastructure of supernal beings is His Heavenly Tribunal of Justice.
It is said that increased mystical revelations as evidenced by the growing mainstream awareness of Kabbalah is a direct result of the era of the supernal light, which is beginning to shine upon us more intensely. The flaming soul of Humanity ascends toward the descending supernal light as our awareness of truth, through knowledge, expands. Today we discover more through the advent of science, technology and communication and as we do we seek answers because, logically, we realize that we cannot progress humanity toward any particular point more beneficial than that which can be reached by our heightened spiritual understanding of the perfected construct of our one G-d.
On the tree of the Sefirot Da’at (knowledge) is the eleventh unformed vessel or attribute, it is this attribute that forms from our gathering knowledge which is the union of wisdom (Chokmah) and understanding (Binah) that brings down the supernal light from the higher Crown or Keter. Once we acquire this knowledge and the vessel of Da’at is formed, we are destined to proceed toward that which we come to know. So where is humanity headed?
Our final ascent to the Messianic age has commenced. This precept is spoken about at length in the Torah. It is widely recognized that G-d’s celestial year is represented by 1000 earth years, which puts us on the doorstep of the 7th millennium since we are now approaching 5800 years from the time of creation. The Sabbath millennium is the time when the presence of G-d will complete Her descent to dwell amongst us, when the 3rd temple will “fall from the sky” to be erected in Jerusalem, when miracles beyond our wildest imaginations will be brought to fruition in front of our eyes.
The prophecies predict this is to occur and in order that we become vessels able to perceive these events we must correct the application of our free will and free choice. According to prophecy we can bring the Messiah to our midst earlier, but only when the aggregate majority of our collective choices are made in the order of truth, righteousness and holiness, only then will the Messianic age and the Messiah be revealed to us. There is a narrow window through which this will occur, therefore man has to purify thought, speech and action in order that this can take place by our collective will. The majority of our thoughts have to be devoid of greed, perversion, moral emptiness, competitiveness and selfishness all thoughts of the material, instead they have to build toward a crescendo of caring, concern, responsibility, collaboration, community and action. These thoughts of the side of purity and spirituality have to be acted upon so as to counter the already established negative momentum that has preceded our time in the material world in which we live.
The most devastating and preventative acts delaying the coming of the Messiah are the invitations each of us extend for direct Judgment to be issued over our souls by G-d’s Heavenly Tribunal, specifically permitted by our expressions of hurtful gossip and slander. Believe it or not, [1]slanderous gossip[2] is The Crime of the highest order in the eyes of The Tribunal. Each time we speak badly of someone by spreading hurtful, unnecessary, slanderous gossip we open ourselves to immediate judgment. This is no ordinary judgment. If it were, it would not be executed in an immediate time frame, it would be delayed to that time of the year when the Heavenly Tribunal sit in session to hear admissions of guilt and then they would only hear those particular admissions. However, slanderous gossip invokes an immediate sitting of the Tribunal in judgment of your soul and because they preside by your invitation, all of your collective sins become subject to immediate judgment. The effect of this is devastating since all people who gossip and slander are being judged continuously and repeatedly because of the sins that they are continuing to commit in the eyes of G-d.
With each sin we commit we strengthen the side of evil. Each time The Tribunal sits in Judgment over our sins, the Satan, representing G-d’s angels of the evil side, is automatically invited to observe the trial and The Tribunal must, itself, be subject to G-d’s checks and balances. The Satan is therefore afforded the opportunity to impede the progress of G-d’s plan. With each sin he draws on the energy provided to him, strengthening his position and status through each sinful event that is called into judgment. This lifeline to the Satan saps at the very essence of all that is good, all that is positive and all that emanates from G-d’s good light.
Since darkness blots out the supernal light, we have to work harder to avoid slanderous gossip, which can easily be stopped by our simple decision not to participate in it, not to give life to its devastating effects and through this to stop confounding the wheel of humanity. With unchecked slander, each wrung of the ladder that humanity climbs up, reaching toward the light, is simply given back to the powers of darkness that draw us down toward the abyss and the power to stop this has been and is always in our hands. Each decision to speak requires careful consideration before loosely giving life to words, especially in public. By taking corrective action we make a giant leap, reducing the evil that endures.
[1] The Power of Speech – Rabbi Mendel Kessin – Tiferes Ramchal Institute - Chofetz Chaim Heritage Foundation
[2] http://www.chabad.org/dailystudy/hayomyom.asp?tDate=11/14/2005
These are G-d’s emissaries, His angels of the highest order and their depiction opposes Jewish Law. Their renderings are inspired by Kabbalah and their pictorial commissions, the result of Rome’s fascination with Jewish mysticism. Their importance to the Roman Catholic doctrine reflects a concerted effort by Rome to reach out to mainstream population groups through a progression of contemporary views. These artworks also represents a slap in the face of Jewish culture and belief and at the time would have been deeply hurtful and disrespectful to all who truly believed in and respected the Oneness of G-d and His omnipotence.
Each of these angels are a manifestation of the Sefirot in the highest universal realms and each is in turn linked to an attribute of G-d which is expressed by the use of His ten ineffable names as written in the Hebrew Torah. The mystical revelations of the Torah reveal the existence of angelic legions and supernal beings that administer G-d’s commands in the universal realms that He created. Included at the top of His infrastructure of supernal beings is His Heavenly Tribunal of Justice.
It is said that increased mystical revelations as evidenced by the growing mainstream awareness of Kabbalah is a direct result of the era of the supernal light, which is beginning to shine upon us more intensely. The flaming soul of Humanity ascends toward the descending supernal light as our awareness of truth, through knowledge, expands. Today we discover more through the advent of science, technology and communication and as we do we seek answers because, logically, we realize that we cannot progress humanity toward any particular point more beneficial than that which can be reached by our heightened spiritual understanding of the perfected construct of our one G-d.
On the tree of the Sefirot Da’at (knowledge) is the eleventh unformed vessel or attribute, it is this attribute that forms from our gathering knowledge which is the union of wisdom (Chokmah) and understanding (Binah) that brings down the supernal light from the higher Crown or Keter. Once we acquire this knowledge and the vessel of Da’at is formed, we are destined to proceed toward that which we come to know. So where is humanity headed?
Our final ascent to the Messianic age has commenced. This precept is spoken about at length in the Torah. It is widely recognized that G-d’s celestial year is represented by 1000 earth years, which puts us on the doorstep of the 7th millennium since we are now approaching 5800 years from the time of creation. The Sabbath millennium is the time when the presence of G-d will complete Her descent to dwell amongst us, when the 3rd temple will “fall from the sky” to be erected in Jerusalem, when miracles beyond our wildest imaginations will be brought to fruition in front of our eyes.
The prophecies predict this is to occur and in order that we become vessels able to perceive these events we must correct the application of our free will and free choice. According to prophecy we can bring the Messiah to our midst earlier, but only when the aggregate majority of our collective choices are made in the order of truth, righteousness and holiness, only then will the Messianic age and the Messiah be revealed to us. There is a narrow window through which this will occur, therefore man has to purify thought, speech and action in order that this can take place by our collective will. The majority of our thoughts have to be devoid of greed, perversion, moral emptiness, competitiveness and selfishness all thoughts of the material, instead they have to build toward a crescendo of caring, concern, responsibility, collaboration, community and action. These thoughts of the side of purity and spirituality have to be acted upon so as to counter the already established negative momentum that has preceded our time in the material world in which we live.
The most devastating and preventative acts delaying the coming of the Messiah are the invitations each of us extend for direct Judgment to be issued over our souls by G-d’s Heavenly Tribunal, specifically permitted by our expressions of hurtful gossip and slander. Believe it or not, [1]slanderous gossip[2] is The Crime of the highest order in the eyes of The Tribunal. Each time we speak badly of someone by spreading hurtful, unnecessary, slanderous gossip we open ourselves to immediate judgment. This is no ordinary judgment. If it were, it would not be executed in an immediate time frame, it would be delayed to that time of the year when the Heavenly Tribunal sit in session to hear admissions of guilt and then they would only hear those particular admissions. However, slanderous gossip invokes an immediate sitting of the Tribunal in judgment of your soul and because they preside by your invitation, all of your collective sins become subject to immediate judgment. The effect of this is devastating since all people who gossip and slander are being judged continuously and repeatedly because of the sins that they are continuing to commit in the eyes of G-d.
With each sin we commit we strengthen the side of evil. Each time The Tribunal sits in Judgment over our sins, the Satan, representing G-d’s angels of the evil side, is automatically invited to observe the trial and The Tribunal must, itself, be subject to G-d’s checks and balances. The Satan is therefore afforded the opportunity to impede the progress of G-d’s plan. With each sin he draws on the energy provided to him, strengthening his position and status through each sinful event that is called into judgment. This lifeline to the Satan saps at the very essence of all that is good, all that is positive and all that emanates from G-d’s good light.
Since darkness blots out the supernal light, we have to work harder to avoid slanderous gossip, which can easily be stopped by our simple decision not to participate in it, not to give life to its devastating effects and through this to stop confounding the wheel of humanity. With unchecked slander, each wrung of the ladder that humanity climbs up, reaching toward the light, is simply given back to the powers of darkness that draw us down toward the abyss and the power to stop this has been and is always in our hands. Each decision to speak requires careful consideration before loosely giving life to words, especially in public. By taking corrective action we make a giant leap, reducing the evil that endures.
[1] The Power of Speech – Rabbi Mendel Kessin – Tiferes Ramchal Institute - Chofetz Chaim Heritage Foundation
[2] http://www.chabad.org/dailystudy/hayomyom.asp?tDate=11/14/2005
Tuesday, January 23, 2007
The Purposeful Soul
In order to obtain an understanding of our life purpose one needs to first obtain knowledge by uniting the attribute of understanding with the attribute of wisdom. However, a closed or narrowly focused mind can constrict this process resulting in the distortion of personality. One of the greatest ongoing difficulties in life is determining right from wrong, good from bad, positive from negative, the left fork in the road or the right. These are life's decisions, the ones that define the outcome of all of our lives and affect the makeup of our character.
In our desire for a better material existence (physical world) we often cloud judgment by focusing on the pursuit and not the purpose of our mission. To be cognoscente of purpose is to be aware of all that surrounds you, all that confounds you, all you invite, wanted and unwanted. Truth and happiness are fleeting unless you discover the purpose prescribed for your soul; herein lie’s life’s challenge.
We have learned the forces of G-d are everywhere, we have learned they are a two way street, we have learned, through Torah, that the forces of darkness and light are heralded by G-d’s ministering angels and we have learned that our soulful energy flows from the 10 Sefirot along 22 paths.
The teachings of Kabbalah explain that there are three Higher World Divine Attributes;
In the human being, created in the "image of G-d," the seven lower Sefirot are mirrored in seven "emotional attributes" of the human soul:
Each attribute contains elements of all other attributes in varying degrees i.e., "Kindness in Kindness", "Restraint in Kindness", "Harmony in Kindness", Ambition in Kindness etc. for a total of forty-nine emotional personality traits that govern who we are and what we are. By our study, understanding, practice and mastery of each of these energies we are able to perform at higher levels of consciousness in the world.
Click here for a more detailed elaboration on the levels and makeup of the soul
In the 49 days it took Israel to leave Egypt, walk through the desert, cross the sea, experience the first revelation, camp at Mt. Sinai, witness the second revelation and receive the Torah, the souls of all people on this journey were elevated to reach an intensified state, an absolute union. As a nation, they became bonded and mentally prepared, open and ready to receive. Each of their Sefirah and those reflecting the nation as a whole had reached a state of perfected enlightenment. The flow of their energies, resulting from their righteous state, focus, concentration, meditation, purification, prayer and general disposition, enabled all of Israel to sufficiently open their souls, for just a brief moment, during which G-d revealed His Wisdom to the entire world. The people of Israel received this Wisdom in a profound way because they were ready to receive it, but the other 70 nations of the world failed to recognize the importance of what had transpired and their soulful states, which had not been ready, did not fully benefit by G-d's descent and their ascent to Him.
Each year beginning on the Jewish Festival of Passover and ending the day before the Festival of Shavuot there is a tradition to count the 49-days of the Omer. This practice is a 49 day (7 Sefirah x 7 influential energies of each Sefirah) process of self-refinement, with each day devoted to the "rectification" and perfection of one influential energy of one attribute of the 7 Sefirot, a process for elevating the soul. Amongst most modern secular Jews this practice has been forgotten. If counting the Omer were revived it would rapidly become an intensified period during each year when each person devotes time every day to contemplate and rectify every attribute of their soul, in effect an inventory of who we are and how we prioritize the order of our thinking to better our lives and those around us.
The counting of the Omer serves as a reminder that our souls are complex aspects of our makeup and that we have the free will and choice to treat the soul as the important element of our being that it is. Further, that it ought to be nurtured and cared for each day of the year and especially on the 49 days of the counting of the Omer, commemorating the days preceding revelation of the Torah to the Israelites camped at Mount Sinai.
Consider the soul a guidance system that projects itself from within you, hovering within and above and traveling in front and behind every step that you take and knowing every decision you are about to make. Consider it sensitive to every aspect of G-d. Now, consider that the potential insights, knowledge and wisdom we are able to receive and perceive are simply blocked out by the noise of our lives, by our busy minds that prevent us from functioning in an optimal fashion. Although we may not know it or experience it, the soul passes energy to our heart and brain through which sub-conscious followed by conscious thoughts are processed as a direct result. With each thought we should try to recognize the occurring process then we should identify all the influences that thought are susceptible to on their way to our consciousness. We have to determine the level of a thoughts purity or impurity, only then are we equipped to process it correctly and to make an optimal conscious decision. Of course most of us don’t function in this manner, but perhaps the world would be a better place if we learned how to do this and put the practice to use.
Our G-d given purpose lies somewhere behind the noise that stands in the way of our being able to identify the purity of our thoughts before we decide how to act on them. Recognizing the importance of purity 'quietening the noise' is therefore a critical factor in being able to identify the guidance your soul provides you in your life. The more accurately you perceive the energy and attributes of your soul, the less noise you will want it to contend with. This will release your powers of wisdom and qualities of understanding enabling you to make quantum leaps forward toward your true purpose.
Every thought has a source, unless we increase the frequency with which we find our way to its source we will never be able to determine its hidden qualities and thereby reach our true potential.
In our desire for a better material existence (physical world) we often cloud judgment by focusing on the pursuit and not the purpose of our mission. To be cognoscente of purpose is to be aware of all that surrounds you, all that confounds you, all you invite, wanted and unwanted. Truth and happiness are fleeting unless you discover the purpose prescribed for your soul; herein lie’s life’s challenge.
We have learned the forces of G-d are everywhere, we have learned they are a two way street, we have learned, through Torah, that the forces of darkness and light are heralded by G-d’s ministering angels and we have learned that our soulful energy flows from the 10 Sefirot along 22 paths.
The teachings of Kabbalah explain that there are three Higher World Divine Attributes;
Keter – Crown
Chokmah – Wisdom
Binah – Understanding
Chokmah – Wisdom
Binah – Understanding
and seven Lower World Divine Attributes (Sefirot) through which we relate and connect to G-d. These have been referred to earlier as the vessels;
Chessed - Love
Gevurah - Strength
Tiferet - Beauty
Netzach - Victory
Hod - Splendor
Yesod - Foundation
Malkhut – Sovereignty
Chessed - Love
Gevurah - Strength
Tiferet - Beauty
Netzach - Victory
Hod - Splendor
Yesod - Foundation
Malkhut – Sovereignty
Chessed - Kindness
Gevurah - Restraint
Tiferet - Harmony
Netzach - Ambition
Hod - Humility
Yesod - Connection
Malkhut – Receptiveness
Gevurah - Restraint
Tiferet - Harmony
Netzach - Ambition
Hod - Humility
Yesod - Connection
Malkhut – Receptiveness
Each attribute contains elements of all other attributes in varying degrees i.e., "Kindness in Kindness", "Restraint in Kindness", "Harmony in Kindness", Ambition in Kindness etc. for a total of forty-nine emotional personality traits that govern who we are and what we are. By our study, understanding, practice and mastery of each of these energies we are able to perform at higher levels of consciousness in the world.
Click here for a more detailed elaboration on the levels and makeup of the soul
In the 49 days it took Israel to leave Egypt, walk through the desert, cross the sea, experience the first revelation, camp at Mt. Sinai, witness the second revelation and receive the Torah, the souls of all people on this journey were elevated to reach an intensified state, an absolute union. As a nation, they became bonded and mentally prepared, open and ready to receive. Each of their Sefirah and those reflecting the nation as a whole had reached a state of perfected enlightenment. The flow of their energies, resulting from their righteous state, focus, concentration, meditation, purification, prayer and general disposition, enabled all of Israel to sufficiently open their souls, for just a brief moment, during which G-d revealed His Wisdom to the entire world. The people of Israel received this Wisdom in a profound way because they were ready to receive it, but the other 70 nations of the world failed to recognize the importance of what had transpired and their soulful states, which had not been ready, did not fully benefit by G-d's descent and their ascent to Him.
Each year beginning on the Jewish Festival of Passover and ending the day before the Festival of Shavuot there is a tradition to count the 49-days of the Omer. This practice is a 49 day (7 Sefirah x 7 influential energies of each Sefirah) process of self-refinement, with each day devoted to the "rectification" and perfection of one influential energy of one attribute of the 7 Sefirot, a process for elevating the soul. Amongst most modern secular Jews this practice has been forgotten. If counting the Omer were revived it would rapidly become an intensified period during each year when each person devotes time every day to contemplate and rectify every attribute of their soul, in effect an inventory of who we are and how we prioritize the order of our thinking to better our lives and those around us.
The counting of the Omer serves as a reminder that our souls are complex aspects of our makeup and that we have the free will and choice to treat the soul as the important element of our being that it is. Further, that it ought to be nurtured and cared for each day of the year and especially on the 49 days of the counting of the Omer, commemorating the days preceding revelation of the Torah to the Israelites camped at Mount Sinai.
Consider the soul a guidance system that projects itself from within you, hovering within and above and traveling in front and behind every step that you take and knowing every decision you are about to make. Consider it sensitive to every aspect of G-d. Now, consider that the potential insights, knowledge and wisdom we are able to receive and perceive are simply blocked out by the noise of our lives, by our busy minds that prevent us from functioning in an optimal fashion. Although we may not know it or experience it, the soul passes energy to our heart and brain through which sub-conscious followed by conscious thoughts are processed as a direct result. With each thought we should try to recognize the occurring process then we should identify all the influences that thought are susceptible to on their way to our consciousness. We have to determine the level of a thoughts purity or impurity, only then are we equipped to process it correctly and to make an optimal conscious decision. Of course most of us don’t function in this manner, but perhaps the world would be a better place if we learned how to do this and put the practice to use.
Our G-d given purpose lies somewhere behind the noise that stands in the way of our being able to identify the purity of our thoughts before we decide how to act on them. Recognizing the importance of purity 'quietening the noise' is therefore a critical factor in being able to identify the guidance your soul provides you in your life. The more accurately you perceive the energy and attributes of your soul, the less noise you will want it to contend with. This will release your powers of wisdom and qualities of understanding enabling you to make quantum leaps forward toward your true purpose.
Every thought has a source, unless we increase the frequency with which we find our way to its source we will never be able to determine its hidden qualities and thereby reach our true potential.
Friday, January 12, 2007
Are you an Israelite?
Reviewing the course of history it’s now quite clear how the nation of Israel became so diversely spread across many countries. Around 4000 years ago, Abraham journeyed to teach in the lands surrounding modern day Iraq. On his travels he visited India where his influence is visible today primarily through the Brahman sect and there are also references to the mystical teachings of Kabbalah in the eastern philosposhies of China and Japan. Many teachers from these lands visited and were influenced by him.
At the time of Israel's exodus from Egypt there were approximately 600,000[1] Israelite men, 20 years or older. The total number of men, women and children exceed two million when they crossed the sea making their way to Mount Sinai. By a process of simple extrapolation that commences with the 70 direct descendants of Jacob that arrived in Egypt, one quickly becomes aware that the logical total number of 'dormant' Israelites in the world today, including deaths from persecution, conversion to other religions and assimilation must be in excess of 500 million people, perhaps significantly more.
Considering that the progeny of Jacob carried through the souls of his descendants and those that take the covenant to become Jews and the heritage of Jewish identity that passes from generation to generation through the mother, it is quite conceivable the direct Israelite lineage could apply to many more than the 15 million 'active' Jews around the world today. Many Christians, Muslims and people of other cultures may in fact be genetically Jewish by birth. However, when raised in families that have embraced different religious cultures over thousands of years they loose their traditional Jewish heritage. Nevertheless their souls remain Jewish forever, but to re-establish their Jewish identity they would be required, at some time, to re-confirm their covenant with G-d in accordance wit the laws of the Jewish Faith.
With the exception of the tribe of Levi (the priesthood), members from each of the 12 Jewish tribes throughout ancient history frequently married out of their faith. In instances where the male married out descendancy was lost. Over time, many children of these multi cultural marriages were integrated into the extended family units, that retained their Jewish identity and the new (non-Jewish) mothers adopted Jewish practices and the traditions of the day. The last functioning Sanhedrin (Rabbinical council of 71 elders) of The Nation of Israel, at the time of the destruction of the second temple (2000 years ago), ordained the rights of passage and the manner in which a man or a woman is considered to have made the conversion through the study of Torah, purification and the covenant of circumcision for males.
The relevance of a Jewish soul is directly associated with mans’ ultimate destiny to restore the world to a state of holiness, through the attribute of Wisdom (Chokmah) accessed through the side of Mercy (Chesed) that will enable the ultimate unification of higher and lower worlds at which time G-d’s presence will dwell amongst us.
[1] B’Or Ha’Torah v15 pg 105 – Solomon Dinkevich
At the time of Israel's exodus from Egypt there were approximately 600,000[1] Israelite men, 20 years or older. The total number of men, women and children exceed two million when they crossed the sea making their way to Mount Sinai. By a process of simple extrapolation that commences with the 70 direct descendants of Jacob that arrived in Egypt, one quickly becomes aware that the logical total number of 'dormant' Israelites in the world today, including deaths from persecution, conversion to other religions and assimilation must be in excess of 500 million people, perhaps significantly more.
Considering that the progeny of Jacob carried through the souls of his descendants and those that take the covenant to become Jews and the heritage of Jewish identity that passes from generation to generation through the mother, it is quite conceivable the direct Israelite lineage could apply to many more than the 15 million 'active' Jews around the world today. Many Christians, Muslims and people of other cultures may in fact be genetically Jewish by birth. However, when raised in families that have embraced different religious cultures over thousands of years they loose their traditional Jewish heritage. Nevertheless their souls remain Jewish forever, but to re-establish their Jewish identity they would be required, at some time, to re-confirm their covenant with G-d in accordance wit the laws of the Jewish Faith.
With the exception of the tribe of Levi (the priesthood), members from each of the 12 Jewish tribes throughout ancient history frequently married out of their faith. In instances where the male married out descendancy was lost. Over time, many children of these multi cultural marriages were integrated into the extended family units, that retained their Jewish identity and the new (non-Jewish) mothers adopted Jewish practices and the traditions of the day. The last functioning Sanhedrin (Rabbinical council of 71 elders) of The Nation of Israel, at the time of the destruction of the second temple (2000 years ago), ordained the rights of passage and the manner in which a man or a woman is considered to have made the conversion through the study of Torah, purification and the covenant of circumcision for males.
The relevance of a Jewish soul is directly associated with mans’ ultimate destiny to restore the world to a state of holiness, through the attribute of Wisdom (Chokmah) accessed through the side of Mercy (Chesed) that will enable the ultimate unification of higher and lower worlds at which time G-d’s presence will dwell amongst us.
[1] B’Or Ha’Torah v15 pg 105 – Solomon Dinkevich
Tuesday, January 09, 2007
Holy Constellations
What was Jacob's aim when he conceived his twelve sons?
He contemplated the universal Soul of all creation to bring down a part of that Soul into each of his sons.
The Book of Creation (Sefer Yetzira) discusses The Creation in terms of the three fundamental aspects; Space, Time and Soul. The entire creation is for the sake of man and is structured accordingly. Man has twelve fundamental soul-functions: speech, thought, motion, sight, hearing, action, coition, smell, sleep, anger, taste and laughter. There are the twelve corresponding divisions of space and time. The twelve divisions of space are the twelve constellations (of stars) through which the sun moves in the course of the solar year. The twelve divisions of time are the twelve months of the year. Each sign of the Zodiac and its corresponding month is uniquely characterized with the associated soul-function[1].
The twelve divisions represented through six dimensions in space, time and soul correspond to the twelve diagonals on the tree of the Sefirot. (When the Sefirot are diagrammatically represented as a "tree" of ten points, there are twenty-two connecting lines, seven of which are vertical, three horizontal and twelve diagonal.) Jacob's twelve sons revealed, to perfection, all of the essential qualities of the inner soul for whom God created the world of Time and Space.
Each of the twelve was unique according to his respective orientation on the tree. They were all personalities of tremendous power, as illustrated in the many Bible stories that refer to them and their illustrious descendants in later generations. Each of the tribes received its own blessings from Jacob and later from Moses according to its unique trait. The tribes had their own emblems. Many of them are associated with animals (such as Judah with the Lion, Joseph with the Ox, Issachar the Donkey, Dan with the Serpent, Naftali with the Deer and Benjamin the Wolf.)
The Bible is testimony to the heritage of these founding tribal leaders. Following the 3 patriarchal generations from Abraham through Isaac and Jacob the roots of the future nation of Israel were finally and firmly established. The record is preserved and the mystical and spiritual analysis backs it up in every sense. By looking at examples, like the story of Jacob, we can unfold its deeper context by reviewing the inner meanings through word context,grammaticall commonality, letter substitution and gematria of each word in the Hebrew Torah. The Torah was handed by G-d to Israel through Moses as a complete code contained in the stones of the 10 commandments, in the teachings and in the writings of Moses, but for the most part the knowledge and energy of Torah was transferred by G-d to the souls of Jewish people.
It is said; "The nations heard and trembled, fear gripped the inhabitants of Philistia. Then the chieftains of Edom were terrified; the mighty men of Moab panic stricken and the inhabitants of Canaan melted away". Israel's departure from Egypt and the subsequent events ofrevelationn was immediately attributed to a power much greater than anything these kings could possibly imagine, after all Egypt was the most powerful nation on earth and Pharaoh its highest god. Like Pharaoh, these rulers were intellectually defeated.
Was Israel's liberation the cause of fear that came over kings and rulers of the land?
Was Israel redeemed by the power of their Omnipotent G-d?
Was their a mystical magic that can bring such a Liberation to so many people?
What would become of any ruler who did not suppress this power?
The magic of this liberation is to be found following the immediate departure from Egypt, during the 49 days when Israel was formed into the nation it ultimately became. Those 49 days are known as The Counting of the Omer, the deepest intellectual pursuit to the inner depths of our souls. This simultaneous process of meditation, prayer andrevelationn struck fear in the hearts of kings and rulers and brought a newfound intelligence to the world at large.
There are many meaningful insights that come from the deeper analysis of each of the tribes and the roles that they played in the development of the nation of Israel and the world, each of these insights are obtained through an understanding and perception of the Holy Sefirot, the engine room of our soul.
[1] (Sefer Yetzirah ch. 5)
He contemplated the universal Soul of all creation to bring down a part of that Soul into each of his sons.
The Book of Creation (Sefer Yetzira) discusses The Creation in terms of the three fundamental aspects; Space, Time and Soul. The entire creation is for the sake of man and is structured accordingly. Man has twelve fundamental soul-functions: speech, thought, motion, sight, hearing, action, coition, smell, sleep, anger, taste and laughter. There are the twelve corresponding divisions of space and time. The twelve divisions of space are the twelve constellations (of stars) through which the sun moves in the course of the solar year. The twelve divisions of time are the twelve months of the year. Each sign of the Zodiac and its corresponding month is uniquely characterized with the associated soul-function[1].
The twelve divisions represented through six dimensions in space, time and soul correspond to the twelve diagonals on the tree of the Sefirot. (When the Sefirot are diagrammatically represented as a "tree" of ten points, there are twenty-two connecting lines, seven of which are vertical, three horizontal and twelve diagonal.) Jacob's twelve sons revealed, to perfection, all of the essential qualities of the inner soul for whom God created the world of Time and Space.
Each of the twelve was unique according to his respective orientation on the tree. They were all personalities of tremendous power, as illustrated in the many Bible stories that refer to them and their illustrious descendants in later generations. Each of the tribes received its own blessings from Jacob and later from Moses according to its unique trait. The tribes had their own emblems. Many of them are associated with animals (such as Judah with the Lion, Joseph with the Ox, Issachar the Donkey, Dan with the Serpent, Naftali with the Deer and Benjamin the Wolf.)
The Bible is testimony to the heritage of these founding tribal leaders. Following the 3 patriarchal generations from Abraham through Isaac and Jacob the roots of the future nation of Israel were finally and firmly established. The record is preserved and the mystical and spiritual analysis backs it up in every sense. By looking at examples, like the story of Jacob, we can unfold its deeper context by reviewing the inner meanings through word context,grammaticall commonality, letter substitution and gematria of each word in the Hebrew Torah. The Torah was handed by G-d to Israel through Moses as a complete code contained in the stones of the 10 commandments, in the teachings and in the writings of Moses, but for the most part the knowledge and energy of Torah was transferred by G-d to the souls of Jewish people.
It is said; "The nations heard and trembled, fear gripped the inhabitants of Philistia. Then the chieftains of Edom were terrified; the mighty men of Moab panic stricken and the inhabitants of Canaan melted away". Israel's departure from Egypt and the subsequent events ofrevelationn was immediately attributed to a power much greater than anything these kings could possibly imagine, after all Egypt was the most powerful nation on earth and Pharaoh its highest god. Like Pharaoh, these rulers were intellectually defeated.
Was Israel's liberation the cause of fear that came over kings and rulers of the land?
Was Israel redeemed by the power of their Omnipotent G-d?
Was their a mystical magic that can bring such a Liberation to so many people?
What would become of any ruler who did not suppress this power?
The magic of this liberation is to be found following the immediate departure from Egypt, during the 49 days when Israel was formed into the nation it ultimately became. Those 49 days are known as The Counting of the Omer, the deepest intellectual pursuit to the inner depths of our souls. This simultaneous process of meditation, prayer andrevelationn struck fear in the hearts of kings and rulers and brought a newfound intelligence to the world at large.
There are many meaningful insights that come from the deeper analysis of each of the tribes and the roles that they played in the development of the nation of Israel and the world, each of these insights are obtained through an understanding and perception of the Holy Sefirot, the engine room of our soul.
[1] (Sefer Yetzirah ch. 5)
Sunday, December 31, 2006
The Mystery of Israel’s Birth
The birth of Israel and its recorded lineage reveals some of the deepest most mystical aspects derived from Kabbalah or explained in the Talmud and the accompanying worls of Torah and by analysis of the Sefirot (The vessels of G-d’s defining light).
At 63 Jacob was blessed by his father Isaac[1] after which he moved to the land of his prosperous and well established uncle Laban[2] . The move was triggered to prevent retribution threatened by his twin brother Esau for the superior blessings that Jacob obtained. In the same year Esau married the daughter of Ishmael (Isaac's half brother) and Ishmael died.
Jacob asked Laban if he could marry his daughter Rachel whom he loved and felt destined to marry[3]. Laban was a well known sorcerer who operated intellectually and mystically at a very high level and as such had built a well established and devoted following. Laban demanded Jacob work 7 years before he would consent. He did not want Jacob to establish an independent nation under the progeny of Abraham and Isaac, preferring instead that his direct lineage would lead to a permanent heritage. Jacob completed the 7 years, but Laban surreptitiously desired that Leah (the elder sister) should marry first. From a young age Laban had established that Leah should marry Esau, but she is known to have wept incessantly in fear of marrying a person who was not dedicated to a life of holiness[5]. When it came to marrying Rachel, Laban conspired to have Leah marry Jacob instead. Rachel suppressed her feelings because she knew Leah would be destroyed by shame and guilt if the plot of her father was foiled[4]. In an act of abundant kindness and compassion she revealed to her sister the secret sign that Jacob and Rachel used to confirm they were meeting each other. This was necessary because woman were veiled from head to toe. On the morning after the marriage ceremony, when Jacob discovered the switch, he confronted Laban who advised Jacob he should have known that the younger daughter could not marry before the older one. Laban demanded a further 7 years of work from Jacob in order to marry Rachel. Understanding this to be the work of G-d, Jacob agreed and after 7 days of traditional wedding blessings with Leah he proceeded to marry Rachel.
Isaac’s father (Abraham) did not want him to take a wife from among the 7 pagan Canaanite nations whose lack of moral standing disqualified them from becoming part of the heightened spiritual nation of Abraham[6]. Therefore, he located Isaac's wife from among the family of his brother Nachor. Although the "other side" of Abraham's family had not made the same radical break as Abraham from the corrupt, idolatrous civilizations of the time, they did come from the line of Noah, Shem and Eiver who were guardians of the holy tradition, the Knowledge of Creation, its universal laws and its writings. Isaac and his wife Rebecca had no wish for Jacob to intermarry with the Canaanites preferring instead to send him to the "other side" of the family to find a wife.
Laban (Rebecca's brother) was from the side seen to be living in the evil realm, the Sitra Achra ('Other Side') a side disconnected from the inner aspect of G-dliness, of which Kabbalah and Chassidus speaks. Abraham saw many holy sparks, the potentially holy souls of future generations who were trapped by Laban, captured by the 'dark side'. In the higher worlds there is no distinction between 'good souls' that must first confront their inner evil and 'evil souls' that must first discover their inner good, ultimately all prevailing souls will be redeemed and returned to the higher worlds to be unified with G-d. Isaac and Jacob, considered their task, in the lower world, was to rescue these souls, prevail by overcoming their inner evil or reveal their inner good and bring them back into the light of holiness, the side of good orienting toward the attributes of the right side (Chesed -kindness). Whilst acting the kind, concerned, loving uncle, Laban did everything in his power to prevent any souls from escaping his clutches. For twenty years he mercilessly exploited Jacob to the point of destruction, together with his whole family, to prevent him from building the nation of Israel under his progeny, but Jacob continued to ask the question – What test does G-d make for me?
Jacob considered the unknown reason for his marriage to Leah and the work demands of Laban, like everything else in his life, to be an act of G-d's higher world, which he did not question. His marriage to Rachel was his own decision, a determining of the lower world, the world of the attribute of Malkhut. The result of Jacob’s marriages to Leah and Rachel together with Jacob’s children by their concubines Bilhah and Zilphah, were children born as follows (order of birth follows in parenthesis);
Reuben – Leah (1)
Simeon – Leah (2)
Levi – Leah (3)
Yehuda – Leah (4)
Zebulun – Leah (10)
Issachar – Leah (9)
Dinah (mother of Asenath) - Leah (11)
Dan – Bilhah (5)
Naphtali – Bilhah (6)
Joseph – Rachel (12)
Benjamin – Rachel (13)
Gad – Zilphah (7)
Asher – Zilphah (8)
In the closing verse of the 32nd chapter of Genesis; Jacob (then 99 yrs old) was commanded by G-d to return to the land of Israel, where he would uphold prophecy through the birth of his last son Benjamin whose birth, in Israel, would secure the land in which G-d's temple would ultimately be built. On the way he was struck by a myriad of apparent disasters. These included the death of Rachel, who he buried in Bethlehem and his mother Rebecca who he buried with her husband in the cave of the patriarchs and matriarchs. In addition he had to prepare his people for a major confrontation against the nation of Esau, the clan of his jealous brother, who wanted to kill him to reclaim the birthright blessing[7] he considered Jacob had stolen from him deceitfully. In preparation, Jacob stationed his animals, tribal members and possessions and ferried his family across a fork of the Yabok river. Then, he returned "remaining behind alone" (according to the Talmud, he returned to retrieve a sacred "small jar"of oil, destined for The Temple of the house of Jacob). There, that night, "an unknown man wrestled with him until dawn", Jacob received an injury to his hip in the struggle, but remained undefeated. At daybreak his combatant, an angel of 'darkness' that could not sustain its presence when 'the mercy of G-d' rose, pleaded with him to let him go. Jacob, who perceived this to be the angel of Esau, realized its predicament, demanding confirmation of his birthright saying: "I will not let you go until you bless me." The angel, fearing the ascending mercy of G-d, acceded and conferred upon him the name Israel, "because you have struggled with the divine and with men, and you have prevailed". Jacob had perfected the balance in each attribute of his soul - Yessod (Foundation) had risen, his soul was now dominant Tifferet (Balance)! [Zohar - Miqez 203b]
The value of Israel, ישראל = 541 consider:
· The Hebrew word 'Israel' possesses the symmetrical form of its own national emblem conforming to each of its 12 sides when they comprise 10 number points (on each side) for a total of exactly 541 individual number points, forming the Star of David, (Figure a), and;
· The outline (boundary) of the Star of David comprises 108 number points - identical with the outline of the 37th triangle representing the words from Genesis 1:1 "... and the earth." (Figure b) - 37 represents the inner aspect of Wisdom
· Each of these figures has 37 rows (top to bottom) - 37 having a particular significance in the numerical structure of Genesis1:1 and being equal to the word יחידה -Yechidah; unique-essence, known to be the highest soul state, the point of a Jewish souls connection to G-d.
· Isaac was 37 when offered as a sacrifice to G-d when, by his binding, the attribute of judgment was unified with the attribute of kindness such that it was said Isaac (dominant Gevurah - Judgment) looked exactly like Abraham (dominant Chesed - kindness).
The name “Israel” or ישראל can be rearranged to spell “YeS(h) RLA” or רלא יש which literally means 'there are 231', the total number of energy 'channel' combinations between the Sefirot (attributes / vessels) established by the complete array of the 22 Hebrew letters. (see images at http://beingholy.blogspot.com/2006/11/convergence.html).
The story takes place at the Yabok river, a tributary of the Jordan River, where mans penultimate struggle between good and evil occurs. Jacob overcomes the evil forces by making a permanent correction in his soul and in the soul of all Israelites thereafter, that the logic of life should prevail over the logic of death as the predominant soul construct for the future of Israel.
According to the cipher of swapping letters, a practice that originates when the 22 Hebrew letters are connected in the formation of the 231 Gates and more specifically with G-d's folding the heavens during creation, the letters א - ל (aleph – lamed, the first 11 letters) can be exchanged with letters , ב - ם (bet – mem, the second 11 letters). Then, the word יבק (YaBoK) makes the word שמח (300+40+8=348) - the root word 'same’ach'; happy, happiness, a term for heightened enlightenment and spirituality obtained through the study of Torah and by rearranging the order of letters, the word משח - MoShiaCh (Messiah). This can then be directly compared to its counterpart word יבק (Yabok; 10+2+100 =112). Jacob passed over the river to achieve a heightened level of holiness where the ruling logic of life prevailed over the ruling logic of death indicated by the numerical value of the letters which are equal to three names of G-d:
י'ה'ו'ה + א'ה'י'ה + א'ד'נ'י = (1+5+10+5+10+5+6+5+10+50+4+1 = 112).
These three names correspond to the high, middle and low Sefirot, Keter (Crown), Tiferet (Balance) and Malkhut (Kingdom), revealing that the Divine glory only descends toward enlightenment, joy (happiness). When G-d’s names, reflecting the higher attributes of judgment (א'ל'ק'י'ם = 86) and mercy (י'ה'ו'ה =26), are added they also = 112.
The first letter א (aleph) from two of these names is a particularly important letter reflecting convergence by; the higher world Yud (י) (10) (top right of the letter - א) and the lower world Yud (י) (10) (bottom left of the letter - א), separated by a Vav (ו) (6) (middle of the letter - א). Then, 10+10+6 = 26 the same value as (י'ה'ו'ה) Y'H’V’H. Kabbalah explains the peak of the Yud; ”י” reflects the point from which G-d’s creation and His works continuously emanate before descending into the lower worlds - the point of Yechidah - unique essence of the Jewish soul and the soul of a person who has converted to Judaism. ALePh (א) when written out in full = (אלפ) = 111, with the addition of a single unit for the letters of the full word, a common but less frequently used practice of gematria, we arrive at 112. We also see that the letters in the word ‘ALePh’ (אלפ) reverse to become the word ‘PeLeh’ (פלא) meaning 'miracle' or 'higher wonder', but when re-arranged can also become APhayL (אפל) or 'darkness' of the side of evil[8].
Who is this man with whom Jacob wrestled? According to the Sages, he is the "angel of Esau", and their struggle, which "raised dust up to the Supernal Throne", is the celestial and terrestrial struggle between two nations and two worlds represented by the spirituality of Israel and the physicality or materiality of Edom (representing Christianity in the time to come). The night through which they wrestled is long and dark, in the course, Jacob suffers bodily harm and spiritual anguish, but emerges victorious and enlightened.
Jacob, his family, their extended families and all the tribal leaders from the sides of good and evil who were well versed in the teachings of The Knowledge of Creation knew, by confirmation through their studies, when G-d changed Jacob’s name, to Israel, that his family was destined to become the future nation that would lead the world to its ultimate redemption. More than 50 years before Jacob’s death and only a few years after Joseph’s birth the future emergence of the United Kingdom of Israel had been confirmed and this became known to sorcerers and prophets by their reading and interpretation of the Sefirot and the astrological signs;
Jacob’s soul as the embodiment of the Sefirah of Yesod-Foundation, was elevated to its higher central realm the Sefirah of Tiferet-Balance/Beauty, through the even higher transcendent level represented by Da’at-Knowledge (not displayed in the diagram of the Sefirot provided in previous posts), which is the synthesis of Chokmah-Wisdom and Binah-Understanding and their associations with Keter - The Crown. In order to access Holy Wisdom - Chokmah, the attribute beyond Binah (Understanding), the highest attribute man can master (Jacob's 11th child to Leah was named Dinah, Din= judgment, the lower attribute of Binah), Jacob first had to contemplate and struggle with the unholy opposites: vision and intelligence not harnessed to serve love and creativity, but selfishness and destruction represented by Laban.
Just as there are 32 Pathways of Wisdom (32 in Hebrew = לב ('L'amed 'B'et) = Lev;Heart - see;http://beingholy.blogspot.com/2006/09/thirty-two-is-israel-special.html) so the first part of Laban's name is made up of the letters 'L'amed 'B'et (= 32). However, just as the 50th Gate of Binah-Understanding is the unattainable gate (each Sefirah has 50 gates through which energies flow), so the last letter of Laban's name is 'N'un (= 50). Therefore, the name Laban alludes to a level of divine wisdom known as the "Supreme Whiteness" (in the brain, the seat of wisdom, is considered white), this reflects on Laban’s soul and his desire to use sorcery to go beyond that which man in the lower world is capable.
After Jacob received his new name, his 3 names (found in Torah) were then; Y’israeL, YakoB, and Y’shruN (meaning My Love). Each name begins with the Yud (י), the first letter of G-d’s explicit holy name. Notice the last letter of each name spell L-B-N or LaBaN. This became clear to attentive observers that G-d had intervened and was further clarified by the events following Esau’s announced hostility toward Jacob. On the day Jacob received his new name he sent gifts of many animals forward of him then positioning himself between his camp, his family and Esau’s 400 man army who were poised to attack them he prostrated himself before Esau 7 times. Esau, upon seeing Jacob, ran up to him in the open field, embraced him, wept and immediately brought peace between there tribal nations without any fight taking place.
When considering these detailed passages, one should remember that Jacob and Esau were twins. When still in their mother’s womb G-d said to Rebecca, “Two nations are in your womb. Two governments will separate from inside of you. The upper hand will go from one government to the other, the greater one will server the younger”. At this point it is useful to recap earlier posts that Esau represents Edom (Rome - essentially Christianity) and that he married Ishmael's (essentially Islam) sister. Esau emerged first followed by Jacob whose hand clutched onto the heel of his older brother. In Hebrew the word for heel is NaBaL (NBL the B -Bet and V - Vet are the same letter, only a dot separates them). In NaBaL the Nun ('N') of the 50th gate precedes the word contrasting with LaBaN or LBN where the ('N') it follows.
Since the time that Adam was tempted by evil, through the serpent's deception, the sparks of evil were set free to co-mingle with good. It became know that the only way to access higher world Holy Wisdom is to first encounter good and evil in the "Palace of Exchanges" where everything is mixed up. Here evil masquerades as good whilst true good can appear as evil. Adam's eating of the forbidden fruit of the Tree of Knowledge caused a total mixing-up of good and evil. Therefore, the only way to separate these forces is to confront the confusion, to identify and separate the influential forces of good from the evil. This is why Jacob had to first struggle against Laban, a man of the highest spiritual order, for more than 14 years before he could resolve that which confronted and confused him in order to rise upward to the higher realm and carry his descendants with him.
The true goodness in Laban’s house was to be found in his daughters Rachel and Leah who had inherited the supreme holiness in their father’s perplexed soul. Together with their maids Bilhah and Zilpah, they were to be the mothers of Jacob's twelve sons, the fathers of the Twelve Tribes of Israel, root souls of all Jews, the souls of true good in the universe. Jacob was destined to marry these women and with them birth the future souls of Israel.
Jacob, by his complete faith in G-d, perceived Rachel as a soul of the lower world, therefore his marriage to her was to consummate through her dominant feminine Sefirah of Malkhut, which he perceived as the correct connection to his then dominant attribute of Yesod – Foundation (the point of Zer Anpin which connects it to Malkhut). On the other hand, his marriage to Leah was considered by him to be a decision of the higher world and was therefore a reflection through her dominant feminine Sefirah of Binah (the left side). This explains why Jacob, who had no expectations of Leah in fact, had no desire to be married to her, ended up having 6 sons by her, including Yehudah (Judas) whose lineage of Kingship built The Temple in Jerusalem (through King David and King Solomon) and Levi whose tribe became the High Priests of Israel. Leah had correctly perceived that her soul was not to be united with Esau because, although concealed to the lower worlds, through her was to come the universal vindication for the exchange of Esau’s birthright in favor of Jacob. Laban understood this, albeit from the perspective that caused him to believe and cleave to the desire that Leah’s marriage would be to the direct benefit of his lineage.
Esau taunted Jacob by showing his desire for Rachel, but she was terrified, submitting herself entirely to the mercy of G-d. After Jacob married Rachel she was unable to give birth, finally she conceived at the same time as Leah’s 7th child. At first Rachel fell into pregnancy with a girl and Leah a boy, but G-d switched their embryos because He heard the united higher world and lower world prayers of Leah and Rachel, that Rachel should become worthy of her sisters equal [9]. So, He altered nature to grant Rachel a boy and at that moment (on the same day as the birth of Adam, the death of Sarah and Rosh Hashanah - Jewish New Year, the day Torah was granted to Israel) He declared the conditions that would give rise to the birth of the nation of Israel. It was therefore necessary that the only girl in the family, Dinah (Din = Judgment), be born to Leah in order that her 6 boys correctly reflect the higher world masculine attributes of Zer Anpin and the 7th child of Leah be a girl reflecting the Feminine Sefirah Malkhut. To recap; Leah representing Binah connected the higher worlds to her 6 boys (Zer Anpin) and through Dinah representing Malkhut to the lower world. Separately Jacob – dominant Yesod (later Tifferet) and Rachel – Malkhut would give birth to Joseph and Benjamin.
Toward the end of Jacob’s life, his firstborn Reuben[10] (son of Leah) was slated to lead the tribes, but his higher world soul had been exposed, when he lay in the room of his concubine stepmother Bilah to prevent a further conception through Jacob. This meant he and the house of Leah would lose its traditional birthright. Rachel’s (Jacob's wife by choice) firstborn son Joseph would later become the beneficiary of these rights, but not in the manner expected. Since his marriage to Rachel had been undermined, Jacob saw[11] Joseph’s sons Menasseh and Ephraim as he did Leah’s first two sons Reuben and Simeon. Leah's (higher world) third son in line, Levi was granted The Priesthood and The Kingship went to Leah's fourth son Yehudah (Judas). Joseph's descendents thus comprised two tribes, Menasseh and Ephraim who through him received Jacob’s double portion and ultimately two territories in the Holy Land. It is these territories that eventually divide Israel into the north and the south, which were finally united at the time of the First Temple.
The origin of this unification is a hidden miracle, in the story of Israel, sourced from the time that Dinah was seduced and raped by Shechem (son of Chamor) when she was 8 years old. Asenath, her daughter from the rape, was therefore born out of wedlock. Levi and Simeon demanded the Idol worshipping tribe of Chamor be circumcised as part of the compensation for their dastardly act, they agreed. However, whilst healing from their circumcisions, the brothers led by Reuven and Shimeon killed Shechem, his father Chamor and their entire tribe to vindicate and rescue Dinah and Asenath. They wanted to murder Asenath to purge the sparks of un-holiness from their midst, but Jacob would not allow it, instead the brothers sent Asenath to Egypt where, by arrangement, she was adopted into the house of Poti-phera Priest of On. This highlights one of many early and prominent intra-religious connections between the priestly leadership of Israel and that of Egypt, which had been progressively established from the time of Abraham. Many years later Yehudah (Judas) influenced all the brothers, who were intent on killing Joseph, to trade him through the Ishmaelites and Midianites into Egypt. This act certainly avoided the almost certain demise of the future Jewish nation (the common term 'Jew' comes from Yehudah - Judas) and Joseph later became Viceroy of Egypt with all of the purity and holy integrity of his father and mother in tact. Then, after a serious attempt to seduce Joseph, by Aesnath's adopted Egyptian mother, Potiphars wife, she finally allowed Joseph to marry Aesnath and when he discovered her Israelite origin, established by the ancient Hebrew writing on her amulet, he agreed to immediately marry her. It was this miraculous event, 22 years after the rape of Dinah that resulted in the birth of Joseph’s sons Manaseh and Ephraim. This was the single event that finally united the higher world house of Leah and the lower world house of Rachel by forging the link and establishing the basis on which the Nation of Israel was built.
Jacob considered Joseph his first born by his choice. It was for this reason that Joseph's decendency received a double heritage. 290 years later the tribe of Manaseh and Ephraim became the only indirect descendants of Jacob to transcend their status being recognized as direct members of the 12 tribes of Israel when it came to the division of the holy land. They took the place of Levi (who was assigned the priesthood) and Joseph who, in the “end of days”, would be the first Messiah to prepare the world before being resurrected as the the final Messiah, King David (the tribe of Yehudah) the point of man’s ultimate redemption before the resurrection of the dead.
Logic would dictate Manaseh, the older brother, would retain the birthright over Israel’s future, but Jacob, on his death bed (like his father Isaac before him), switched his blessing, because he deduced the name MaNaSeh and NeShaMa (meaning: soul, spelled here using English equivalents to demonstrate the same letter usage) have the same Hebrew letters and therefore, by the rules of letter substitution and gematria, possessed the same Divine qualities. In Jacob’s eyes, Manaseh (like Leah) was a soul of the higher world, a child who possessed the the soul of Leah, through Dinah and Asenath. Whereas, Rachel was a soul of the lower world through her dominant Sefirah of Malkhut, resulting in Ephraim being blessed by Jacob to become the greater leader of Israel after the death of Joseph. It was the lower world with which Jacob was most concerned, it needed the full commitment of his descendents to make the necessary corrections and elevations in order to bring redemption by re-uniting lower with higher in the same way they were once united at the time of Adam. Jacob’s powers of perception were remarkable he could foresee the role of his future heritage. He was always consciously aware of the responsibility that he had to his own soul and to those of the future generations who would ultimately bring forth and be witness to this unification.
These soul level activities are complex, but they fundamentally align with the signs devised from knowledge of the Sefirot, handed down form Abraham, Isaac and Moses and by Jacob’s innate perception of his own soul. Had G-d not intervened or Jacob’s free will been incorrectly applied, the two second generation tribes of Israel would not have become the instrumental link to merge Israel into one united nation. As we now know Jacob’s decisions, through his deep faith, determined that his descendants would ultimately be the people G-d would designate His Chosen People.
The day that the name Israel was bestowed on Jacob was the 15th of Nissan 2206. It is the same day that;
-G-d made a covenant with Abraham to give him and his descendants the holy land
-Abraham was advised he was to have a son - Isaac, at the age of 99
-Isaac was born
-Moses appeared before G-d at the burning bush
-The exodus from Egypt occurred (Passover)
-Daniel, in the Lions Den after the destruction of the First Temple, received the prophecy that the Second Temple would be built after 70 years
By analogy to Yehudah who foresaw the survival of prophecy through the Jewish Nation by the sale of Joseph, it is now clear from the recently discovered Gospels of Judas (Yehudah at the time of Jesus) – translated in 2006 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gospel_of_Judas (dated to 288CE) that Judas was not the deceitful character portrayed by common interpretations of the New Testament (which mirror some mainstream commentators on the Old Testament). Rather Judas was the person who foresaw the continuity of the Jewish Nation and its messianic prophecy through the death of Jesus (Yeshua) - a Jew, who concurred with the planned betrayal because he intuitively shared knowledge of G-d’s ultimate plan for the redemption of man.
With the imminent destruction of the Temple, originally built by Yehudah's (Judah's) King Solomon and the annihilation of more than 1 million Jews in Jerusalem by the Romans, the background story of Jesus and Judas, that took place almost 30 years earlier, became elevated to penetrate the conscience of the nations of the world, but why this particular story? The evolving Gospels of Christianity were adopted by Emperor Constantine for mainstream Romans in a similar period to the dating of the Judas Gospels, some 250-300 years after the death of Jesus.
It is the continuous misrepresentation of Judas's (Yehudah's) soul character that has led anti-Semitic retribution against the Jews. No more so than, in modern times, through the German people whose single minded adaptation of the New Testament enabled Hitler and his representative forces of evil to prey heavily on their restricted sense of lower and higher world reality.
And on April 13, 2006 (15 Nissan 5766) 3560 years later this is what the Pope had to say:
The Vatican, by word of Pope Benedict XVI, grants the recently surfaced Judas' Gospel no credit with regards to its apocryphal claims that Judas betrayed Jesus in compliance with the latter's own requests. According to the Pope, Judas freely chose to betray Jesus: "an open rejection of God's love". Judas, according to Pope Benedict XVI "viewed Jesus in terms of power and success: his only real interests lied with his power and success, there was no love involved. He was a greedy man: money was more important than communing with Jesus; money came before God and his love". According to the Pope it was due to these traits that led Judas to "turn liar, two-faced, indifferent to the truth", "losing any sense of God", "turning hard, incapable of converting, of being the prodigal son, hence throwing away a spent existence".
Perhaps the Judas scapegoat has been a necessary tool for the advancement and spread of Christianity, but to the Jews it has come at a serious and significant price. In essence, Judaism seeks and has always sought a world in which G-d's uninhibited blessings flow abundantly to every soul, regardless of the race, creed, color or religion of the body it occupies.
The Zohar states that the site of the Holy Temple, the centerpiece of Jewish life for more than 3500 years, stands vacant. Perhaps Christianity, Islam and Judaism's ultimate reconciliation with the actions of Yehudah will enable its reconstruction to commence, in haste, so that the world may benefit by the spiritual dedication of Jewish Priests who, once again, may be afforded the opportunity to perform their duties for the benefit of all.
[1] Genesis Ch27:28-29
[2] Ibid 29:14
[3] Ibid 29:18
[4] Gemara Bava Basra 123a
[5] Rashi 17 – Genesis 29:17
[6] Genesis 28:1
[7] http://www.truekabbalah.com/deh.php?p=TheKnowledge007 -
[8] The Gate of Return Chapter 5 Rabbi Dov Ber of Lubavitch
[9] Artscroll Machsor Rosh Hashanah Pg 313 - אבן
[10] http://www.aish.com/torahportion/moray/Reuben.asp
http://www.targum.com/excerpts/shvatim.html
[11] Genesis 48:3-5 : Zohar Vayehi - 222b
At 63 Jacob was blessed by his father Isaac[1] after which he moved to the land of his prosperous and well established uncle Laban[2] . The move was triggered to prevent retribution threatened by his twin brother Esau for the superior blessings that Jacob obtained. In the same year Esau married the daughter of Ishmael (Isaac's half brother) and Ishmael died.
Jacob asked Laban if he could marry his daughter Rachel whom he loved and felt destined to marry[3]. Laban was a well known sorcerer who operated intellectually and mystically at a very high level and as such had built a well established and devoted following. Laban demanded Jacob work 7 years before he would consent. He did not want Jacob to establish an independent nation under the progeny of Abraham and Isaac, preferring instead that his direct lineage would lead to a permanent heritage. Jacob completed the 7 years, but Laban surreptitiously desired that Leah (the elder sister) should marry first. From a young age Laban had established that Leah should marry Esau, but she is known to have wept incessantly in fear of marrying a person who was not dedicated to a life of holiness[5]. When it came to marrying Rachel, Laban conspired to have Leah marry Jacob instead. Rachel suppressed her feelings because she knew Leah would be destroyed by shame and guilt if the plot of her father was foiled[4]. In an act of abundant kindness and compassion she revealed to her sister the secret sign that Jacob and Rachel used to confirm they were meeting each other. This was necessary because woman were veiled from head to toe. On the morning after the marriage ceremony, when Jacob discovered the switch, he confronted Laban who advised Jacob he should have known that the younger daughter could not marry before the older one. Laban demanded a further 7 years of work from Jacob in order to marry Rachel. Understanding this to be the work of G-d, Jacob agreed and after 7 days of traditional wedding blessings with Leah he proceeded to marry Rachel.
Isaac’s father (Abraham) did not want him to take a wife from among the 7 pagan Canaanite nations whose lack of moral standing disqualified them from becoming part of the heightened spiritual nation of Abraham[6]. Therefore, he located Isaac's wife from among the family of his brother Nachor. Although the "other side" of Abraham's family had not made the same radical break as Abraham from the corrupt, idolatrous civilizations of the time, they did come from the line of Noah, Shem and Eiver who were guardians of the holy tradition, the Knowledge of Creation, its universal laws and its writings. Isaac and his wife Rebecca had no wish for Jacob to intermarry with the Canaanites preferring instead to send him to the "other side" of the family to find a wife.
Laban (Rebecca's brother) was from the side seen to be living in the evil realm, the Sitra Achra ('Other Side') a side disconnected from the inner aspect of G-dliness, of which Kabbalah and Chassidus speaks. Abraham saw many holy sparks, the potentially holy souls of future generations who were trapped by Laban, captured by the 'dark side'. In the higher worlds there is no distinction between 'good souls' that must first confront their inner evil and 'evil souls' that must first discover their inner good, ultimately all prevailing souls will be redeemed and returned to the higher worlds to be unified with G-d. Isaac and Jacob, considered their task, in the lower world, was to rescue these souls, prevail by overcoming their inner evil or reveal their inner good and bring them back into the light of holiness, the side of good orienting toward the attributes of the right side (Chesed -kindness). Whilst acting the kind, concerned, loving uncle, Laban did everything in his power to prevent any souls from escaping his clutches. For twenty years he mercilessly exploited Jacob to the point of destruction, together with his whole family, to prevent him from building the nation of Israel under his progeny, but Jacob continued to ask the question – What test does G-d make for me?
Jacob considered the unknown reason for his marriage to Leah and the work demands of Laban, like everything else in his life, to be an act of G-d's higher world, which he did not question. His marriage to Rachel was his own decision, a determining of the lower world, the world of the attribute of Malkhut. The result of Jacob’s marriages to Leah and Rachel together with Jacob’s children by their concubines Bilhah and Zilphah, were children born as follows (order of birth follows in parenthesis);
Reuben – Leah (1)
Simeon – Leah (2)
Levi – Leah (3)
Yehuda – Leah (4)
Zebulun – Leah (10)
Issachar – Leah (9)
Dinah (mother of Asenath) - Leah (11)
Dan – Bilhah (5)
Naphtali – Bilhah (6)
Joseph – Rachel (12)
Benjamin – Rachel (13)
Gad – Zilphah (7)
Asher – Zilphah (8)
In the closing verse of the 32nd chapter of Genesis; Jacob (then 99 yrs old) was commanded by G-d to return to the land of Israel, where he would uphold prophecy through the birth of his last son Benjamin whose birth, in Israel, would secure the land in which G-d's temple would ultimately be built. On the way he was struck by a myriad of apparent disasters. These included the death of Rachel, who he buried in Bethlehem and his mother Rebecca who he buried with her husband in the cave of the patriarchs and matriarchs. In addition he had to prepare his people for a major confrontation against the nation of Esau, the clan of his jealous brother, who wanted to kill him to reclaim the birthright blessing[7] he considered Jacob had stolen from him deceitfully. In preparation, Jacob stationed his animals, tribal members and possessions and ferried his family across a fork of the Yabok river. Then, he returned "remaining behind alone" (according to the Talmud, he returned to retrieve a sacred "small jar"of oil, destined for The Temple of the house of Jacob). There, that night, "an unknown man wrestled with him until dawn", Jacob received an injury to his hip in the struggle, but remained undefeated. At daybreak his combatant, an angel of 'darkness' that could not sustain its presence when 'the mercy of G-d' rose, pleaded with him to let him go. Jacob, who perceived this to be the angel of Esau, realized its predicament, demanding confirmation of his birthright saying: "I will not let you go until you bless me." The angel, fearing the ascending mercy of G-d, acceded and conferred upon him the name Israel, "because you have struggled with the divine and with men, and you have prevailed". Jacob had perfected the balance in each attribute of his soul - Yessod (Foundation) had risen, his soul was now dominant Tifferet (Balance)! [Zohar - Miqez 203b]
The value of Israel, ישראל = 541 consider:
· The Hebrew word 'Israel' possesses the symmetrical form of its own national emblem conforming to each of its 12 sides when they comprise 10 number points (on each side) for a total of exactly 541 individual number points, forming the Star of David, (Figure a), and;
· The outline (boundary) of the Star of David comprises 108 number points - identical with the outline of the 37th triangle representing the words from Genesis 1:1 "... and the earth." (Figure b) - 37 represents the inner aspect of Wisdom
· Each of these figures has 37 rows (top to bottom) - 37 having a particular significance in the numerical structure of Genesis1:1 and being equal to the word יחידה -Yechidah; unique-essence, known to be the highest soul state, the point of a Jewish souls connection to G-d.
· Isaac was 37 when offered as a sacrifice to G-d when, by his binding, the attribute of judgment was unified with the attribute of kindness such that it was said Isaac (dominant Gevurah - Judgment) looked exactly like Abraham (dominant Chesed - kindness).
The name “Israel” or ישראל can be rearranged to spell “YeS(h) RLA” or רלא יש which literally means 'there are 231', the total number of energy 'channel' combinations between the Sefirot (attributes / vessels) established by the complete array of the 22 Hebrew letters. (see images at http://beingholy.blogspot.com/2006/11/convergence.html).
The story takes place at the Yabok river, a tributary of the Jordan River, where mans penultimate struggle between good and evil occurs. Jacob overcomes the evil forces by making a permanent correction in his soul and in the soul of all Israelites thereafter, that the logic of life should prevail over the logic of death as the predominant soul construct for the future of Israel.
According to the cipher of swapping letters, a practice that originates when the 22 Hebrew letters are connected in the formation of the 231 Gates and more specifically with G-d's folding the heavens during creation, the letters א - ל (aleph – lamed, the first 11 letters) can be exchanged with letters , ב - ם (bet – mem, the second 11 letters). Then, the word יבק (YaBoK) makes the word שמח (300+40+8=348) - the root word 'same’ach'; happy, happiness, a term for heightened enlightenment and spirituality obtained through the study of Torah and by rearranging the order of letters, the word משח - MoShiaCh (Messiah). This can then be directly compared to its counterpart word יבק (Yabok; 10+2+100 =112). Jacob passed over the river to achieve a heightened level of holiness where the ruling logic of life prevailed over the ruling logic of death indicated by the numerical value of the letters which are equal to three names of G-d:
י'ה'ו'ה + א'ה'י'ה + א'ד'נ'י = (1+5+10+5+10+5+6+5+10+50+4+1 = 112).
These three names correspond to the high, middle and low Sefirot, Keter (Crown), Tiferet (Balance) and Malkhut (Kingdom), revealing that the Divine glory only descends toward enlightenment, joy (happiness). When G-d’s names, reflecting the higher attributes of judgment (א'ל'ק'י'ם = 86) and mercy (י'ה'ו'ה =26), are added they also = 112.
The first letter א (aleph) from two of these names is a particularly important letter reflecting convergence by; the higher world Yud (י) (10) (top right of the letter - א) and the lower world Yud (י) (10) (bottom left of the letter - א), separated by a Vav (ו) (6) (middle of the letter - א). Then, 10+10+6 = 26 the same value as (י'ה'ו'ה) Y'H’V’H. Kabbalah explains the peak of the Yud; ”י” reflects the point from which G-d’s creation and His works continuously emanate before descending into the lower worlds - the point of Yechidah - unique essence of the Jewish soul and the soul of a person who has converted to Judaism. ALePh (א) when written out in full = (אלפ) = 111, with the addition of a single unit for the letters of the full word, a common but less frequently used practice of gematria, we arrive at 112. We also see that the letters in the word ‘ALePh’ (אלפ) reverse to become the word ‘PeLeh’ (פלא) meaning 'miracle' or 'higher wonder', but when re-arranged can also become APhayL (אפל) or 'darkness' of the side of evil[8].
Who is this man with whom Jacob wrestled? According to the Sages, he is the "angel of Esau", and their struggle, which "raised dust up to the Supernal Throne", is the celestial and terrestrial struggle between two nations and two worlds represented by the spirituality of Israel and the physicality or materiality of Edom (representing Christianity in the time to come). The night through which they wrestled is long and dark, in the course, Jacob suffers bodily harm and spiritual anguish, but emerges victorious and enlightened.
Jacob, his family, their extended families and all the tribal leaders from the sides of good and evil who were well versed in the teachings of The Knowledge of Creation knew, by confirmation through their studies, when G-d changed Jacob’s name, to Israel, that his family was destined to become the future nation that would lead the world to its ultimate redemption. More than 50 years before Jacob’s death and only a few years after Joseph’s birth the future emergence of the United Kingdom of Israel had been confirmed and this became known to sorcerers and prophets by their reading and interpretation of the Sefirot and the astrological signs;
Jacob’s soul as the embodiment of the Sefirah of Yesod-Foundation, was elevated to its higher central realm the Sefirah of Tiferet-Balance/Beauty, through the even higher transcendent level represented by Da’at-Knowledge (not displayed in the diagram of the Sefirot provided in previous posts), which is the synthesis of Chokmah-Wisdom and Binah-Understanding and their associations with Keter - The Crown. In order to access Holy Wisdom - Chokmah, the attribute beyond Binah (Understanding), the highest attribute man can master (Jacob's 11th child to Leah was named Dinah, Din= judgment, the lower attribute of Binah), Jacob first had to contemplate and struggle with the unholy opposites: vision and intelligence not harnessed to serve love and creativity, but selfishness and destruction represented by Laban.
Just as there are 32 Pathways of Wisdom (32 in Hebrew = לב ('L'amed 'B'et) = Lev;Heart - see;http://beingholy.blogspot.com/2006/09/thirty-two-is-israel-special.html) so the first part of Laban's name is made up of the letters 'L'amed 'B'et (= 32). However, just as the 50th Gate of Binah-Understanding is the unattainable gate (each Sefirah has 50 gates through which energies flow), so the last letter of Laban's name is 'N'un (= 50). Therefore, the name Laban alludes to a level of divine wisdom known as the "Supreme Whiteness" (in the brain, the seat of wisdom, is considered white), this reflects on Laban’s soul and his desire to use sorcery to go beyond that which man in the lower world is capable.
After Jacob received his new name, his 3 names (found in Torah) were then; Y’israeL, YakoB, and Y’shruN (meaning My Love). Each name begins with the Yud (י), the first letter of G-d’s explicit holy name. Notice the last letter of each name spell L-B-N or LaBaN. This became clear to attentive observers that G-d had intervened and was further clarified by the events following Esau’s announced hostility toward Jacob. On the day Jacob received his new name he sent gifts of many animals forward of him then positioning himself between his camp, his family and Esau’s 400 man army who were poised to attack them he prostrated himself before Esau 7 times. Esau, upon seeing Jacob, ran up to him in the open field, embraced him, wept and immediately brought peace between there tribal nations without any fight taking place.
When considering these detailed passages, one should remember that Jacob and Esau were twins. When still in their mother’s womb G-d said to Rebecca, “Two nations are in your womb. Two governments will separate from inside of you. The upper hand will go from one government to the other, the greater one will server the younger”. At this point it is useful to recap earlier posts that Esau represents Edom (Rome - essentially Christianity) and that he married Ishmael's (essentially Islam) sister. Esau emerged first followed by Jacob whose hand clutched onto the heel of his older brother. In Hebrew the word for heel is NaBaL (NBL the B -Bet and V - Vet are the same letter, only a dot separates them). In NaBaL the Nun ('N') of the 50th gate precedes the word contrasting with LaBaN or LBN where the ('N') it follows.
Since the time that Adam was tempted by evil, through the serpent's deception, the sparks of evil were set free to co-mingle with good. It became know that the only way to access higher world Holy Wisdom is to first encounter good and evil in the "Palace of Exchanges" where everything is mixed up. Here evil masquerades as good whilst true good can appear as evil. Adam's eating of the forbidden fruit of the Tree of Knowledge caused a total mixing-up of good and evil. Therefore, the only way to separate these forces is to confront the confusion, to identify and separate the influential forces of good from the evil. This is why Jacob had to first struggle against Laban, a man of the highest spiritual order, for more than 14 years before he could resolve that which confronted and confused him in order to rise upward to the higher realm and carry his descendants with him.
The true goodness in Laban’s house was to be found in his daughters Rachel and Leah who had inherited the supreme holiness in their father’s perplexed soul. Together with their maids Bilhah and Zilpah, they were to be the mothers of Jacob's twelve sons, the fathers of the Twelve Tribes of Israel, root souls of all Jews, the souls of true good in the universe. Jacob was destined to marry these women and with them birth the future souls of Israel.
Jacob, by his complete faith in G-d, perceived Rachel as a soul of the lower world, therefore his marriage to her was to consummate through her dominant feminine Sefirah of Malkhut, which he perceived as the correct connection to his then dominant attribute of Yesod – Foundation (the point of Zer Anpin which connects it to Malkhut). On the other hand, his marriage to Leah was considered by him to be a decision of the higher world and was therefore a reflection through her dominant feminine Sefirah of Binah (the left side). This explains why Jacob, who had no expectations of Leah in fact, had no desire to be married to her, ended up having 6 sons by her, including Yehudah (Judas) whose lineage of Kingship built The Temple in Jerusalem (through King David and King Solomon) and Levi whose tribe became the High Priests of Israel. Leah had correctly perceived that her soul was not to be united with Esau because, although concealed to the lower worlds, through her was to come the universal vindication for the exchange of Esau’s birthright in favor of Jacob. Laban understood this, albeit from the perspective that caused him to believe and cleave to the desire that Leah’s marriage would be to the direct benefit of his lineage.
Esau taunted Jacob by showing his desire for Rachel, but she was terrified, submitting herself entirely to the mercy of G-d. After Jacob married Rachel she was unable to give birth, finally she conceived at the same time as Leah’s 7th child. At first Rachel fell into pregnancy with a girl and Leah a boy, but G-d switched their embryos because He heard the united higher world and lower world prayers of Leah and Rachel, that Rachel should become worthy of her sisters equal [9]. So, He altered nature to grant Rachel a boy and at that moment (on the same day as the birth of Adam, the death of Sarah and Rosh Hashanah - Jewish New Year, the day Torah was granted to Israel) He declared the conditions that would give rise to the birth of the nation of Israel. It was therefore necessary that the only girl in the family, Dinah (Din = Judgment), be born to Leah in order that her 6 boys correctly reflect the higher world masculine attributes of Zer Anpin and the 7th child of Leah be a girl reflecting the Feminine Sefirah Malkhut. To recap; Leah representing Binah connected the higher worlds to her 6 boys (Zer Anpin) and through Dinah representing Malkhut to the lower world. Separately Jacob – dominant Yesod (later Tifferet) and Rachel – Malkhut would give birth to Joseph and Benjamin.
Toward the end of Jacob’s life, his firstborn Reuben[10] (son of Leah) was slated to lead the tribes, but his higher world soul had been exposed, when he lay in the room of his concubine stepmother Bilah to prevent a further conception through Jacob. This meant he and the house of Leah would lose its traditional birthright. Rachel’s (Jacob's wife by choice) firstborn son Joseph would later become the beneficiary of these rights, but not in the manner expected. Since his marriage to Rachel had been undermined, Jacob saw[11] Joseph’s sons Menasseh and Ephraim as he did Leah’s first two sons Reuben and Simeon. Leah's (higher world) third son in line, Levi was granted The Priesthood and The Kingship went to Leah's fourth son Yehudah (Judas). Joseph's descendents thus comprised two tribes, Menasseh and Ephraim who through him received Jacob’s double portion and ultimately two territories in the Holy Land. It is these territories that eventually divide Israel into the north and the south, which were finally united at the time of the First Temple.
The origin of this unification is a hidden miracle, in the story of Israel, sourced from the time that Dinah was seduced and raped by Shechem (son of Chamor) when she was 8 years old. Asenath, her daughter from the rape, was therefore born out of wedlock. Levi and Simeon demanded the Idol worshipping tribe of Chamor be circumcised as part of the compensation for their dastardly act, they agreed. However, whilst healing from their circumcisions, the brothers led by Reuven and Shimeon killed Shechem, his father Chamor and their entire tribe to vindicate and rescue Dinah and Asenath. They wanted to murder Asenath to purge the sparks of un-holiness from their midst, but Jacob would not allow it, instead the brothers sent Asenath to Egypt where, by arrangement, she was adopted into the house of Poti-phera Priest of On. This highlights one of many early and prominent intra-religious connections between the priestly leadership of Israel and that of Egypt, which had been progressively established from the time of Abraham. Many years later Yehudah (Judas) influenced all the brothers, who were intent on killing Joseph, to trade him through the Ishmaelites and Midianites into Egypt. This act certainly avoided the almost certain demise of the future Jewish nation (the common term 'Jew' comes from Yehudah - Judas) and Joseph later became Viceroy of Egypt with all of the purity and holy integrity of his father and mother in tact. Then, after a serious attempt to seduce Joseph, by Aesnath's adopted Egyptian mother, Potiphars wife, she finally allowed Joseph to marry Aesnath and when he discovered her Israelite origin, established by the ancient Hebrew writing on her amulet, he agreed to immediately marry her. It was this miraculous event, 22 years after the rape of Dinah that resulted in the birth of Joseph’s sons Manaseh and Ephraim. This was the single event that finally united the higher world house of Leah and the lower world house of Rachel by forging the link and establishing the basis on which the Nation of Israel was built.
Jacob considered Joseph his first born by his choice. It was for this reason that Joseph's decendency received a double heritage. 290 years later the tribe of Manaseh and Ephraim became the only indirect descendants of Jacob to transcend their status being recognized as direct members of the 12 tribes of Israel when it came to the division of the holy land. They took the place of Levi (who was assigned the priesthood) and Joseph who, in the “end of days”, would be the first Messiah to prepare the world before being resurrected as the the final Messiah, King David (the tribe of Yehudah) the point of man’s ultimate redemption before the resurrection of the dead.
Logic would dictate Manaseh, the older brother, would retain the birthright over Israel’s future, but Jacob, on his death bed (like his father Isaac before him), switched his blessing, because he deduced the name MaNaSeh and NeShaMa (meaning: soul, spelled here using English equivalents to demonstrate the same letter usage) have the same Hebrew letters and therefore, by the rules of letter substitution and gematria, possessed the same Divine qualities. In Jacob’s eyes, Manaseh (like Leah) was a soul of the higher world, a child who possessed the the soul of Leah, through Dinah and Asenath. Whereas, Rachel was a soul of the lower world through her dominant Sefirah of Malkhut, resulting in Ephraim being blessed by Jacob to become the greater leader of Israel after the death of Joseph. It was the lower world with which Jacob was most concerned, it needed the full commitment of his descendents to make the necessary corrections and elevations in order to bring redemption by re-uniting lower with higher in the same way they were once united at the time of Adam. Jacob’s powers of perception were remarkable he could foresee the role of his future heritage. He was always consciously aware of the responsibility that he had to his own soul and to those of the future generations who would ultimately bring forth and be witness to this unification.
These soul level activities are complex, but they fundamentally align with the signs devised from knowledge of the Sefirot, handed down form Abraham, Isaac and Moses and by Jacob’s innate perception of his own soul. Had G-d not intervened or Jacob’s free will been incorrectly applied, the two second generation tribes of Israel would not have become the instrumental link to merge Israel into one united nation. As we now know Jacob’s decisions, through his deep faith, determined that his descendants would ultimately be the people G-d would designate His Chosen People.
The day that the name Israel was bestowed on Jacob was the 15th of Nissan 2206. It is the same day that;
-G-d made a covenant with Abraham to give him and his descendants the holy land
-Abraham was advised he was to have a son - Isaac, at the age of 99
-Isaac was born
-Moses appeared before G-d at the burning bush
-The exodus from Egypt occurred (Passover)
-Daniel, in the Lions Den after the destruction of the First Temple, received the prophecy that the Second Temple would be built after 70 years
By analogy to Yehudah who foresaw the survival of prophecy through the Jewish Nation by the sale of Joseph, it is now clear from the recently discovered Gospels of Judas (Yehudah at the time of Jesus) – translated in 2006 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gospel_of_Judas (dated to 288CE) that Judas was not the deceitful character portrayed by common interpretations of the New Testament (which mirror some mainstream commentators on the Old Testament). Rather Judas was the person who foresaw the continuity of the Jewish Nation and its messianic prophecy through the death of Jesus (Yeshua) - a Jew, who concurred with the planned betrayal because he intuitively shared knowledge of G-d’s ultimate plan for the redemption of man.
With the imminent destruction of the Temple, originally built by Yehudah's (Judah's) King Solomon and the annihilation of more than 1 million Jews in Jerusalem by the Romans, the background story of Jesus and Judas, that took place almost 30 years earlier, became elevated to penetrate the conscience of the nations of the world, but why this particular story? The evolving Gospels of Christianity were adopted by Emperor Constantine for mainstream Romans in a similar period to the dating of the Judas Gospels, some 250-300 years after the death of Jesus.
It is the continuous misrepresentation of Judas's (Yehudah's) soul character that has led anti-Semitic retribution against the Jews. No more so than, in modern times, through the German people whose single minded adaptation of the New Testament enabled Hitler and his representative forces of evil to prey heavily on their restricted sense of lower and higher world reality.
And on April 13, 2006 (15 Nissan 5766) 3560 years later this is what the Pope had to say:
The Vatican, by word of Pope Benedict XVI, grants the recently surfaced Judas' Gospel no credit with regards to its apocryphal claims that Judas betrayed Jesus in compliance with the latter's own requests. According to the Pope, Judas freely chose to betray Jesus: "an open rejection of God's love". Judas, according to Pope Benedict XVI "viewed Jesus in terms of power and success: his only real interests lied with his power and success, there was no love involved. He was a greedy man: money was more important than communing with Jesus; money came before God and his love". According to the Pope it was due to these traits that led Judas to "turn liar, two-faced, indifferent to the truth", "losing any sense of God", "turning hard, incapable of converting, of being the prodigal son, hence throwing away a spent existence".
Perhaps the Judas scapegoat has been a necessary tool for the advancement and spread of Christianity, but to the Jews it has come at a serious and significant price. In essence, Judaism seeks and has always sought a world in which G-d's uninhibited blessings flow abundantly to every soul, regardless of the race, creed, color or religion of the body it occupies.
The Zohar states that the site of the Holy Temple, the centerpiece of Jewish life for more than 3500 years, stands vacant. Perhaps Christianity, Islam and Judaism's ultimate reconciliation with the actions of Yehudah will enable its reconstruction to commence, in haste, so that the world may benefit by the spiritual dedication of Jewish Priests who, once again, may be afforded the opportunity to perform their duties for the benefit of all.
[1] Genesis Ch27:28-29
[2] Ibid 29:14
[3] Ibid 29:18
[4] Gemara Bava Basra 123a
[5] Rashi 17 – Genesis 29:17
[6] Genesis 28:1
[7] http://www.truekabbalah.com/deh.php?p=TheKnowledge007 -
[8] The Gate of Return Chapter 5 Rabbi Dov Ber of Lubavitch
[9] Artscroll Machsor Rosh Hashanah Pg 313 - אבן
[10] http://www.aish.com/torahportion/moray/Reuben.asp
http://www.targum.com/excerpts/shvatim.html
[11] Genesis 48:3-5 : Zohar Vayehi - 222b
Friday, December 22, 2006
The Kabbalah
To learn about integrated 'spiritual' and 'physical' worlds we draw from works that have consistently survived the most ardent intellectual attack through millennia; the surviving mainstream works of the most ancient sources. Since before Abraham, the most ancient mystical secrets of the Kabbalah, loosely meaning; to make or to be a vessel to receive[1], have been maintained by Israel’s forefathers and holy people, often in secret in the face of adversity from the authoritative view. Understanding the mystical construct described in Kabbalah requires one to have a considerable knowledge of Torah and the many prophetic, priestly and rabbinic interpretations handed down.
The principles of the Kabbalah emanate from 32 Paths of Wisdom manifest in G-d's 10 primary names, the source of 10 Sefirot (vessels) connected by 22 energies contained in everything we know[2]. Everything from the highest heavens through the lower heavens is enabled through the vessels, the Sefirot. Their formation is described in enormous detail and their resulting energy-forces give life to everything physical. In the highest realm the Sefirot form the basis of 10 united or conjoined spiritual vessels and the 22 hybrid energy paths along which energy forces flow. Each path reflects the source energy embodied in each of 22 representative letters of the Hebrew alphabet. Each letter a different path, unique and specific connecting G-d's 10 Sefirot, vessels of energy which cascade through the four heavenly realms to earth. In each progressive heavenly realm the 10 Sefirot and their 22 paths establish lower realm qualities connecting, as if chained. The lowest link of the highest world forms the highest link in the world below concealing G-d’s light such that all is connected and all energy is effected in this multilevel, interconnected system.
At the top of this energy system the vessel 'Keter', which in the lowest of the four heavenly realms - Asiyah is known as “The Crown”, the highest source. Details are generally unable to be understood, comprehended or perceived by man. Keter of Asiyah is the absolute perfection of all that is “I”[3] and influences all energy-forces that fall beneath it. Below Keter, Chokmah the force of all wisdom; Binah the force of understanding; Chesed the force of kindness; compassion and love; Gevurah strength and justice; Tiferet compassion, beauty and balance; Netzach victory through offense; Hod majesty through defense; Yesod foundation; and depicted vertically below this Malkhut, kingdom, action and realization. There are many ways to look upon these vessels and how they manifest in each object, in our personality attributes and in our lives. The ancient teachings provide the most exceptional insights into their meanings, at the deepest of mystical interpretations, those that seek knowledge of Torah broadly find them presented in a manner consistent across all Jewish cultural groups.
At a detailed resolution, each Sefirot can be intricately and intimately analyzed and studied to reveal the most credible of mystical secrets that lie beyond literal interpretations and in depth understandings of even the most educated people. For thousands of years, people have written about these mystical secrets, these energy forms, these vessels and the ways in which we function through them to elevate our spiritual and physical states to realize our innate potential.
G-d is recognized in Jewish mystical studies as The Maker, The Creator of all. G-d is unbounded in His absolute manifestation and can never be correctly imagined. Numerous Prophets, Sages and Rabbi’s have elevated their conscious states to the highest levels, they are known to have contemplated the highest heights, in the deepest meditative sense reaching the next universal realm of Beriyah by following the mystical paths of the Sefirot. In these higher realms they have received spiritual guidance from the purest energies that manifest thorough the 10 Sefirot and 22 letters of the Hebrew alphabet as prescribed by G-d.
The teachings of The Zohar, which after the destruction of the second temple (100-200 CE) revealed Kabbalah in a concise form, related to the Hebrew Bible tell how Adam received The Book (mystical Knowledge of Creation) from G-d. All evil was contained before the first vessels of creation were shattered during the episode involving Eve, the Serpent and the fruits of the Tree of Knowledge. Much of this desire for Knowledge was passed from Adam to his son Seth (the son that most resembled Adam’s character), then to Noah, Shem (Malchitzedek), Abraham, Isaac and Jacob and is found today in the book known as Sefer Yetzirah[4]. After Adam ate the 'forbidden fruit' , desired knowledge he lost his complete comprehension of Divine Creation, which was concealed from him. It was only through his repentance that G-d re-revealed His Knowledge, this time in the written word absent of his complete esoteric understanding. Adam spent all his days studying the Knowledge to regain what he once possessed and which contained the deepest mysteries describing the instant of creation and everything that proceeded from it.
Studies of The Knowledge of Creation resulted in limited writings through the generations for around 2000 years leading to the time of Abraham and Isaac[5]. Jacob is known to have studied intensely for 14 years in the same cave of learning that Shem studied in. It is quite clear that knowledge of the concepts contained in these early writings were deeply ingrained in the minds of all Israel’s forefathers. In the book, Sefer Yetzirah, the 10 Sefirot are described as if a Tree of Life including the 22 energy paths (branches) that result from the vessels of the soul defined by G-d.
The Tree of Life (see diagram above) around which the deepest mystical knowledge of the universe and life were formed. Only Torah, read and understood, in its highest most abstract representation contains the revelation that can accurately reflect the intricately detailed make-up of the energies of the Sefirot.
In each vessel (attribute) an aspect of G-d’s light exists which is described in our soulful realm by the Sages as follows;
1 - Keter – Crown – Higher world attribute governing pleasure and desire – closest to G-d therefore representing good. It is the highest dimension and is joined with Malkhut, its opposite, in the cascading heavenly scheme.
2 - Chokmah – Higher world intellectual attribute of Wisdom – Leading the right column it is the masculine form often described as being the right side of good – providing insight. Containing the fixed past, therefore representing the good that emenates from it. This forms the second dimension when joined with Binah. Since the past feeds the future, in a sense fertilizing it, Chokmah is thought of as male.
3 - Binah – Higher world intellectual attribute of Understanding, Awareness, Intelligence – leading the left column it is feminine. Enabling the future and therefore the application of free will often described as being the side of evil – stimulating analysis. Since Binah (the future) receives from the past it is thought of as female.
4 - Chesed – Lower world emotional attribute. Love, Compassion, Kindness, Righteousness – the quality of giving and revealing to others; emanating from Chokmah therefore good
5 - Gevurah – Lower world emotional attribute. Strength, Fortitude, Valor – the quality of withholding from others; emanating from Binah therefore evil
6 - Tiferet – Interfacing lower world (emotional )and higher world (intellectual) attributes. Balance, Beauty, Perfection – representing the center column – bringing down the light of mercy
7 - Netzach – Lower world emotional attribute. Victory, Eternity, Infinity – the desire to overcome obstacles
8 - Hod – Lower world emotional attribute. Splendor, Majesty, Greatness – the quality of grandeur; forming the third dimension when joined with Netzach
9 - Yesod – Lower world emotional attribute. Foundation, Principle – the desire to influence others
10 - Malkhut – Manifestation of Higher world and Lower world attributes through, speech or action by which all connections to our spiritual and physical are carried into life. Sovereignty, Kingship – the desire to rule over others; representing the side of evil in its opposite position to its crown being Keter
In the first chapter of the book of Genesis, (Elokim) The Deity that created the universe designates that Justice and Judgment were executed in His absolute form and not in His form where He presides over His celestial court. In this chapter His specific name is stated on 32 individual and specific occasions associated with His actions during the creation of the heavens, the universe, the world and man[6].
In the highest universal realm, the higher Sefirot (1-3) are commonly referred to as Arich Anpin (The Upper Three) and the lower Sefirot (4-9) – Zer Anpin (The Lower Six). Malkhut (10) is referred to separately as it is the vessel through which we connect to all the energies of the Sefirot, it is the active vessel through which we execute action, in a real world sense, to fulfill G-d’s commands and is generally referred to as Feminine and reflected as the Sabbath. The lower Sefirot are related to the six days of the week with Malkhut being the 7th day(Sabbath). Sabbath (from Friday evening through Saturday evening) is the day on which Jewish people welcome the “Sabbath Bride” when G-d’s holy Feminine presence (the Shekinah) descends to dwell amongst us in peace, protecting and re-invigorating our souls during the Sabbath and by her presence, negating the prominence of evil forces of the other side.
From the 32 times G-d’s name is mentioned in Genesis and the specific acts that emanated from His name, 22 letters and 10 digits are derived as the vessels through which creation took place. Every letter is revealed by and emanates from G-d’s four letter name (י'ה'ו'ה) (Y’H’V’H), which incorporates and is interchangeable with the mother letters א-Aleph-Air, מ-Mem-Water and ש-Shin-Fire. His name is a 6 dimensional analogy for all that exists, the last letter ה denoting the lower world-Malkhut. These 6 dimensions occur in lower and upper worlds often reflected by use of the number 12 representing the completion upper and lower. The array of the 4 letters of His name designates the multiplicity of every conceivable dimension and direction in space. By exhausting all possible arrangements of the letters of His name, the variable flow of energy between each of the vessels of the Sefirot is determined[7]. All roads of Kabbalah lead back to this point no matter how complex the path back may be. Although there are 4 letters in His name, one letter is duplicated the 3 remaining letters parallel 3 Mother Letters representing the elements of Air, Water and Fire reflecting thesis, antithesis and synthesis. The combinational arrays derived by the application of His name together with the Sefirot and their energy flow reveal the primary source for Kabbalah.
The triangle numbers from Genesis 1:1 (see: http://beingholy.blogspot.com/#116408936581140925) in particular the numbers 73 and its whole number midpoint 37 (the 37th inverted triangle that pierced the perimeter of the 73rd triangle on each of its 3 sides to reflect the number 666) establishes the relevance of these precepts. It becomes abundantly clear when we discover that Chokmah the attribute of wisdom in the Sefirot, the highest attribute through which man unites the higher (Keter – The Crown) and lower worlds (The nine remaining Sefirot), contains a unique numerical relationship in that (Chokmah; meaning: wisdom) חכמה = 8+20+40+5 =73. Further, when we look at the ordinal position of its letters we discover that (Chokmah) חכמה= 8th letter +11th letter +13th letter +5th letter = 37. This alludes to the mystery of wisdom being the attribute with the capacity to comprehend all information from the internal and external. However, we can only connect with this understanding through the purity and holiness of each Sefirah that procedes it. To realize our inner wisdom, we must first traverse from the lowest point Malkhut through Yesod, Hod, Netzach, Tiferet, Gevurah, Chesed and Binah to the attribute of Chokmah, only then can Divine Wisdom be accessed by which perfected cognitive reasoning, speech and action can be applied.
Yesod - Foundation (יסוד = 80), the attribute that connects Zer Anpin (the lower 6) to Malkhut - Kingdom (מלכות = 496; the 4th known Perfect Number), is the mystical attribute combination that enables the soul and spiritual essence of the higher world to be brought down to the pragmatic reality of the lower world. When one considers these numbers produce a sum of 576 and that 576 = 24^2 (squared) we are able then to assign a numeric relationship to the importance of the 24 possible permutations[8] of G-d’s explicit name (The letter array of all possible combinations of the Tetragramaton – Y’H’V’H or י'ה'ו'ה). In order to elevate ones thoughts through the ranks of each Sefirah to gain Divine understanding and insight, various ancient mediative techniques using the letter permutations of G-d's name were devised.
Within each attribute are the detailed profiles of each such that the pattern of Sefirot of the highest realm is repeated in a concealed manner within the vessels of the lower realms. Each Sefirah is governed by its unique and specific energy pattern contained in each of its 10 Sefirot, which specifically define the characteristics of that Sefirah. All of our personalities are governed by this balance. It is like the fingerprint of our persona, each one of us being absolutely and perfectly unique.
One of the teachings of the famous Maggid of the city of Mezritch, heard by the Alter Rebbe (the head of the Lubavitcher movement in Russia) in 5524 (1764) casts light on the source of the Sefirot:
"I (Anochi) have made the earth, and upon it created man."[9] Anochi, He who is the true "I",[10] unknown to and concealed from even the loftiest emanations, clothed His blessed Essence through numerous condensations to give rise to the emanations and creatures, to Serafim, Chayot, Ofanim, angels and "worlds" beyond number. Through countless condensations, "I made this (physical) world and upon it created (barati) man." Man is the end-purpose of Creation, and barati is the end-purpose of man. (Barati, "I created," has the numerical equivalent of 613, the number of written commandments in the Torah) and the number of know nerves, sinews and vessels of the human body.
[1] Inner Space – Aryeh Kaplan Pg3 - http://www.chabad.org/dailystudy/tanya.asp?tDate=12/23/2006
[2] Sefer Yetzirah – Aryeh Kaplan Ch1
[3] Inner Space – Aryeh Kaplan Pg 49
[4] See Sefer Yetzirah – The Book of Creation – In Theory and Practice – Revised Edition – Aryeh Kaplan
[5] Sefer Yetzirah – Aryeh Kaplan Pg xii
[6] Sefer Yetzirah – Aryeh Kaplan Ch 1
[7] Sefer Yetzirah – Aryeh Kaplan Pg 83 Table 13.
[8] Meditation and Kabbalah – The Hidden Eden
[9] Yeshayahu 45:12
[10] Lit.: "I, Whoever I Am."
The principles of the Kabbalah emanate from 32 Paths of Wisdom manifest in G-d's 10 primary names, the source of 10 Sefirot (vessels) connected by 22 energies contained in everything we know[2]. Everything from the highest heavens through the lower heavens is enabled through the vessels, the Sefirot. Their formation is described in enormous detail and their resulting energy-forces give life to everything physical. In the highest realm the Sefirot form the basis of 10 united or conjoined spiritual vessels and the 22 hybrid energy paths along which energy forces flow. Each path reflects the source energy embodied in each of 22 representative letters of the Hebrew alphabet. Each letter a different path, unique and specific connecting G-d's 10 Sefirot, vessels of energy which cascade through the four heavenly realms to earth. In each progressive heavenly realm the 10 Sefirot and their 22 paths establish lower realm qualities connecting, as if chained. The lowest link of the highest world forms the highest link in the world below concealing G-d’s light such that all is connected and all energy is effected in this multilevel, interconnected system.
At the top of this energy system the vessel 'Keter', which in the lowest of the four heavenly realms - Asiyah is known as “The Crown”, the highest source. Details are generally unable to be understood, comprehended or perceived by man. Keter of Asiyah is the absolute perfection of all that is “I”[3] and influences all energy-forces that fall beneath it. Below Keter, Chokmah the force of all wisdom; Binah the force of understanding; Chesed the force of kindness; compassion and love; Gevurah strength and justice; Tiferet compassion, beauty and balance; Netzach victory through offense; Hod majesty through defense; Yesod foundation; and depicted vertically below this Malkhut, kingdom, action and realization. There are many ways to look upon these vessels and how they manifest in each object, in our personality attributes and in our lives. The ancient teachings provide the most exceptional insights into their meanings, at the deepest of mystical interpretations, those that seek knowledge of Torah broadly find them presented in a manner consistent across all Jewish cultural groups.
At a detailed resolution, each Sefirot can be intricately and intimately analyzed and studied to reveal the most credible of mystical secrets that lie beyond literal interpretations and in depth understandings of even the most educated people. For thousands of years, people have written about these mystical secrets, these energy forms, these vessels and the ways in which we function through them to elevate our spiritual and physical states to realize our innate potential.
G-d is recognized in Jewish mystical studies as The Maker, The Creator of all. G-d is unbounded in His absolute manifestation and can never be correctly imagined. Numerous Prophets, Sages and Rabbi’s have elevated their conscious states to the highest levels, they are known to have contemplated the highest heights, in the deepest meditative sense reaching the next universal realm of Beriyah by following the mystical paths of the Sefirot. In these higher realms they have received spiritual guidance from the purest energies that manifest thorough the 10 Sefirot and 22 letters of the Hebrew alphabet as prescribed by G-d.
The teachings of The Zohar, which after the destruction of the second temple (100-200 CE) revealed Kabbalah in a concise form, related to the Hebrew Bible tell how Adam received The Book (mystical Knowledge of Creation) from G-d. All evil was contained before the first vessels of creation were shattered during the episode involving Eve, the Serpent and the fruits of the Tree of Knowledge. Much of this desire for Knowledge was passed from Adam to his son Seth (the son that most resembled Adam’s character), then to Noah, Shem (Malchitzedek), Abraham, Isaac and Jacob and is found today in the book known as Sefer Yetzirah[4]. After Adam ate the 'forbidden fruit' , desired knowledge he lost his complete comprehension of Divine Creation, which was concealed from him. It was only through his repentance that G-d re-revealed His Knowledge, this time in the written word absent of his complete esoteric understanding. Adam spent all his days studying the Knowledge to regain what he once possessed and which contained the deepest mysteries describing the instant of creation and everything that proceeded from it.
Studies of The Knowledge of Creation resulted in limited writings through the generations for around 2000 years leading to the time of Abraham and Isaac[5]. Jacob is known to have studied intensely for 14 years in the same cave of learning that Shem studied in. It is quite clear that knowledge of the concepts contained in these early writings were deeply ingrained in the minds of all Israel’s forefathers. In the book, Sefer Yetzirah, the 10 Sefirot are described as if a Tree of Life including the 22 energy paths (branches) that result from the vessels of the soul defined by G-d.
The Tree of Life (see diagram above) around which the deepest mystical knowledge of the universe and life were formed. Only Torah, read and understood, in its highest most abstract representation contains the revelation that can accurately reflect the intricately detailed make-up of the energies of the Sefirot.
In each vessel (attribute) an aspect of G-d’s light exists which is described in our soulful realm by the Sages as follows;
1 - Keter – Crown – Higher world attribute governing pleasure and desire – closest to G-d therefore representing good. It is the highest dimension and is joined with Malkhut, its opposite, in the cascading heavenly scheme.
2 - Chokmah – Higher world intellectual attribute of Wisdom – Leading the right column it is the masculine form often described as being the right side of good – providing insight. Containing the fixed past, therefore representing the good that emenates from it. This forms the second dimension when joined with Binah. Since the past feeds the future, in a sense fertilizing it, Chokmah is thought of as male.
3 - Binah – Higher world intellectual attribute of Understanding, Awareness, Intelligence – leading the left column it is feminine. Enabling the future and therefore the application of free will often described as being the side of evil – stimulating analysis. Since Binah (the future) receives from the past it is thought of as female.
4 - Chesed – Lower world emotional attribute. Love, Compassion, Kindness, Righteousness – the quality of giving and revealing to others; emanating from Chokmah therefore good
5 - Gevurah – Lower world emotional attribute. Strength, Fortitude, Valor – the quality of withholding from others; emanating from Binah therefore evil
6 - Tiferet – Interfacing lower world (emotional )and higher world (intellectual) attributes. Balance, Beauty, Perfection – representing the center column – bringing down the light of mercy
7 - Netzach – Lower world emotional attribute. Victory, Eternity, Infinity – the desire to overcome obstacles
8 - Hod – Lower world emotional attribute. Splendor, Majesty, Greatness – the quality of grandeur; forming the third dimension when joined with Netzach
9 - Yesod – Lower world emotional attribute. Foundation, Principle – the desire to influence others
10 - Malkhut – Manifestation of Higher world and Lower world attributes through, speech or action by which all connections to our spiritual and physical are carried into life. Sovereignty, Kingship – the desire to rule over others; representing the side of evil in its opposite position to its crown being Keter
In the first chapter of the book of Genesis, (Elokim) The Deity that created the universe designates that Justice and Judgment were executed in His absolute form and not in His form where He presides over His celestial court. In this chapter His specific name is stated on 32 individual and specific occasions associated with His actions during the creation of the heavens, the universe, the world and man[6].
In the highest universal realm, the higher Sefirot (1-3) are commonly referred to as Arich Anpin (The Upper Three) and the lower Sefirot (4-9) – Zer Anpin (The Lower Six). Malkhut (10) is referred to separately as it is the vessel through which we connect to all the energies of the Sefirot, it is the active vessel through which we execute action, in a real world sense, to fulfill G-d’s commands and is generally referred to as Feminine and reflected as the Sabbath. The lower Sefirot are related to the six days of the week with Malkhut being the 7th day(Sabbath). Sabbath (from Friday evening through Saturday evening) is the day on which Jewish people welcome the “Sabbath Bride” when G-d’s holy Feminine presence (the Shekinah) descends to dwell amongst us in peace, protecting and re-invigorating our souls during the Sabbath and by her presence, negating the prominence of evil forces of the other side.
From the 32 times G-d’s name is mentioned in Genesis and the specific acts that emanated from His name, 22 letters and 10 digits are derived as the vessels through which creation took place. Every letter is revealed by and emanates from G-d’s four letter name (י'ה'ו'ה) (Y’H’V’H), which incorporates and is interchangeable with the mother letters א-Aleph-Air, מ-Mem-Water and ש-Shin-Fire. His name is a 6 dimensional analogy for all that exists, the last letter ה denoting the lower world-Malkhut. These 6 dimensions occur in lower and upper worlds often reflected by use of the number 12 representing the completion upper and lower. The array of the 4 letters of His name designates the multiplicity of every conceivable dimension and direction in space. By exhausting all possible arrangements of the letters of His name, the variable flow of energy between each of the vessels of the Sefirot is determined[7]. All roads of Kabbalah lead back to this point no matter how complex the path back may be. Although there are 4 letters in His name, one letter is duplicated the 3 remaining letters parallel 3 Mother Letters representing the elements of Air, Water and Fire reflecting thesis, antithesis and synthesis. The combinational arrays derived by the application of His name together with the Sefirot and their energy flow reveal the primary source for Kabbalah.
The triangle numbers from Genesis 1:1 (see: http://beingholy.blogspot.com/#116408936581140925) in particular the numbers 73 and its whole number midpoint 37 (the 37th inverted triangle that pierced the perimeter of the 73rd triangle on each of its 3 sides to reflect the number 666) establishes the relevance of these precepts. It becomes abundantly clear when we discover that Chokmah the attribute of wisdom in the Sefirot, the highest attribute through which man unites the higher (Keter – The Crown) and lower worlds (The nine remaining Sefirot), contains a unique numerical relationship in that (Chokmah; meaning: wisdom) חכמה = 8+20+40+5 =73. Further, when we look at the ordinal position of its letters we discover that (Chokmah) חכמה= 8th letter +11th letter +13th letter +5th letter = 37. This alludes to the mystery of wisdom being the attribute with the capacity to comprehend all information from the internal and external. However, we can only connect with this understanding through the purity and holiness of each Sefirah that procedes it. To realize our inner wisdom, we must first traverse from the lowest point Malkhut through Yesod, Hod, Netzach, Tiferet, Gevurah, Chesed and Binah to the attribute of Chokmah, only then can Divine Wisdom be accessed by which perfected cognitive reasoning, speech and action can be applied.
Yesod - Foundation (יסוד = 80), the attribute that connects Zer Anpin (the lower 6) to Malkhut - Kingdom (מלכות = 496; the 4th known Perfect Number), is the mystical attribute combination that enables the soul and spiritual essence of the higher world to be brought down to the pragmatic reality of the lower world. When one considers these numbers produce a sum of 576 and that 576 = 24^2 (squared) we are able then to assign a numeric relationship to the importance of the 24 possible permutations[8] of G-d’s explicit name (The letter array of all possible combinations of the Tetragramaton – Y’H’V’H or י'ה'ו'ה). In order to elevate ones thoughts through the ranks of each Sefirah to gain Divine understanding and insight, various ancient mediative techniques using the letter permutations of G-d's name were devised.
Within each attribute are the detailed profiles of each such that the pattern of Sefirot of the highest realm is repeated in a concealed manner within the vessels of the lower realms. Each Sefirah is governed by its unique and specific energy pattern contained in each of its 10 Sefirot, which specifically define the characteristics of that Sefirah. All of our personalities are governed by this balance. It is like the fingerprint of our persona, each one of us being absolutely and perfectly unique.
One of the teachings of the famous Maggid of the city of Mezritch, heard by the Alter Rebbe (the head of the Lubavitcher movement in Russia) in 5524 (1764) casts light on the source of the Sefirot:
"I (Anochi) have made the earth, and upon it created man."[9] Anochi, He who is the true "I",[10] unknown to and concealed from even the loftiest emanations, clothed His blessed Essence through numerous condensations to give rise to the emanations and creatures, to Serafim, Chayot, Ofanim, angels and "worlds" beyond number. Through countless condensations, "I made this (physical) world and upon it created (barati) man." Man is the end-purpose of Creation, and barati is the end-purpose of man. (Barati, "I created," has the numerical equivalent of 613, the number of written commandments in the Torah) and the number of know nerves, sinews and vessels of the human body.
[1] Inner Space – Aryeh Kaplan Pg3 - http://www.chabad.org/dailystudy/tanya.asp?tDate=12/23/2006
[2] Sefer Yetzirah – Aryeh Kaplan Ch1
[3] Inner Space – Aryeh Kaplan Pg 49
[4] See Sefer Yetzirah – The Book of Creation – In Theory and Practice – Revised Edition – Aryeh Kaplan
[5] Sefer Yetzirah – Aryeh Kaplan Pg xii
[6] Sefer Yetzirah – Aryeh Kaplan Ch 1
[7] Sefer Yetzirah – Aryeh Kaplan Pg 83 Table 13.
[8] Meditation and Kabbalah – The Hidden Eden
[9] Yeshayahu 45:12
[10] Lit.: "I, Whoever I Am."