More Newsletters

Kabbalah Education Network Volume #4   Etz Chaiim and The Sephirot     Author, Kabalist & Lecturer: Bob Waxman (FL)   Rabbi Max Weiman (MO) Israeli Kabbalah Scholar (Tel-Aviv): Micha Kovler   Founder: The Kabbalah Museum (MD & Zefat): Phillip Ratner   Founder: Spiral Institute for Kabbalah (NZ): Rabbi & Dr. Yehuda Leib Mirvis   Rabbi Azriel Abraham: (Jerusalem): published articles from 1962 - 1998.                                                          The Building Blocks Of Creation                      by Rabbi Max Weiman   Stars, planets, "sefirot", and the Hebrew alphabet are the building blocks of creation. God's existence is something very far removed from anything we can comprehend. He is immanent and part of everything we know; yet we cannot know Him. To ponder Him confounds the mind. As He said to Moses, "No man can see me and live." (Exodus 33:20) Why can we not "see" God? Because we are not capable, while in the form of a human being, of grasping God. Our physicality, as a barrier, makes it impossible. When someone dies and the soul is detached from the body, then he can see God.   In between our existence and God's essence are levels and layers of worlds, universes, and spiritual entities. God created and designed these things. The study and understanding of these forces and realities are a large part of kabbalistic thought. There are upper realms and lower realms all in an intricately entwined matrix type design linking our realm of reality to worlds above which ascend to a reality much closer to God's essence. Since these realms are created as form without matter, they do not have spatial relationships. Hence, as soon as we try to picture these realms and levels we are distorting our understanding. This causes quite an obstacle for many to a true understanding of the spiritual world. To aid our ability to understand the spiritual side, God gave hints and clues in the physical realm, and in the written Torah.   The Hebrew language is the foundation of the Torah, and the alphabet is the backbone of the language. Other languages may have evolved organically, or developed from one language mixing with another. Hebrew was something that was formed by an Infinite Being and has intrinsic meaning and holiness. Each letter is a symbol of a spiritual reality that God created. There are twenty-two letters, which are divided into three groups by the kabbalists: A group of three that are symbolic of the primordial elements with which God created physicality: air, water, and fire. A group of seven that are symbolic of the seven main celestial bodies: Sun, Moon, Mercury, Jupiter, Venus, Saturn, and Mars. These in turn have a connection with the seven days of the week. And a last group of twelve that are symbolic of the twelve signs of the zodiac, and the twelve months, which in turn are connected to the twelve tribes of Jacob. Each of these groups fulfills a function in the world aside from its representation of a higher reality.   The stars and planets are conduits for the spiritual influences from above. The first two groups combine to form a group of ten. This group is the precursor to the ten statements of creation, the ten plagues in Egypt, and the Ten Commandments. Ten is a unit. It represents completeness. God hid the knowledge of how the spiritual world is structured; yet at the same time He revealed it to us through the stars, planets, and the alphabet. The Torah also hints too much of the mystical side of the universe. If you are sensitive to the words and looking for spiritual insights you will find them in the Torah, the Prophets, the Writings, and also the Prayer Book.   Understand that the group of ten is an essential theme in Kabbalah. The group expresses ten qualities of Godliness that we find in the world. These ten qualities are known as the Sefirot, and they exist as the backbone of the spiritual realm that exists somehow between God's essence and our reality. What is the purpose of the knowledge of these sefirot or any of the other aspects of Kabbalah? All of existence is here for us to come closer to God. Every commandment is an opportunity for a connection to God, and every piece of Torah knowledge binds you to God. It's His book, and His instructions. That's what the Torah and the commandments are here for.   The study of Kabbalah in particular describes how God runs the universe, which is a much more powerful and more revealing glimpse of God's actual self, so to speak. We can never, as we've said, really know God while we are in the body. Kabbalah, however, gives us the greatest possibility of closeness. For this reason, Kabbalah in traditional sources is called Chachmas HaElohus" which means "The knowledge of Godliness". One who studies Kabbalah without wanting to understand and get closer to the Al-mighty is like reading a book on advanced Geometry because you like the looks of the diagrams. You're missing the point. If you separate Kabbalah from its source then you no longer have Kabbalah. You have something else. One must be involved in some way with Torah study and mitzvah observance in order to really ever know Kabbalah.                                                                                                  The Archetype of Life                                            By Velvel “Wally” Spiegler     How could the early Jewish mystics have possibly known anything specific about the mysteries that abound our reality? During the first weeks of high school chemistry I was astounded to learn that no one had ever seen the atom of any chemical element. In those days anyway, molecules (conglomerates of atoms) were the smallest particles of matter viewable under the most powerful electron microscopes. But yet, our textbooks were illustrating diagrams of these atoms with their nucleus, consisting of neutron and proton particles and its orbital rings each containing one or more electrons. How could anyone have determined this concept of invisible, sub-microscopic physical matter?  As a sixteen-year-old, I just accepted these orderly designs without question, but as an adult attempting to understand the mysteries of Creation, I came to the startling discovery that those chemical patterns were devised “as if “ material matter behaved according to their laws. And it simultaneously dawned on me that our sages must have concluded that our known universe behaves “as if” governed by the diagram of the mythical Tree of Life with its Ten Sephirot.   Originally, the Zohar, the most influential text on Jewish mysticism, outlined the concept of Ten Sephirot (spheres of Divine energy) to symbolize the flow of God’s blessings, which emanate from His heavenly abode and filtering its way down to us here on earth. It’s a pretty universal concept. Most students are familiar with this configuration either in the image of a tree (The Tree of Life) or that of the human form; the system also works well in other formats. Each Sephira, or sphere functions like a step-down transformer of the original energy, is given a Hebrew name which, at first glance, may seem to lack specific meaning.   Let me give you an example. The two-centermost spheres on the outside columns of the Tree of Life diagram are labeled Chesed (loving kindness) and Gevurah (strength) respectively. Just below Chesed and Gevurah on the center column is one named Tiferet (beauty). What could those words mean in terms of better understanding yourself or the universe?   For hundreds of years now, debates have persisted as to the meanings of those titles and there still remains no consensus of opinion. These Hebrew equivalents start to take on some meaning when we realize that each cluster of three spheres (The Triads) exists on the different levels of consciousness: the emotional, the mental and the spiritual. It suggests that our consciousness is a recreated version of the original spiritual energy. The Sephirot channel high-powered Divine energy down to us in useful forms. The diagram of the Sephirot is a map of how it gets here. Maybe that’s why the Torah tells us “But, He said, “you cannot see my face, for man may not see Me and live” (Exodus 33:20); it’s like high voltage electricity, too powerful.   The First Triad   Keter, the Hebrew expression for “crown”, is the first Sephira on the Tree of Life to receive the pure, undifferentiated energy from the Divine source. It then flows by the force of opposites towards the second sephira on the Tree of Chochma, loosely defined as intuitive knowledge. This is the entrance into the world of Divine mind.   Chochma is not yet available to humans, except for those few with matured spiritual understanding, where inchoate mental impulses begin to appear. Some attribute “understanding” to Bina, suggesting that the first glimpses of comprehension stems from this source.  Chochma and Bina balance each other in the quasi-sephira of Daas (knowledge). I believe that this Sephira is necessary for the blending of Chochma and Bina, but since it is counted as the eleventh Sephira, it’s considered a pseudo Sephira; it’s there, yet it’s not there. Intuitive knowledge is attributed to Daas.   The Second Triad   The energy now moves toward the emotional triad, consisting of Chesed (loving kindness), Gevurah (restraint) and Tiferet (beauty or balance). Chesed represents the pure loving kindness that enables us to abstain from judgmental behavior and to give compassion to others. It is the energy of selfless giving. In contrast to that we find Gevurah on the other side of the triad which brings out the restrictive nature in all of us. It tempers the selflessness of Chesed, and can be compared to the role of the loving parent or teacher who has to say “no” one in a while. Chesed and Gevurah converge into state of balance in Tiferet (beauty). Here is where our energy mediates between our known world and the world of spirit.  It is the state of absolute balance.     The Third Triad   The Divine energy now shifts over to the right side of the Tree and is transformed into Netzach, loosely translated as “victory”. Netzach is masculine energy that is responsible for survival and reproduction. When we think of the ways we survive like being aggressive at the work environment, creating more efficient methods of doing things, adapting to the environment, we’re operating from Netzach. Hod, on the other hand, calms the aggressive nature through surrender, submission and restraint. Netzach is the male initiating sexual activity while Hod is the receptive partner.  These two forces ultimately neutralize each other under the Sephira of Yesod (foundation). This triad represents the energies of will or stepping out into the world. Whereas, in the emotional triad we dealt in issues relating to ourselves, now we confront our relations with others. In Yesod we enter the threshold of the world of action, which truly functions as the foundation for every activity we do in the physical plane. Yesod is the final, densest Sephira among the three triads that are included in the Tree of Life. The Tree culminates in Malchut, which literally means “kingdom” and represents the combined energies that motivate every action in God’s earthly world.     The Sephirot exist in all of us. Kabbalah is an attempt to explain the unexplainable, not necessarily in words, but often through intuition. So, this map of energy transformation from the spiritual realm to the physical was intended as a tool for contemplation, a meditative device. “Loving kindness”, which is closely related to unconditional love, is somewhat clearer than some others. But what about “victory” or “beauty”? Once you realize that these names exist in our consciousness, then,   through meditative awareness, we can sense intuitively what the labels of the Sephirot mean and how they relate to our lives. These names have different meanings for different people. “Beauty”, in an emotional sense might mean something different for me than it would for you. By consistently meditating on the meanings of the Sephirot, their true nature becomes apparent, suggesting what needs fixing.   Not everything we know comes from books; probably what we know intellectually is just the “tip of the iceberg”. The vast amount of knowledge available lies beyond our consciousness. The Jewish mystics knew that the conventional interpretations of the Torah reached the limit of intellectual capacity and tools were needed to transcend the ability of the mind. They knew that the secrets of the universe lurked beyond human understanding. Contemplative study and meditation became their choice to explore the furthest reaches of inner space—our source of wisdom. In order to organize this knowledge, mystical systems found themselves forced to draw visual representations of how they intuitively perceived the universe to appear. Most every system I ever inquired into describes their visions in terms of diagrams. The difference between how each culture’s mystics viewed the universe is the result of each culture’s worldview based on their geography, history, and sociology.   Among the more notable aspects of the Tree of Life is the nature of its perfect state of balance. It’s almost as if it could stand perfectly still, counterbalanced by its own weight. The notion of balance is common in everything throughout the natural world. For example, ecosystems (deserts, forests, lakes, etc.) depend upon the perfect balance within the entire species (wildlife, vegetation, insects, and fish) in the system; if but one variety of creature is compromised, the effect on the whole can be devastating. In a similar manner, health, both physical and mental, can be defined as the perfect balance of all our internal systems and their components.   Upon further observation, it becomes clear that the diagram is perfectly symmetrical, from right to left and from top to bottom. The Tree is composed of three columns: a right, a left and a central column. The right column represents male energy: aggressive, positive and generating. The left column represents female energy: nurturing, passive and negative. Negative in this sense or anywhere else throughout Jewish tradition should not be construed as undesirable or of lesser value, but merely as the polar opposite of positive. The center is the neutral column that represents balanced, spiritual energy through all of the Tree’s levels. Energy always emanates from a neutral source and proceeds towards positive. Positive is always attracted by negative and then the flow returns to the source at a lower level on the Tree, which is how energy becomes transformed from the more spiritual, subtle levels to the denser earthly energy.   I’m a firm believer that concepts must have some practical value; otherwise I discard them, so here are a few suggestions to utilize the Sephirot in our own lives: 1. A pictorial interpretation of the energetic universe and how energy is stepped down from spiritual to physical. 2. The study of Kabbalah teaches the values of balance.  How do you align yourself with the balanced energy of the Sephirot and the Torah? The diagram is actually a pictorial view of how energy flows in the Torah. 3. The Sephirot illustrate giving and receiving. We leaned how the Tree of Life shattered as a result of the ability to receive without the ability to give. Life depends upon such sharing. 4. The Sephirot illustrate vessel and light. An entire school of Kabbalah is devoted to vessels and light. Vessels are containers that hold light, an analogy of spiritual energy 5. Caches (pigeonholes) to categorize the variety of your energetic experiences. We need ways to classify and verbally describe the various qualities of energy that we encounter each day. 6. A gazing device to appreciate God’s universe. Many people use the diagram as a mandala and gaze upon the wonders of creation 7.The sephirot can be a guide to climbing spiritual heights. Enter into a state of meditation focusing first on Malchut then observe what’s interfering with your next step upwards.   My prayer is that we may all encounter our own souls through the exploration of the Ten Sephirot, which ultimately brings forth integration of mind, body and spirit. That is God’s plan for the repair of each one of us and of the universe.   Copyright 2004 – All rights reserved.                                                                     Rabbi Moshe Chaim Luzzatto ("RaMChaL"): 138 Openings of Wisdom            Translated by Rabbi Avraham Yehoshua Greenbaum Opening 8 The Sefirot may appear in opposite likenesses even simultaneously. Both are true representations. The Sefirot can appear in likenesses that may even be mutually contradictory, in exactly the same way as images in a dream may change in a single moment. Each likeness seen in the prophetic vision provides knowledge about one power and one attribute. The attributes and powers become known according to the true, proper order in which they are arranged and function, while the likenesses are in accordance with the soul's ability to receive. Having explained how the Sefirot appear as likenesses or images, we will now explain how these images may change from one to another. The proposition consists of three parts. Part 1: The Sefirot can appear... This explains how the images change. Part 2: Each image seen... This explains the utility of these changes. Part 3: The attributes and powers... This explains the difference between the images and what they represent. Part 1. The Sefirot can appear in likenesses that may even be mutually contradictory... If the likenesses through which the Sefirot appear were intrinsic to the Sefirot themselves, it would obviously be impossible to attribute two contradictory opposites to one and the same subject. However, since these likeness are not intrinsic to the Sefirot but were chosen by God, there is no difficulty in the fact that they may appear in different and contradictory likenesses, one after the other, or even simultaneously. For at one moment the Supreme Will wants them to appear in one way, and afterwards in a different way. This enables us to resolve a problem arising out of various passages in the writings of the ARI that appear to contradict one another. Particularly difficult is the use of apparently contradictory terms to describe the state of the worlds. One of the hardest problems is the apparent contradiction between the depiction of the worlds in the form of a series of concentric circles (Igulim) and their depiction in linear form (Yosher). In the circular likeness, the world of Asiyah is in the middle, and accordingly, the line (Kav) should pass through the center of Asiyah and continue down below it. But for various reasons, this is impossible (as discussed by all the Kabbalistic masters), These problems can be resolved if we understand that these are simply the likenesses and images of prophetic vision. It is perfectly possible for the prophetic vision to contain contradictory images. The best way to understand this is by considering the parallel case of dreams. ...in exactly the same way as images in a dream may change in a single moment. In the case of a dream, it is not the actual object represented in the dream that is seen but rather, an image or likeness of the object manufactured by the image-making faculty of the mind - the imagination. It is this image that the person dreaming sees in his mind, and through it, he gains the knowledge which the dream was sent to him to reveal, be it true or false. The person's image-making faculty creates a picture in his mind consisting of dream images and symbols corresponding to the knowledge revealed through the dream. The picture is such that the dreamer thinks he is actually seeing the objects themselves. However, what the person sees in the dream is nothing but the product of his imagination, and accordingly, the laws that would apply to the actual objects if they were seen by the physical eye in waking life do not apply to the images seen in the dream. The dreamer may dream that he sees a certain thing, yet that very thing may turn into something else in the same dream. These changes do not occur in such a way that the person can actually see the transition from one to another in the way the physical eye would see the transition if it took place in front of the person. In the dream, the person sees what he sees in one way, then afterwards he sees it in a different way. You cannot object that it was not that way a moment ago, for this is simply the way the imagination works. Similarly in the case of the prophetic vision, it is possible to see contradictory images. The person may see one thing, but when he looks at it in order to understand it, it changes into something else. Thus in Ezekiel's vision, "the living creatures were running and returning" (Ezekiel 1:14). When one looks at the totality of all the worlds with the line (Kav) within them, the circles appear one within the other and the line goes down through the middle, continuing all the way to the end (i.e. down to the lower half of the circles of Atik). In this view Asiyah appears to be in the middle. However, when one goes on to examine the line, Asiyah appears to be at the end of the line (as if the line does not continue past the center, down to the lower half of the circle of Atik). If one attempts to view Asiyah in the circular and linear view simultaneously, it appears to be above and below at one and the same time - "above", in the sense of being in the center of the circles, "below" in the sense of being at the end of the line. A similar example from this world would be what the rabbis said about Moses' burial place: to those standing below, it would appear as if it were above, but to those above, it would appear as if it were below (Sotah 14a). The same principle applies in all the exalted visions of prophecy. They may take all kinds of different forms and change literally from moment to moment, as in a dream - for all these phenomena are found in dreams. Similarly, many other apparent contradictions in the writings of the ARI are not really contradictions at all. For in truth, what the prophet sees appears in both ways even at one and the same time, as in the case of a dream. Each likeness seen in the prophetic vision provides knowledge about one power... Not for nothing do the images change. On the contrary, when two different visions of one and the same subject are seen, it is understood that both provide knowledge about the subject in question, and the prophet who sees the vision understands its meaning. From each image the prophet attains knowledge of a separate aspect of the general power that he sees ...and one attribute... i.e., he comes to understand things in de. When there are many different aspects, one likeness will provide knowledge about one attribute and everything dependent upon it and deriving from it in the overall scheme of government. Another likeness will provide knowledge about a different attribute and all that depends on and derives from it. For example, when examining the causal chain (hishtalshelut) through which the various Partzufim are related, Yesod of Atik appears to end in the chest (Tiferet) of Arich Anpin, and from there emerge forces of Kindness and Severity, as will be discussed in its place (Opening 110). However, when we examine the Partzufim from the point of view of how one is clothed in another (äìáùä, halbashah), Yesod of Atik appears to end in Yesod of Arich Anpin. It seems both ways because both are true. These matters are revealed through the visions of the prophets. The attributes and powers become known according to the true, correct order in which they are arranged and function... The difference between the vision seen by the prophet and the meaning of the vision, namely the underlying reality understood from it, is that the vision is in accordance with what the soul can receive. The Emanator, blessed be His Name, laid down the law that the prophets or the souls can receive only through this vision. Accordingly, their understanding of all the different aspects of God's attributes and His government that they need to understand comes to them through their visions, which follow the established laws governing the prophetic vision. The vision changes according to the subject so as to make it possible for the souls to attain knowledge of each aspect in turn. Even though different visions may not be consistent with one another, this is of no import. On the contrary, the soul sees both visions, gaining knowledge of the two different aspects just as they are. The soul attains knowledge of God's powers and attributes according to their true essence and their place in the scheme of government. Yet the soul attains this knowledge in a way that is suited to its ability to receive. This is the meaning of the concluding words of this proposition: …while the likenesses are in accordance with the soul's ability to receive. For only in this way is it possible for the soul to attain knowledge and not in any other way.                                            © AZAMRA INSTITUTE 5763 - 2003 All rights reserved                    The Star of David Revisited by Ayala Ben-Menahem            What is protection? Many belief systems hold that positive thoughts and actions serve as metaphysical protection. Jewish sources teach that every action creates a malach [mahl-ACH], a messenger or angel; a source of energy. Positive actions create channels to positive energies and negative actions open avenues to negative energies known as shells or husks, klipot [klee-POAT] literally “peels” as in the discarded part that is separated from a fruit or vegetable.          Our world, is the lowest of four and energy travels through the first three (emanation, creation, formation) before it reaches ours (action) in which everything is given a tangible form. We are influenced, but not led, by cosmic forces which include twelve zodiacal signs (one for each of the twelve tribes of Israel) which in turn are influenced by ten planets (celestial bodies including the sun and the moon). These planets correspond to the ten fundamental forces of divine flow known in Kabbalah as the ten Sephirot [s’fee-ROAT], often translated as illuminations or spheres.          There is a well known phrase in Judaism: “Ain mah-zahl Lih-Yisrael,” the literal translation of which might seem racially biased: There is no luck for [the People of] Israel.” By altering the punctuation, however, the sentence can be translated “[The People of] Israel is outside, or above, astral influence.” If we understand that the Jewish nation is meant to serve as the blueprint for humanity, we will better understand that every human being has the ability to influence the Creator which could, perhaps, have an effect on the entire cosmos. How is this done? The answer is in a triangle.          Jews are often referred to as Ahm Sih-goo-LAH, an extraordinary nation, sometimes translated as a Chosen People. The Hebrew vowel segol [seh-GOAL] (which has the same root as the word “sih-goo-LAH,” S-G-L, extraordinary) is comprised of three dots, two on the top and one centered below them; a triangle, symbol of perfect balance.          By understanding the nature of a triangle, we may find the way to change our destiny and bring upon ourselves both physically and metaphysically protection. This may be done by studying what are known as Chariots, merkavot [mair-kah-VOAT], from the root R-K-V, meaning to ride, to transport).          A chariot is the means by which divine abundance comes into the world and interacts with all of the four worlds. In the Pentateuch, chariots are depicted as people possessing exclusive spiritual powers and whose actions and ways of life were used as channels to reach a specific metaphysical level of energy, harness it and bring it into the world. There are six primary chariots, each representing one of the six points on the Star of David which also symbolizes six of the lower spheres discussed in Kabbalah. They are: (1) Chessed [CHEH-sehd] – grace, growth, love, mercy,  the irrepressible impulse to expand (2) Gevurah [gih-voo-RAH] – judgment, power, concentration, restraint (3) Tiered [Teef-EH-ret] – beauty, compassion, truth. harmony (4) Netsach [NEH-tsach] – eternity, victory, conquest, ability to overcome (5) Hod [Hoad] – persistence, splendor (6) Yessod [Yih-SOAD] – foundation, carrying over, taking what came before and bringing it further).          The right arm of the upper triangle on the Star of David, going diagonally from top to bottom right, represents the desire to give. Biblical stories of Abraham the Patriarch describe his absolute giving character, Chessed. The story in Genesis relates that his tent did not have the customary single opening, rather it was open in four places, lest someone come from any direction and Abraham not see him and thus miss the opportunity to offer hospitality. He was literally a spiritual and material oasis in the desert.          Abraham sired two sons, Isaac, the positive aspect of limitless giving, and Yishmael, its negative aspect.          Isaac represents the left arm of the upper triangle, going diagonally from top to bottom left and comprises the chariot of restraint, Gevurah. We need only to remember G-d’s commanding Abraham to sacrifice his “only son” Isaac, i.e. born of his “legal” wife and not one of his concubines, as was Yishmael.   Upon realizing that he was to be the offering, not only does Isaac consent to the plan, but asks to be restrained by ropes before being placed on the altar. His concern was that the result of the sacrifice might be an unintentional reflex which, with his being so strong, might strike and injure his aged father. Isaac inherits a true love of G-d and spends his life merely transmitting that love. But unlike Abraham who traveled and spread the concept of monotheism, Isaac lived his entire life at his birthplace and did so in a relatively passive manner. Even his wife, Rebecca was brought to his doorstep from afar. All Isaac had to do was receive her.            The character of strength/restraint contradicts the character of grace. The latter involves bringing a measure of comfort to another person whereas the former is a characteristic that one acquires for himself and his personal gratification. War, the desire to receive, for example is all about power and gaining something for one’s own benefit or the benefit of one’s tribe, village, country, etc. Anything causing gratification to one’s own ego and which has absolutely no benefit for another is considered to belong to “the other side”, i.e. profanity and blasphemy as opposed to sanctity.          Isaac sired two sons, Esau, the negative side of strength-restrength, and Jacob, its positive side.          Esau’s life was dedicated to hunting both for food and sport, the latter exhibiting cruelty to animals. In a pang of hunger, he sells his birthright – his eternal guarantee for the spiritual and material benefits allocated to a firstborn son – to Isaac, all for instant gratification: a bowl of lentil soup. The Old Testament relates in no ambiguous terms that Isaac, who loved the taste of grilled meat, loved Esau the hunter, while Rebecca loved Jacob, the tent dweller, i.e. the student of religious studies. Although representing the positive aspect of the left side, Isaac’s affinity for Esau is what really “earns” him the connection to the receiving (left) side. Although Esau was the son of Isaac, and therefore born after him, time is non-existent in the spiritual realm and thus there is no meaning to birth order, ages, etc. Therefore, as we see in this case, the unborn son can be a major factor of influence upon his father.          Jacob the Patriarch represents the horizontal arm of the upper triangle which grabs on to the two infinite characteristics of giving and receiving and brings them into balance. The Torah teaches that Jacob was an “eesh tahm,” a complete man, a man of balance. His offspring contain nothing of the left side as we find in the sons of Abraham and Isaac. While Yishmael and Esau each sired twelve princes, Jacob sires the twelve sons, one for each astrological sign of the zodiac, representing twelve separate character types who later spread out to populate the world.          Jacob has two wives, Leah who he was tricked into marrying and Rachel who he loves. We are taught that Rachel was beautiful, i.e. connected to the physical world that includes sight. This Matriarch represents the tenth and lowest on the sphere scheme known as Malchut [mahl-CHOOT] or kingdom. Of Leah it is written that her eyes were soft, as they were always filled with tears. Aggadic writings explain that Leah knew she was to be betrothed to Esau and, not wanting to marry him, she cried bitterly, damaging her eyesight. Despite this, her character went beyond sight to understanding. Thus, Leah represents the feminine aspect of the higher sphere known as Binah [bee-NAH], understanding.          The sphere of understanding has seven offspring’s (from Chessed through Malchut) represented in each of Leah’s six sons and one daughter, Dina, who also represents the feminine sphere of the kingdom sphere.          The Hebrew root (A’KV) of the name Jacob, or Ya’AKohV, means heel. This is the body part existing only in the material world, the kingdom. This is why Jacob loves Rachel, who symbolizes the kingdom, as opposed to Leah who represents understanding. With Rachel’s conception of Benjamin (meaning son of my right), Jacob’s twelfth child, Jacob does not want the completion of the chariot to occur abroad. The Patriarch therefore returns to Canaan and upon entry, struggles with a negative entity, the angel that ministers to Esau. Jacob is victorious and attains a higher spiritual level in the form of a new name: Israel, Yisrael, the Hebrew root of which is Y-S-R-E-L. This new name has two meanings: “directly [to/from] G-d,” and, in altering the placement of Hebrew letters, the words Lee Roash, meaning “I have a head” (when previously he was a heel).          In actuality, the Hebrew name Yisrael (written, as with all words in Hebrew, only of consonants, encompasses the three Patriarchs and four Matriarchs in the entire upper triangle as follows:             Y      (i)             S                         R          (Silent Letter with a-e vowel sound)                  L             |                       |                          |                                                  |                                   | Yitzchak (Isaac)          Sarah             Rivka (Rebecca)                            Abraham                                | Ya’acov (Jacob)                               Rachel                                                                                   Leah                                                                                           (12) Jacob was the chariot of Tiferet [Teef-EH-reht], or beauty-balance. Yet Jacob, as Israel, is on a higher level. With his new identity, Israel comes to love Leah, his spiritual wife more than Rachel (the beautiful one). This is why Leah, not Rachel (who dies on the journey) is buried with Israel in the Tomb of the Patriarchs together with Abraham and Sarah and Isaac and Rebecca. Israel represents the idea of receiving (a new name/stature) in order to impart (siring twelve sons), i.e. reaching a balance. He alone had reached a level that would enable   the birth of the twelve tribes.          At this point, the upper triangle of spirituality has been completed. The downward triangle represents the material application of the spiritual concepts in our material world.          Moses represents the right arm of the bottom triangle, extending diagonally from the right side down to below the middle of the horizontal arm of the upper triangle. Just as Abraham was a spiritual giver, Moses was the spiritual leader during the Israelites’ exodus from Egypt as well as their material provider when he presented them with the Ten Commandments, the written form of the spiritual handbook. He is the personification of Netzach [NEH-tzahch], from the Hebrew root N-TZ-CH which has two meanings: to conduct (an orchestra) and eternity. Moses’ persistent pleading with G-d to have mercy on the people who complained about everything, both before and after leaving Egypt, was his “tikkun” or rectification, his raison d’etre in this incarnation.          One of the most renowned Kabbalists, Rabbi Yitzchak Luria Ashkenazi, known as the Ari-zahl, explains that Moses was an incarnation of Noah who, although a righteous man in his era, dealt only with his own predicament. When told of the flood, Noah never attempted to ask G-d to save humanity. He simply fulfilled G-d’s command to build the ark and save himself and his family. To Moses G-d says: “You have found favor (CH-N, in Hebrew) in my eyes.” Reversing the letters CH-N we have N-CH, the Hebrew name for Noah, pronounced NO-ach.          With the transgression of the golden calf by the Israelites G-d, again, deems to destroy humanity as He did in Noah’s era. Moses “recalls” the script from his previous Noahic lifetime and remembers G-d saying that He would destroy the world and that from him (Moses) would the world be repopulated. It is at this point that Moses becomes enlightened to the opportunity he is being given to mend the error, i.e. lack of interest in humanity, committed by Noah. Moses argues with G-d threatening to end his partnership with the Almighty if the Latter destroys the people. In doing this, Moses took upon himself the responsibility for all the people. Throughout their journey he served as conductor, or minatzayach [mih-nah-tsay-ACH] (from the root N-TS-CH), keeping his “orchestra” in harmony. As a result of his actions, he rose above the level of Abraham and reached the sub-sphere known as Da’at [dah-aht], knowledge-connection, the place of balance between the “upper spheres” of wisdom (Chochmah) and understanding (Binah). i.e. our internal, subconscious energies). No other man has ever attained as high a spiritual position as Moses; this being the result of his sincere concern for others more than himself. In Abraham was a man of pure charity whose goodness came from within in a natural manner, without any external elements. In the case of Moses, he repeatedly had to implore the Creator to preserve mankind from destruction. Most important was Moses’ tangible gift: two tablets containing the Law, a code that was created for eternity, Netzach.          The left arm of the bottom triangle, extending diagonally from the left side down to the middle of the horizontal arm of the upper triangle belongs to Aharon, the High Priest.          The Jewish nation is divided into three groups: (1) the priests, or Cohanim [Koh-ha-NEEM], (2) the servants in the Tabernacle, known as Levites, [Lih-vee-EEM] and (3) the rest of the congregation, Israel [Yisrael]. The Hebrew acronym of these three groups K-L-I, pronounced K’LEE, means vessel and signifies the vessel that is meant to receive the light that the Almighty has sent into the world.          There is a point of conflict here since Aharon, as the High Priest, should be associated with the right side. Yet, he is a chariot for the left side. Aharon represents the sphere of Hod [Hoad], the Hebrew root of which is H-(o)-D) meaning splendor/persistence/reverberation. When exchanged, the letters spell daveh - D-(v)-H (in Hebrew, the letter V may be pronounced as oh, oo or v), meaning pain or sorrow. At the outset, Aharon was a Levite associated with the left side. The Torah describes him as a lover of peace who dedicated every waking moment of his life to bringing peace wherever there was strife. His persistence paid off and Aharon rose to the level of giving, i.e. giving peace, charity, which is connected to the right side, and was able to become the High Priest whose function was to spread love and peace.          The spheres of Netsach (eternity) and Hod (persistence) are symbolic twins and together they comprise the source of prophecy as it is realized by the two brothers, Moses and Aharon.          The balancing force, i.e. horizontal arm of the bottom triangle is represented by Joseph who is the chariot for the sphere known as Yessod [Yeh-SOHD], or foundation. This sphere collects the energies from all of those above it and transfers them to the kingdom sphere. Such was the character of Joseph who gathered grain in Egypt during the seven years of abundance and then distributed it during the seven years of famine. The Hebrew root of the name Joseph, or Yossef, is Y-S-F meaning to gather.          Joseph is called Joseph the Righteous, Founder of the World. He is the only Biblical persona to earn this title. Kabbalah explains this term as meaning possessing the desire to receive in order to impart.          Both Jacob and Joseph represent the central, balancing (horizontal) parts of the triangles. Thus it is easy to comprehend why Jacob loved Joseph more than his other sons; they had a special bond and a more intimate level of communication.          While we have now touched on each of the six points of The Star and their relationship to the spheres, one sphere remains to give the Jewish symbol its name as The Star of David. Kingdom, Malchut, gathers everything together; it is the core of the entire system. Kind David represents the individual and his connection to everything around him. David occupied himself with the material world: the building of the kingdom, i.e. the physical building of the state. He was also engrossed in repentance and spiritual cleansing, the struggle of each and every human being: to become better, improve, be more correct.          Midrash tells us that when David was destined to live for only three hours in order to correct the sin of Adam (i.e. succumbing to Eve’s temptation to consummate their relationship  three hours before the beginning of the Sabbath, the time destined for the consummation). When G-d showed Adam the entire future of the world, Adam understood that David would be the only one able to repair the error that he had committed. Adam therefore asked G-d to give seventy years of his own life to David in order to enable the latter to complete his task. Thus, in David, we find a part of Adam, the beginning of creation, and we see how physically and metaphysically David undertook his life’s mission to bring about unity and serve as a model for humanity. The sphere of kingdom, unites all of the other spheres and actualizes them. It envelops the person who possesses the spiritual energies found in each sphere and binds them together.          Kabbalah teaches that there are three angels, or messengers, that work together. They are Michael, Gabriel and Nuriel. The acronym of these three names M-G-N, is the root of the Hebrew word magen [mah-GEHN] meaning shield or protection. The right arm of the triangle symbolizes giving; the left side is receiving and the horizontal line which grabs hold of these two infinite absolutes and gives them balance, teaches us the importance of receiving in order to impart. Anyone connected to these triangles of balanced energies, is said to be protected.          A final look at the Star of David, will enable us to understand how the symbol connects us with an entire system of spiritual communication and understanding. In examining its geometrical shape, we find balance in the upper and lower triangles. The upper triangle constitutes types of though; the place where any idea would remain if it were not implemented and would thus be non-existent in our material world. A thought without an action is like a soul without a body. The lower triangle is the manner in which that thought is developed and actualized. Thought without implementation would not enable the world to exist, yet without thought our world would not exist.          The Star of David therefore represents the best of the physical and the metaphysical worlds, and the bond that both of these worlds must share in order for mankind to exist. May we all reach a perfect balance in our own lives, increase our help to others and work together to create a better world. © Ayala Ben-Menahem, Pesach 5764, Passover 2004                                 The non-Sefirah Sefirah Daat                                                                     by Shulamit Elson      On the Tree of Life, Daat (Knowledge) is not counted among the Sefirot, yet it occupies a critical place on Adam Kadmon (Primordial Man).   Often called the non-Sefirah Sefirah, Daat’s location on the neck of Adam Kadmon is a clear indication of its importance. The neck is where God's spiritual force exerts its most persistent pressure as it attempts to make its way into our heart.    This is why the Zohar refers to Jerusalem, which is considered the center of the spiritual world, and through which all spiritual power on earth flows, as “the neck of the Universe.” 1 It is also why God, in his wrath, called the Israelites a “stiff necked people” when, after he delivered them from bondage in Egypt, they turned away from Him in the desert to worship the golden calf. 2   The word daat derives from the same Biblical verse as the Sefirot Keter, Hokhmah and Binah: “I have filled him with the spirit of God (Keter), with wisdom (Hokhmah), with understanding (Binah) and with knowledge (Daat)…” 3   In Hebrew, the word "daat" is related to the word "yadah," which means “he knew,” as in the Biblical phrase “Adam knew Havah his wife.” 4 Here the word “knew” refers to a knowing that arises not out of the intellect but rather out of intimacy and relatedness. In the case of Daat, its intimacy and relatedness to the Sefirah Keter (Crown) allows Daat to perform its critical function as the exteriorization of this exalted Sefirah.   This exteriorization plays a fundamental role in prayer, and most specifically in the practice of Sound Prayer.  The language of Sound Prayer is pure vibration. Using our voice to create sacred chants, our Sound Prayers take us beyond the language of our nefesh (animal soul) and offer us an opportunity to begin to taste of the fruit of the Tree of Life.   Because of the crowning place that Keter occupies among the worlds, its sound may not be used in prayer. Yet there is a need to draw on the power of Keter during our Sound Prayers. This is accomplished through the efficacy of Daat.   The placement of Daat at the throat of Adam Kadmon reflects that its power is directly related to our voice, which is the most spiritualized aspect of our physical being. The Biblical command not to speak the name of the Lord in vain relates to the importance of safeguarding the inherent power and holiness of Daat by maintaining the purity of our voice. The importance of keeping our voice pure is also a reason behind the imperative not to speak ill of others.   Sound Prayer uses Daat's special relationship to the Sefirah Keter to bring all of the other Sefirot together in balance and harmony.  It is our voice manifesting through Daat that creates the tzinorrot, or channels, that connect one Sefirah to another.    1.  Zohar (London: Soncino Press 1984) 2:172A   2.  Exodus 32:8   3. Exodus 31:3   4. Genesis 4:1  Adapted from The Kabbalah of Prayer, Sacred Sounds and the Soul's Journey, Lindisfarne Books 2004©                                                                      The Scholar's Corner        &n