In the Jewish mystical tradition there are 13 attributes or aspects of Divine Mercy or Chesed which are seen as 13 shining letters of the triangular mem in the Hebrew Alphabet. These are part of the creative spiritual or upper waters of Genesis 1. They are linked to the 13 Hebrew words after the first word Elohim in Genesis. They are then connected to the 13 aspects of mercy that God called out to Moses to teach him how to cry out for mercy on the children of Israel in Exodus 34:6-7. They are also known as the 13 middot or qualities of the Jewish mystical tradition and Chasidut.
1. et - YHVH -Emunah (faith or trust) - Father (Av)
2. ha-shamayim - YHVH - Ratzon (will or favour)- Son (Ben)
3. v'et - El - Taanug (pleasure or delight or desire) - Holy Spirit (Ruach haKodesh)
4. ha-aretz - Rachum (compassionate) - Yichud (Union) - Keter-Da'at (Crown- Knowledge)
5. v'ha-aretz - v'chanun (and gracious) - Bitul (Humility) - Chokhmah (Wisdom)
6. hay'tah - Erech apayim (slow to anger or long nose) - Simchah (Joy) - Binah (Understanding)
7. tohu - ve'rav chesed (and abundant in mercy) - Ahavah (Love) - Chesed-Gedullah (Loving kindness-Greatness)
8. v'bohu - v'emet (and truth) - Yirah (Fear or Awe) - Din-Gevurah (Judgement-Strength)
9.v'choshekh - Notzer Chesed Alafim (sprouting of mercy to thousands) - Rachamim (Compassion) - Tiferet (Beauty)
10.al-panei - nosei avon (forgiver of inquity) - Bitachon (Confidence or Boldness) - Netzach (Enduring Victory)
11. tahom - v'fesha (and forgiver of transgressions) - Temimut (sincerity) - Hod (Majesty)
12. v'ruach - v'chata'ah (and forgiver of sin) - Emet (Truth) - Yesod-Tzaddik (Foundation-Righteousness)
13. Elohim - v'nakeh (and who cleanses) - Shiflut (Lowliness) - Malchut-Shekhinah (Kingdom-Presence).
The fourth Sefirah (Attribute or Emanation or Energy) of the Sefirotic array of the God-Man is Divine Mercy (Chesed) and the fifth Divine Judgement or Justice (Din). The Attribute that most closely represents the Heart or the inner heart is Tiferet/Rahamim (Beauty/Compassion). This Heart unites the Divine Mercy with the Divine Justice and they shine forth from the Divine Heart as rays of white and red light. In time this is the blood and water gushing forth from the heart of Jesus on the Cross at Golgotha. The Divine Mercy is perceived as the right white arm of the Divine Man and the Divine Justice/Judgement is the left red arm. This is our right and left as we gaze on him in the Mirror.
The concept of Zer Anpin (the Short Face) in Jewish mysticism emphasises the seven lower Sefirot as the ‘Body’ of Zer Anpin. In Catholic terms this is the Body of Christ, that manifests God’s grace in human lives, through the seven sacraments or mysteries of the New Covenant. We can link Baptism with Malkhut (Kingdom), Confession to Yesod-Tzaddik (Foundation/Righteousness), Confirmation to Din-Gevurah (Judgement/Power), Holy Orders to Hod-Kavod (Majesty/Glory), Matrimony to Netzach (Victory/Endurance) and Anointing of the sick to Tiferet-Rachamim (Beauty/Compassion) and the Eucharist to Chesed (Mercy/Grace/ Love).
The greatest of the Sacraments is the Eucharist as it is the sacrament of Divine Love. This is the fifth mystery of Light called ‘Tov’. Chesed is also called Gedulah (Greatness). The mysteries of the Rosary are also found in this Heart. This Heart has been described as a Diamond by St Teresa of Avila with many chambers grouped into seven mansions. The Jewish traditions also refer to the concept of the Diamond.
In the Heart of the Son is revealed Abba-Father, the source of Wisdom/Word/Torah. The precious blood that flows from this Divine Heart is Love or Mercy (Chesed). When we adore the Divine Heart, in union with the Mother, then waves of Divine Water (Mercy) gush forth as the blood of the Mashiach. This is Mayim Chayyim (Living Waters) as mentioned by Yeshua in John’s Gospel.
The 7th level of mystical contemplation is associated with God’s Attribute of Chesed. Chesed is Love, Mercy, Loving kindness and Grace. The inner light of this level is called ‘Tov’ (good). It is the 5th mystery of light – the Eucharist. This is the level of piety or saintliness which is loving kindness to the Father and to one’s neighbour.
The Sefer Zohar refers to the Rosa Mystica as connected with the 13 qualities or attributes of Mercy (chesed). She is the mirror or created light that mirrors clearly and perfectly the 13 qualities of Mercy of the Divinity himself (seen as Divine Mercy). This is Our Lady of Fatima (as Our Lady of Mercy) who is connected with the number 13. This mystical Rose is red and white mirroring the Divine attributes of Judgement and Mercy. As a Rose has 13 petals so the Rosa Mystica has 13 qualities or paths of Mercy.
The Rosa Mystica is the mystery of the Two Hearts that beat as one. These are the two children symbolised by the cherubs on the Ark of the Covenant mentioned in the introduction to the Zohar. They are the blossoms. The Mother or female is the rose bush with its blossoms and the male is the apple Tree with its blossoms. The blossoms are the ten attributes (sefirot). The term of ‘created these’ (‘bara elleh’) refers mystically to these two with child-like hearts that beat as one.
The heart of the Rosa Mystica is united to the heart of her Divine Son who is the image and likeness of the Infinite One. Who created these two hearts? The Infinite One through the power, light and love of the Holy Spirit. The Son in his divinity was not created but in his humanity he was created through the flesh of his Mother. These two Cherubic Hearts united by the Divine Mercy (chesed) adore the Infinite Abba (Father) in spirit and in truth.
The mystery (Raza) of the Temple is the Rose that is the two hearts. It is two Roses that are united as One Rose. It is the Rosa Mundi. The white rose of the female and the red rose of the suffering male are united to form this Universal and Mystical Rose. O mystery of mysteries (Raza de Razin) is the holy rosarium. Rosarium is Latin for the Rose Garden. The Rose Garden is the Garden of Pardes - it is the spiritual journey to the divine heart of the Mystical Rose. It is the number 13. 13 is for Love (ahavah). 13 is for oneness and unity (echad) of the hearts filled with the 13 qualities or attributes of mercy (Chesed).
We see three main aspects of Miriam - 1) the earthly Miriam the sister of Moses and Aaron, who is a type of the Heavenly Miriam and the Miriam to come 2) the heavenly Miriam who is Mary in Eternity and 3) the Virgin Miriam (Mary) who is the Mother of the Messiah. That the Miriam referred to in Jewish tradition is not just the sister of Moses, is demonstrated in that Miriam's Well is said to have been created at twilight on the second day of Creation and it is seen as being filled with Living Waters. This demonstrates the concept of Miriam as the vessel or Well, who would contain the divine Wisdom and Word in her womb. This second day speaks of the living waters of the creation which is linked in the Jewish tradition with the 13 aspects of mercy (Chesed) of the Waters or sea above. Miriam means Bitter Sea or Seas Seas (Waters waters). This mystical Sea or vessel/well holds the divine Light revealed on Day One who is the Light of the Messiah according to another Jewish tradition.
Ehyeh asher Ehyeh, crown me (Keter)
Yah, grant me wisdom (Khokhmah)
Elohim Chaim, grant me understanding (Binah)
El, with the right hand of his love,make me great (Chesed/Gedullah)
Elohim, from the terror of his judgment, protect me (din/gevurah)
YHVH, with his Mercy grant me beauty (Rachamim/ tiferet)
Adonai Tzevat, watch me forever (Netzach)
Elohim Tzevaot, grant me beatitude from his splendour (Hod)
El chai, make his covenant my foundation (yesod/tzadik)
Adonai open my lips and my mouth will speak of your praise (Malkhut/ Shekhinah).
Sheyukhal l'hitasek b'tzorekh tikunam that involves himself in the needs of their reparation. V'yesh n'shamah shetikunah al y'dei mitah shel ekhad or al-y'dei mitzvah v'avodah shel ekhad And there is a soul that reparation is through (literally by (or at) hand) a death of the One (echad) or through (literally by (or at) hand) a good deed (mitzvah) and divine service (avodah) of One (Echad).In Likutey Moharan 65, Rebbe Nachman of Breslov, refers to the Master of the Field as the 'Echad' of the Shema. He is both the Messiah and Adonai. He also refers to the Master's two hands - the right male hand or arm represents 'chesed' (lovingkindness/ mercy) and 'gedullah' (Greatness), by the one who was at (the Master's) hand for 30 years (St Joseph the Tzaddik) and the left female hand of Gevurah (power) and judgement (din) who stood at hand at the Death of the Master - his Mother the sorrowing Lady of Israel.
Later, Rebbe Nachman also refers to them as the two eyes of the Master who gaze. St Joseph is the penultimate Tzaddik and the other Tzaddiks who share in his charism (spirit/ soul/ neshama) are types of him and the ultimate Master of the Field (the Messiah who is the God-Man). Abraham and Sarah are also types of these two hands. In section 3 of # 65 of Litkutey Moharan, Rebbe Rachman states that the Takhlit (Purpose/end/telos) is Echad. "On that Day, God, he will be Echad and His Name will be Echad".
The orginal Magen David was in this form with the two letters dalet of the ancient Hebrew Phoenician alphabet. The entwined dalets (D's) orginally represented the word dudaim (mandrakes or Madonna Lily) and the word dodi
(beloved) and later the Beloved of the Song of Songs was associated
with the name David which developed from the word dodi (beloved).
This
form was originally seen as the key or seal of David and later was
known as the Shield of David. It was also known as the seal of Solomon
due to the double dalets in Solomon's original name Yedidiah. Abraham was known to the Egyptians as Dudu (Thoth) and Moses was Dudimose.
This second form was orginally known as the Magen or
Star of Miriam (Mary) based on the two entwined mems of the Ashurit
(Aramaic) Holy Script. These triangular mems were associated with the
two faces of Genesis 1:1-2 and the double mems of the word mayim (waters). In Jewish mysticism the upper waters were seen as 13 triangular mems representing Divine Mercy (Chesed).
These are represented by the 13 Hebrew words between the first and the
second Elohims of Genesis 1 and are called the 13 petalled Mystical Rose
in the Zohar. Counting 26 Hebrew letters (2x13 - the doubling of the
letter mem which is the 13th letter of the Hebrew alphabet) from the final mem of the first mayim (waters) three times (for four Hebrew letters), spells out the Hebrew word Miriam (מרים). This is the mystical concept of Miriam's Well.
The mysteries of the double mem is often discussed in Jewish mystical works. Since the Middle Ages the Magen Miriam has been confused with the Magen David. In the Hebrew Phoenician script the mem originally was similiar to a shalshelet/zig zag in the horizontal position representing the waves of water (mayim). This zig zag letter also represents water in the Egyptian hieratic script. Our letter M descends from this origin.
Certain
Christians who attack those believers in Yeshua who are devoted to the
Torah (like the early Jewish Catholics of Acts 21) often use Paul's
letter to the Galatians as the basis of their position. Here we read of
the concepts of the 'spirit of the law' and 'freedom in the Spirit'.
Paul was a great Rabbi and mystic and one cannot fully understand his
ideas without knowledge of what these terms meant in Judaism. Paul also
refers to Sarah and Hagar and their two sons as an allegory for what
these terms mean. The Jewish term 'spirit of the law' is 'lifnim
mishurat ha din'. This literally means within the line of judgment or
law. It is still an important concept in Judaism today.
"...R. Yohanan said: 'Jerusalem would not have been destroyed, save that they judged Din Torah (by the letter of the Law).' Should they have judged by the brutal laws?--rather, they insisted upon the law, and did not practice Lifnim miShurat haDin (beyond the line of the law)." (BT Bava Mezia 30b).
We see that the Temple was destroyed in 70 AD due to those who lived out strictly the letter of the law rather than living by the spirit of the law. We know that Paul is referring to this concept of living Torah at the higher level of lifnim miShurat ha Din as the greek word stoichomen used in Galatians 5:25 has the meaning of standing or being in line. This concept is also what Yeshua was teaching in the beatitudes. It is to go beyond or within the Torah into the realms of joy, love, peace, harmony, mercy etc.
Rav Moshe Taragin in his article called "Midat Sedom" states:
"A second basis for lifnim mi-shurat ha-din may stem from a gemara in Bava Metzia (30b) which initially asserts that Jerusalem was destroyed during the Second Temple era because they zealously applied Torah law. The gemara ponders, "Should they have implemented pagan law [that they were punished for exercising Torah law]?" The gemara responds that, in fact, Jerusalem's destruction was caused by STRICT application of Torah law without allowances of lifnim mi-shurat ha-din...
...A society cannot function solely upon justice or solely upon strict application of the law. Without readiness to sacrifice personal interest or resource for the 'other,' and especially for a needy, impoverished 'other,' society is doomed to failure...
...Any society is only as strong as its combined ability to respond to, and protect the needs of it weakest members. The thirtieth chapter of Avot De-Rabbi Natan begins with Rabbi Yonatan's declaration that various forms of chesed provide benefit and prosperity to society, again affirming the need for chesed within any society. In fact, the very pasuk in Vaetchanan which serves as the source of lifnim mi-shurat ha-din implies this result, when it concludes, "so that you will prosper and inherit the good land which Hashem promised your fathers." By appending to this command the promise of reward, the Torah is, in effect, underscoring the pivotal nature of extralegal ethics in building a just and sustainable society. Typically, the Torah does not record rewards for mitzva observance or avoidance of aveirot. In this instance, though, as the promise is not a reward as much as a natural consequence, social stability is highlighted. As King David himself avows, "Olam chesed yibaneh" – the world is built through chesed (Tehilim 99:3)."
Chesed or Loving kindness is the key to living the Spirit of the Law and Paul in Romans 13:10 states that Love is the fulfillment (pleroma) of the law. The Greek word pleroma can mean fullness, completion, entirety.
St. John the Beloved links the Incarnation of the Divine Word (Dabar in Hebrew, Memra in Aramaic and Logos in Greek) in John 1:14 with the Shekhinah in the Tabernacle (or Tent) and Temple of the Old Covenant. John 1:14 states literally that “the Word was made flesh and pitched his tent among us.” This can be translated also as “the Word was made man and tabernacled or shekhinah-ed amongst us.” Thus Yeshua is the ‘Miniature’ Presence of God which in the Old Covenant was veiled by the cloud but in the New Covenant was veiled by Yeshua’s human flesh and also by the veil of the Eucharistic species of the bread and wine. John 1:14 continues in the second part:
“and we saw his glory (Kavod in Hebrew closely associated with the concept of Shekhinah), the glory (Kavod) that is his as the only begotten Son of the Father, full of Grace (Chesed) and Truth (Emet).”
The Jerusalem Bible commentary on this states that:
“The ‘glory’ is the manifestation of God’s Presence (Ex 24:16+), but the human nature of the Word now screens this glory as the cloud once did. Yet at times it pierces the veil, at the transfiguration, for instance, cf Lk 9:32,35 (alluded to in Jn 1:14?) and when Jesus works miracles ‘signs’ that God is active in him. The Resurrection will reveal the glory fully (cf Jn 17:5+).”
One commentary on the Jewish Kabbalistic book Bahir states that:
“ the ten sefirot are indeed three, and they represent three celestial forces.”
The Kabbalah (in the teaching of Rabbi Isaac the Blind of Provence) states that the power that unifies these three forces within the Godhead is the power of Chesed (Divine Mercy/Love/ Grace). Thus we can say the dynamics of the Trinity is that of Love or Mercy. Chesed can also be translated as lovingkindness.
The second or middle triad of the Primordial Adam is the arms and torso of the Divine Body. In Catholic devotion this is called the Sacred Heart. The White Right Arm is the Sefirah of Chesed (Mercy/Love) and the Red left Arm is the Sefirah of Din (Judgment/Justice/Power). The torso or heart of the divine body is the Sefirah of Rachamim (Compassion/Beauty). The Sefirah of Chesed (Mercy/Love) is the Attribute that unifies the Godhead - and Chesed is described in the Jewish traditions as having 13 Attributes which are recorded in Exodus 34:6-7. The invocation of these thirteen attributes of Mercy saved Israel from Divine Destruction or Judgement. Kabbalah teaches that, when the Sefirah of Judgement (Din) reacts with the Sefirah of Mercy (Chesed) it brings forth the Sefirah of Compassion (Rachamim). These three Sefirot of Din, Chesed and Rachamim are the second or middle triad of the Sefirot.
The first three attributes of Mercy invoked before Moses was YHVH, YHVH, El this is linked to the three mentions of God in the Shema as YHVH, Elohaynu (Our God), YHVH echad (echad = one unity). The Kabbalistic tradition also associates these first three of the thirteen attributes of Mercy with the three Kadoshim of “Holy, Holy, Holy” of Isaiah 6 and of the Jewish liturgy. The Jewish Prayer Book (Siddur) calls God the thrice-Holy God. Thus in the authentic Jewish mystical tradition is found a preparation for the Trinitarian and Eucharistic revelation of the New Covenant. This is one of the reasons that traditionally the Rabbinic Jews forbade anyone not over 40 or 50 from studying the Kabbalah, as it was considered potentially dangerous to Orthodox Jewish Faith.
The Sefirah of Chesed is also called Gedullah (Greatness) and the Sefirah of Din is also called Gevurah (Power). Mercy is the greatest of God’s Attributes. Chesed and Din are the right and left hands or arms of God. As mentioned above Chesed is the White Right Arm and Din the Red Left Arm. The concept of White as a colour of Mercy and red as a colour of Judgement/Justice reminds the Catholic of the Divine Mercy Picture of the white and red rays streaming out from the torso or chest of Jesus in the region of the heart. The reaction between Chesed and Din produces the Sefirah of Compassion (Rachamim) which is seen as the torso or heart of the Divine Body and is also known as Tif’eret (Beauty) and Blessed Holy One. The Messiah is also seen as the Beauty of Israel and the Blessed Holy One. Thus this Sefirah is associated with the concept of the compassionate coming Messiah. Tif’eret (Beauty) is also called Heaven, Sun, and King as well as being considered the son of Chokhmah (Wisdom) and the son of Binah (Understanding). Evil in this Jewish tradition is called Sitra Ahra - the Other Side - and comes when Judgement (Din) is not softened by Love/Mercy (Chesed).
The mystical North Wind (Tzaphon ruach) refers to Our Lady who is snow white. It is the North wind that comes and blows on David's harp at midnight. Kabbalah associates this north wind or spirit with the ruach that hovered over the face of the Waters. It also associates her with Binah the Mother. The north wind has the five gevurot (powers) of the Imma (mother/mama) and this is represented by the five wings or corners of the lungs from which ruach comes.
The north wind blows on 5 of the strings of David's harp with the Song of Miriam (the song of the Redemption). She is the hidden ruach of the heart. It is said that the evil spirits roam the night but when the north wind comes at midnight they flee into a cavern in the sea. The south wind is associated with Chesed (loving kindness or charity). She is also associated with the heat or warmth of the Sun and she blows on the other 5 strings of David's harp the Song of the Future (the Song of Santification). The north wind is the Givirah (Queen Mother) of the King of Peace (Solomon) and the south wind is the Queen of Sheba - the Queen coming out of the captivity of the fallen into the kingdom of the Divine Will. They share in the wounds of love of the King and in his tikkun (reparation) for all.
I have written before about the misunderstanding, marginalisation and persecution of Hebrew Catholics and especially those who adhere to both the Written and Oral Torah. Not only are these Torah-observant Hebrew Catholics marginalised by many Gentile Catholics but also by other Hebrew Catholics who do not hold this position. Many do this out of sincere conviction that this is a position inconsistent with the Catholic Faith. Others because they feel threatened by such observance. Others who themselves are not opposed to such observance, nevertheless marginalise the observant ones because they fear the reaction of other Catholics.
In an article in "Kesher" entitled "Hesed And Hospitality: Embracing Our Place on the Margins" Messianic Rabbi Russell Resnik of the Union of Jewish Messianic Congregations describes a similiar phenomenon among the Torah-Observant Messianic Jews. He writes:
"...The risk of marginalization intensifies if we actually defend traditional Judaism to our Christian friends, and this is surely an aspect of marginalization that we must embrace. Levine speaks of the "popular Christian imagination," which sees Yeshua as the only one in the Jewish world of his day who cares about the poor and marginalized. He is not just against religious leaders who have missed the heart of Torah with their rigorous teaching; rather, in the popular Christian imagination, he is against Torah itself, and ultimately against Judaism. Such a reading may be able to accept that Jews who have not yet found Jesus will cling to their old ways, at least until some final apocalyptic resolution. But Jews who profess loyalty to Yeshua and remain attached to Jewish tradition and community are suspect and risk marginalization..."
This article clearly explains the place of marginalisation as a deeper embracing of the way of Yeshua and his mission of Chesed (lovingkindness/mercy). For me the marginisation by the wider Jewish community and the wider Christian communities is difficult but the greatest suffering is when this marginalisation comes from fellow Jews who believe in Yeshua as the Messiah.
The concept of the soul being cleansed, purified, healed and restored through the dark night of the soul is found in St John of the Cross and Rebbe Nachman of Breslov (see Likutey Moharan 74:B). This dark night is referred to with Marian-tabernacle language alluding to the soul dwelling in the dark waters of the womb of the Mother. One cannot see in this dark Light but in fact one is protected and surrounded by the Mother who is experienced as darkness and night. Rebbe Nachman of Breslov refers us to the verse in Isaiah (26:9): "My soul longs for You in the night" and links it with the verse in Genesis (1:5): "And the darkness He called Night". Rabbi Kramer writes:
"...Rashi on this verse [Isaiah 26:9] call's this the soul's exile. When trapped in the "dark night of the nefesh [soul]", healing comes through seeking God and yearning for his closeness. Thus in the context of our lesson, the verse reads: "My nefesh longs for You [despite my being] in the night [of judgement and affliction].This darkness is also associated by Rebbe Nachman with the blind eyes of Isaac, who in the Jewish mystical tradition is associated with din (judgement). Din is associated with the female and Rebbe Nachman alludes to Isaac's mother Sarah in this regard. Sarah is seen as the Mother or Shekhinah in her role of constricted judgements. In the Jewish devotion of the Divine Face the eyes are associated with the Sefirot of Din (judgement/ justice) and Chesed (lovingkindness/ mercy). Rabbi Kramer writes:
"...In his later years, Yitzach [Isaac] was blind. He is thus said to be enveloped in darkness...On account of his blindness, Yitzach, the aspect of judgements, is associated with darkness. This verse which Rebbe Nachman cites from Genesis [1:5 "the darkness He called Night"] shows that darkness is synonymous with "night", when one's vision is limited and it is difficult for him to see his way. Darkness/ night/ Yitzach/ judgements are thus associated with constricted consciousness, in which it is likewise difficult to see one's spiritual way..."
The orthodox Jewish French philosopher and Talmudist Emmanuel Levinas can only be truly understood by those who are able to think mystically, intuitively and laterally. Like the Stag leaping across the mountains, in the Song of Songs, one must leap intuitively from concept to concept to glimpse a trace of that 'knowing' (daat) which is beyond all knowing. At the heart of Levinas’ thought is the encounter with the face of the mysterious ‘other’. The concept of the face is also important in both Biblical and Jewish thought from which Levinas draws his concepts. The face is also important in many forms of dance such as the Ballet and the Tango. The cherubim atop the Ark of the Covenant allude to Levinas’ ethical focus. The space between the two faces of the cherubim (and their embracing wings), when they are facing each other, is considered in Judaism the holiest space on earth. This is the mystical dance space.
When the Jewish people practiced loving kindness (chesed) then the angels faced one another and Israel was blessed and the Divine Voice spoke between the faces of the cherubim (one face is male and one face is female according to Jewish teaching [see Rashi]). When Israel sinned the cherubim would look away from each other and their purifying gaze would fall upon the people. This movement of faces and wings is seen as a form of mystical dance. This face to face contact and rendezvous reminds one of the Latin American dance, the Tango, in which the dancers demonstrate an intensity as much through the face to face encounter as to the dance steps.
The second chapter of John in a mystical
manner, reveals the role of the intercession of Our Lady as the Mother
of the Messiah in restoring, through her Son, fallen mankind to his lost
estate. Our Lady along with St Joseph and Jesus the God-Man are the
first 36ers (called Lamed vavniks in Jewish tradition) who become
present in all generations as intercessors and victim souls for each
generation through re-doing all the generations acts in the Divine
Will.
These lamed vavniks who live in Divine Will
are alluded to in Apocalyse 11:1 where it speaks of the measuring rod
(also mentioned in Ezekiel 40:5) which according to Jewish tradition was
6 cubits and each cubit was 6 hand-breaths which equals 36
hand-breaths.
"...The length of the rod is six cubits. Each cubit is six handbreadths. See, therefore, how all the lights are bound together in this light, which is called "All," since all are contained within it. There are six directions [the six ketzavot, alluding to the six sefirot from Chesed to Yesod, all of which are included in Yesod], and when they are all connected to one another, they make thirty-six, corresponding to the length of this rod [36 handbreadths]. (see the writings of Rabbi Moshe Hayyim Luzzato (Ramchal) in "The Future Temple" ).
In Rebbe Nachman of Breslov's tale of “The Master of Prayer” it speaks of a male Child of the Lost Princess. Rabbi Kaplan states that the Child represents “Malkhut” (kingdom/ Kingship) which like Shekhinah is represented by the moon. He also associates the Child with chesed (loving kindness or mercy). This Child is the Hidden Tzaddik (Tzaddik nistar) that Rebbe Nachman mentions in his “Likutey Moharan” and the Master of Prayer is the Tzaddik of the Generation (Tzaddik dor). It is clear that Rebbe Nachman saw himself as a Master of Prayer as the Tzaddik or Rebbe of the Generation. Some Breslovers see Rebbe Nachman as also the Hidden Tzaddik but Rebbe Nachman himself associated the Hidden Tzaddik with the concept of Joseph. Rebbe Nachman is pointing to the Holy Child associated with the sons of Joseph (as fish / nuna) in the “Zohar”. Rebbe Nachman shared in the spirit or charism of this Hidden Tzaddik Joseph and the hidden Messiah son of Joseph who is the Tzemach Tzaddik.
Hasidism itself has many different groups called dynasties. Some writers divide them into two groups Chabad and Chagas. Chabad is the Hasidim of the Divine Head (Chokhmah/ Binah/ Daat) and Chagas or Chagat is Hasidim of the divine Heart (Chesed/ Gevurah/ Tiferet). Lubavitch Hasidism is the only survivor of the Chabad school and most other forms of Hasidism are classified under Chagas. However, there are major differences between the Hasidic dynasties within the Chagas grouping. Lubavitch and Breslov are the most open to outsiders and are the fastest growing movements of Hasidism.
Genesis 1 stresses the ethical concept of goodness (And it was Good), and thus God (Elohim) is perceived as a good and loving Creator that encounters or rendezvous with his creation. This encounter of the faces creates the ‘makom’ or meeting place (see Gen.1:9) which is also reflected by God strolling in the terrestrial garden in the cool or spirit of the day in order to intimately encounter human beings (Gen.3:8). These cosmological stories of the Hebrew people tell of how this intimate relationship of God, human beings and the earth was ruptured but not totally destroyed, with God still initiating encounters with broken and wounded humanity. In these encounters God (Elohim) reveals that God is Y-H-V-H the one that descends with fatherly Chesed (lovingkindess, mercy) which after the Fall manifests as motherly Rachamim (compassionate mercy).
1. The belt of Truth (yesod (foundation)-sexual organ)
2. The breastplate of righteousness (tiferet (beauty)- torso or heart)
3. The shoes of peace (hod (majesty)-left leg or foot)
4. The shield of faith (gevurah (greatness)-left arm or hand)
5. The helmet of salvation (keter (crown)-hair on head)
6. The sword of the spirit (chesed (lovingkindness)-right arm or hand)
7. Prayer in the spirit (chokhmah (wisdom)- right side of head or brain)
8. Perseverance in the Spirit (netzach (persevering victory)- right leg or foot)
9. Prayer of the saints (binah (understanding)-left side of the head or the brain)
10. Divine Utterance of the mouth (malkhut (kingdom)-the mouth)
The Book of Zohar says that God "fills all worlds and surrounds all worlds" (Zohar 3:225a). This Divine Filling of the Creation (also called the Ray of Light) is associated with the letter beth which also means 'house' (bayit/ beth). Rabbi Kaplan says in his commentary on the Bahir: "the concept whereby God 'fills all worlds' is indicated by the word 'blessing'. Whenever God reveals His Essence in anything, He is said to 'bless' that thing, and the verse therefore states that 'the filling is God's blessing'." Therefore, we see that the Divine Wisdom is also Torah. Thus Torah is blessing or is filled with God's blessing, which is God as Divine Wisdom himself. Rabbi Berachiah associates the Torah with the Sea referring to Job 11:9. This is also referred to as the Sea of Wisdom and is connected to Imma (Mother/mama) as the vessel who receives and holds the Divine Wisdom. Miriam haKedosha (Holy Mary) is called 'full of Grace' i.e. filled with Chesed (Mercy).
Tzimtzum (constricted space) was a 'House' or 'womb' created through the Divine Light constricting or veiling itself and at the same time entering the Tzimtzum (Creation) through the point or seed of Chokhmah and filling it with the Divine Love manifesting as Presence. Mary is also the 'House' and 'Womb' in which the Divinity entered his Creation through the Seed of Wisdom and Mary was filled with the Divine Love/mercy/Grace (Chesed/Chen).
The concept of Tzaddik and Messiah are crucial to any future Hebrew Catholic theology and spirituality. Hasidism calls the Messiah the Tzemach Tzaddik (the Righteous Branch) based on Jeremiah 33:15 and Zechariah 6: 12. Gershom Scholem downplayed the messianic element in Hasidism however, Mor Altshuler believes that the messianic concept is central to Hasidism. Altshuler states that the tradition of the Tzaddik as Messiah did not begin with the Baal Shem Tov (the founder of modern Hasidism)....Another way of explaining the differing emphases of Kabbalah and Chassidut is to say that Kabbalah focuses on the "vessels" (kelim) of Creation while Chassidut deals with the "lights" (orot) that fill these vessels. This distinction is apparent even in the names attached to these two mystical traditions: The word Kabbalah in Hebrew is derived from the root kabal, "to serve as a receptacle or vessel," while the word Chassidut is constructed from the root chesed, "lovingkindness," an attribute often referred to symbolically as the "light of day."...
The thirteen middot (qualities) of chasidut (lovingkindness or mercifulness) are shiflut (lowliness), emet (truth), temimut (sincerity), bitachon (confidence/ boldness), rachamim (compassionate mercy), yirah (fear/ awe), ahavah (love), simchah (joy), Bitul (humility/ total self negation), yichud (union), taanug (pleasure), ratzon (will), emunah (faith/ trust). Through an ascent of these ethical qualities of service to the ‘other’ the Chasid serves the ‘Other’ (Avodah Hashem/ the Work of God). This is a process of Levinasian ‘ethical transcendence’ following the mystical path of the reshimu (trace or imprint) which leads to each Chasid (merciful one) becoming a tzaddik (righteous one) through union (devekut/ yichud) with the transcendent “Other” who is encountered immanently in the ‘other’. The lived-out manifestation of the Chasidic qualities (middot) leads to a life of ‘tikkun ha’kelali’ (universal reparation) and tikkun ha olam (repair of the world). This Chasidic life of merciful acts and deeds of reparation parallels the concept of the Eucharistic life mentioned by Glenn Morrison as part of his “trinitarian praxis of holiness”. This “trinitarian praxis of holiness” is part of the process of divinisation and doing the acts of everyday life while living in the Divine Will.
In the beginning of the 28th volume of the Book of Heaven, of the Catholic servant of God Luisa Piccarreta, it speaks about how she is prey (teref) to the Divine Fiat (Yehi in Hebrew) which knows how to conquer (l'hitgaber להתגבר) sweetly and strongly. This sweetness (matooka) alludes to loving kindness (chesed) and the strength to gevurah (strength, power), which when united produce rachamim (compassionate mercy) and beauty (tiferet). The Hebrew word teref has the meaning of both prey and food. This teref is found in Psalm 111:5: "Teref (food) is given to those who fear Him, He remembers forever his covenant." Therefore, teref and kosher food is symbolic for those who do the Divine Will as opposed to those who do their own will (trefah). Thus teref is not trefah (non kosher food).
Teref also alludes to the cloak of Joseph splattered with the blood of the prey (in Jacob's mind). In Genesis 49:9 Jacob says to Judah mi-teref beni (for or from the prey of my son) which the mystical Rabbis teach, that it refers to Joseph. This is twinned with the phrase tarof toraf Yosef (without doubt torn to pieces was Joseph) in Genesis 37:33:
And he knew it, and said, It is my son's coat; an evil beast hath devoured him; Joseph is without doubt rent in pieces. (KJV)
Thus, due to Judah's ruse of splattering Joseph's coat with the blood of an animal, he saved Joseph's life, which later led to Judah's ascension to Kingship with his descendants King David and the Messiah. This mystically also alludes to the Messiah Son of Joseph, who would through his Blood, bring redemption to his brothers of Judah and the descendants of the other brothers who were lost Israelites hidden among the nations (Gentiles).
The concept of teref or prey in the Divine Fiat alludes to becoming a victim soul of reparation (tikkun haOlam) for the world. This teref is the food of the Divine Will, and the Messiah in John's Gospel spoke of the Will of God as his food (John 4:34). Like the teref (prey or victim soul) Joseph was in prison for 13 years so the teref Luisa was in prison in her bed for many more years.
Joseph then, through this tikkun, came into rulership in the Kingdom (of Egypt and the World) so through the tikkun of Luisa and all the 36ers (lamed vavniks), who do the Will of God, will usher in the Kingdom of the Divine Will on earth as it is in heaven. The sweetness (matooka) of Chesed (loving kindness) represents Our Lady and the strength or Gevurah represents St Joseph. Thus, Our Lady and Joseph work together to draw us and win us to the desire (taanug or ratzah) of living (chayyim) and dwelling (l'shochen) in the Divine Will (b'Ratzon haElohi).
There is an ancient Jewish custom to wind a red rope or thread around Rachel's tomb (near Bethlehem) seven times. Today many Jews wear a red string tied with seven knots around their left wrist to protect them and ward off negative energies coming from the left side (Sitra Ahra or the demonic). The red thread that is wound around Rachel's tomb is then cut into pieces which is the red strings tied around the left wrist. Rachel is a type of Our Lady and Luisa, and the seven knots could represent the seven sorrows of Our Lady. In Jewish belief the seven knots represent chesed (loving kindness or mercy) and its seven colours (seven lower Attributes of the Sefirotic array) symbolised by the rainbow.
This concept of the rope is also linked to Abraham who bound his son Isaac in order to sacrifice him. Did he bind him seven times with seven knots? Jewish men also wrap the arm strap of the Tefillin around their arm seven times. Thus, we may have read the reading in Luisa's "Book of Heaven" for February 2, 1922 (Vol.13) Candlemass, not even thinking much about the rope mentioned in it, yet every thing in the "Book of Heaven" has deeper meanings, which are connected to concepts in the Scriptures and Jewish Tradition (Oral Torah) and Catholic Tradition and teaching.
In Judaism the term makom (the Place) refers to God, the heavens, the sixth heaven, the concept of Joseph and the six petalled Rose-Lily and the earth. It is connected to the mystery of the letter vav in the Divine Name and the number six and the six middle sefirot and middot. Makom as the sixth heaven is linked to the 36th Gate of Binah (Understanding) as the Chesed of Yesod. This 36th gate is the interface between the sixth and seventh Heavens. The remaining 14 gates are in the seventh heaven and are mirrored in the 14 gates of the Temple on Earth.
Chesed alludes to the Supernal Miriam and Well (Be'er) or Sea (Yam) of Miriam and the number 13; and Yesod with the Supernal Joseph and his Cloak and the number 14. The first and the last letters of yesod (יסוד) can make the words yad (יד) meaning hand or dai (די) meaning enough, which in gematria is 14. Thirty six (לו) is the number of Divine Will and of Lamed Vavnik. The lamed alludes to Luisa and the vavnik to the hidden Joseph-like Envoy or Messenger of Peace. The 14 Heavenly Gates are named for the 12 sons of Israel and the two sons of Joseph. When one passes through the 50th Gate, which is the 14th Inner Gate, one beholds the Messiah, who is Son of Joseph and Son of David, enthroned as Lamb of God and Lion of Judah.
Those who attain to both the fiats of Creation and Redemption in this world live in the six heavens surrounding the seventh heaven. They rise in level from the realm of Aleph-Malkhut which is the heaven called Vilon, the second Beit-Yesod which is called Rakiya, the third Gimel-Hod is called Shekhakim, the fourth Dalet-Netzach is called Zebul, the fifth Hah-Tiferet is called Maon and the sixth Vav-Din is called Makom. This is also called the second level of Heaven. The inner seventh heaven is Zayin-Chesed which is called Arabot.
The concept of the 50 Gates of Binah (Understanding) is linked by Jewish mysticism with the Megillah Esther and the number 13. The word yam (sea) is in gematria 50 and is linked to the 13 shining mems that are connected to the Upper Waters or Sea mentioned in Genesis. This is the Sea or Waters of Chesed with which all were created. This is also the Sea of the Divine Will and the Sun of the Divine Will in the midst of the Sea, just as the sun is at the centre of the sea of space that is our solar system.
The gematria for bereshit is 913 and when we add 9+1+3 we get the number 13 which is the gematria for echad (one 1+8+4) and ahavah (love 1+5+2+5) and thus also alludes to the 13 petal Rose and the 13 shining triangular mems of Chesed. The gematria of bara is 203 and 2+0+3=5 and the gematria of El is 31 and if we add the number 5 for bara then we get 31+5 = 36 which is the number of Divine Will. לא ִ(la) in Hebrew can also sometimes be read as לו (lo) which also adds up to 36.
לְךָ֣ יְ֠הוָה הַגְּדֻלָּ֨ה וְהַגְּבוּרָ֤ה וְהַתִּפְאֶ֙רֶת֙ וְהַנֵּ֣צַח וְהַהֹ֔וד כִּי־כֹ֖ל בַּשָּׁמַ֣יִם וּבָאָ֑רֶץ לְךָ֤ יְהוָה֙ הַמַּמְלָכָ֔ה וְהַמִּתְנַשֵּׂ֖א לְכֹ֥ל ׀ לְרֹֽאשׁ׃
(L'kha Adonai haG'dolah v'haGevurah v'haTiferet v'haNetzach v'haHod ki-kol baShamayim v'baAretz l'kha Adonai haMam'lakah v'ha-mit-nasa l'kol l'rosh)
To thee LORD is the Greatness and the Strength and the Beauty and the Victory and the Majesty that is All in the Heavens and in the Earth to thee LORD is the Kingdom and thou art exalted over all to the Head. (1 Chronicles 29:11)
In this text the concept of the Sefirotic array is revealed and concealed within the Complete Heart (Lev Shalem), mentioned in verse 9. Six of the lower Sefirot are revealed openly and the four higher Sefirot and one of the lower Sefirot are concealed in the words of the verse.
1. Gedolah or Chesed (Divine Right Arm and Hand of the Body or the Divine Right Eye of the Face)
2. Gevurah or Din (Divine Left Arm and Hand of the Body or the Divine Left Eye of the Face)
3. Tiferet or Rachamim (the Divine Heart or Torso of the Body or the Divine Nose of the Face)
4. Netzach (the Divine Right Leg, Foot and Scrotum of the Body or the Divine Right Cheek and Ear of the Face)
5. Hod (the Divine Left Leg, Foot and Scrotum of the Body or the Divine Left Cheek and Ear of the Face)
6.Ki-Kol or Yesod (this
is hidden, like the genitals with a loin cloth, due to it representing
the erect phallus of the Divine Body or the Divine Tongue of the Face
concealed within the Mouth)
7. baShamayim or Hokhmah (the Divine Right Side or Brain of the Body or the Right Side of the Forehead of the Face
8. baArtetz or Da'at (the hidden Sefirah)
9. Mamalakah or Malkut (the
Divine Womb or Vagina of the Body as Female or the Divine Seed or Fruit
of the Body as Male or the Divine Mouth of the Face)
10. V'hamitnasa l'kol or Binah (She is the one that is lifted above the lower 7 Sefirot and is the Divine Left Side of the Head or Brain or the Divine Left Side of the Forehead of the Face )
11. L'Rosh or Keter (the Divine Crown or Hair of the Divine Body and Face)
The
whole Chapter of 1 Chronicles 29 also holds the mystery of the Divine
and Complete or Perfect Heart that the soul gains, when one surrenders
their will freely to it. It also mentions in verse 12, which it links to
the Divine Face and hands, other attributes of God such as Kavod (glory), Koach (power) and Chazak (firmness), Asher (riches) which can also be linked to the ten main Sefirot.
The Court of the Gentiles, as it was later called in the Temple, was the area for the mixed multitude that accompanied the Israelites out of Egypt. The laver and the fire altar of sacrifice symbolised the two eyes of God. The laver represented the right eye of Chesed (lovingkindness) symbolised by the waters as the waters of mercy. One bathes in the Chesed or mercy of God. The fire altar represented the left eye of Din (Judgment) as the fires of purification and self-nullification. In order to attain a good judgment one must do penance and reparation symbolised by the fire offerings. In a sense, the laver and the altar are the exterior representation to the people of the mystery of the Cherubim on the Ark of the Covenant in the Holy of Holies.
The colours of white, red, and green represent the Trinity in heaven and their icons on earth of Jesus, Mary and Joseph. Thus, it would seem that the white stone (the light of Bahir) of the mystical ring of Luisa Piccarreta represents God the Father and his icon Joseph as the right branch of the the figure (komah) of Shin of the Sefirot with Chokhmah (male wisdom), Chesed (loving kindness mercy) and Netzach (Victory/ Patience). The red stone (the light of Zohar) represents God the Holy Spirit and his icon Our Lady as the left branch of the Shin of the Sefirot as Binah (female wisdom or understanding), Gevurah (strength) and Hod (Majesty). The green stone (the light of Nogah) as God the Son in his divinity and as Yeshua in his humanity, is the created icon of his Divinity, linked with the middle branch of the Shin of the Sefirot as Keter (Crown of Divine Will), Da'at (Knowledge of Divine Will), Tiferet/Rachamim (beauty/ compassionate mercy) and Yesod/ Tzaddik (Foundation/ righteousness).
The first week of the Counting of the Omer of Chesed is associated with the Messiah or Mashiach as Son of Avraham and the right hand or arm of the Mashiach. We can also see this in a Marian perspective as the Mirror of the Tree of Life in regards to the Mother of the Messiah. Thus week one of Chesed is associated with the Mother (Bakol meaning 'with all') as the Daughter of Avraham and Sarah. The Supernal Mother is also associated with Sarah (which means Princess) as the wife or Shekhinah of Abraham (in turn a type of St Joseph) and the mother of Isaac (a type of Yeshua as the suffering and dying Maschiach and Tzemach Tzaddik). Chesed and its middah (quality, measure or trait) Ahavah is associated with the colour Blue in the Celestial Rainbow and Wheel of Light.
It is only when we realise our littleness and nothingness compared with the Majesty and Splendour of our Creator, that we can truly open ourselves to receive the true love and mercy of God. If we are full of ourselves then there is no room for HASHEM to pour into us his graces of love and mercy.
If
we don't have this lowliness that makes room for love, then we can't
truly give or receive love from those who HASHEM has placed in our
lives. We can't begin this journey to sanctity until we make internal
space through shiflut, which is a lowering of our pride and sense
of selfish somethingness. This will allow us to begin the journey to
sanctity in His Divine Will by being a vessel who is empty and waiting
to be filled with Chesed. This shiflut must be done in the
context of love and trust in the divine kindness and mercy of HASHEM,
or it will just become servile slavery and submission to a dominating
and forceful overlord rather than a loving Father.
We can't make this journey full of our own will power but only by desiring to be nothing and to receive the grace of living in His Divine Will. We trust that where we desire to be, HASHEM will see us as already there. All is achieved through Grace alone which we attain by faith manifesting through mitzvot.
Emet is truth and is connected with the concept of purity and foundation. The Brit haChadashah speaks of the Kehillah (Church) of the Mashiach as the pillar and foundation of truth. In order to deeply enter into this journey to sanctity, one must be spiritually united to the Mashiach and his Kehilla and its teachings, as the source or foundation and pillar of truth.
Truth needs to be spoken and taught with kindness and mercy otherwise it is not truth but a distortion of truth that becomes a harsh rod on the backs of others. When we turn our truths into moralism, false piety and puritanism, then this false presentation of truth becomes the whisper of the Accuser of the Brethern to burden the broken and hurting with heavy and burdensome judgement and accusation. It also causes scrupulosity in our selves and others.
Knowing the Truth about ourselves, seen in the light of the love and mercy HASHEM has for lost sinners, will set us free to attain purity. This is a concept associated with Joseph the Patriarch and Ruler of Egypt as well as Yosef haTzaddik (St Joseph) and Mashiach ben Yosef. Truth is not always spoken but like Yosef haTzaddik is sometimes strong and silent waiting for the right moment and way to be shared with chesed.
Temimut is sincerity of will, heart and act. We can associate the sincerity of will as a trace of the Father, the sincerity of heart with a trace of the Son and the sincerity of act with a trace of the Holy Spirit. This sincerity in love is connected to desire and intention. We should always look to see what the desire and intention of others were, even if it went in a wrong direction, and one should judge them with loving-kindness and mercy. We should respect those who are sincere in their beliefs, even if we disagree with them. HASHEM sees our intention, sincerity and desire to live in Divine Will at the highest level of sanctity and sees us already there, in the divine version of us, which he has won for us by his life, death and resurrection.
We can also link this to an understanding that all those non-Christians, who are in sincerity of will, heart and mind seeking the true, beautiful and good may attain to the baptism of desire. Love when done in true sincerity covers a multitude of sins from an Eternal perspective, even if they cause damage in this temporal world.
Bitachon is confident boldness in the spirit. It is a filial trust in the goodness and love and kindness of the Father. It is expectant faith and is connected to spiritual warfare as a spiritual warrior that attains through endurance the victory (netzach). This grace of Bitachon allows us to withstand challenges and set backs as we know that all works together for good for those who love HASHEM. It allows us to be a constant and faithful friend and support to others, rather than giving in to our moods and feelings.
Rachamim is compassionate mercy which is associated with beauty (tiferet)
and harmony. Compassionate mercy in Chesed is the kind of compassionate
love that forgives others their worst sins and failings and forgives
those who don't deserve forgiveness. This should not be the kind of pity
we call "cold, indifferent or harsh pity". Aesop said in his tales: “Pity
is but cold comfort when one is up to the chin in water and within a
hair's breadth of starving or drowning.” Thus, true compassion involves
action towards the person suffering or in trouble. It is not the "cold
as charity" approach that others need but a warm and compassionate
embrace of the person they are helping. Thus the Sefirah of Rachamim / Tiferet is
also symbolised by the Sun as a source of warmth. Nor should it be the
kind of false pity and sympathy demonstrated by the Walrus in Alice in Wonderland (by Lewis Carroll), where he is about to eat the shellfish and says to them:
I weep for you,' the Walrus said:
I deeply sympathize.'
With sobs and tears he sorted out
Those of the largest size,
Holding his pocket-handkerchief
Before his streaming eyes.
Yirah is reverential awe or fear of God and is associated with respect, discipline, discernment and Godly discrimination. Love without this balance can end up as weakness and permissiveness and handicap our spiritual growth and sanctity as well as that of those in our care and family.
Simon Jacobson writes:
"Healthy love must always include an element of discipline and discernment; a degree of distance and respect for another's boundaries; an assessment of another's capacity to contain your love. Love must be tempered and directed properly. Ask a parent who, in the name of love, has spoiled a child; or someone who suffocates a spouse with love and doesn't allow them any personal space."
Love is our goal and love is our way and is the whole purpose of Torah and mitzvot. Love is always kind and generous to the other. True Love is not manipulative and controlling but lets go and lets God work in the lives of our loved ones. Love is open, free and generous not stingy or selfish. Love risks vulnerability, pain, suffering and hurt from the other and on behalf of the other. The wounds of love are precious and are embraced with joy in the midst of tears and pain.
In the Passover Haggadah we learn that the finger of God represents 10 but the hand of God is 50. Thus God saved Israel from Pharaoh and slavery in Egypt by his finger which represented the ten plagues but at the Red Sea by opening the way through it he delivered them with his hand (the right hand of Chesed) with 50 plagues (the left hand of Gevurah). Thus, Passover is a type of Salvation (Yeshua) and the Counting of the Omer and the Hand at the Red Sea and the crossing of the Red Sea represents Shavuot (Jewish Pentecost) as the way of Sanctification (kedushah).
Your way led through the sea,
your paths through the great waters,
your steps left no trace behind them.
You led your people like a flock,
by the Hand of Moses and Aaron. (Psalm 77:19-20)
Notice that it says 'the Hand' not hands demonstrating that this Hand (Yad) of Moses (Moshe) and Aaron (Aharon) is the Divine Hand not Moses and Aaron themselves. They are the vessels for this Hand.
Discipline or Strength needs to be tempered with Love. Discipline must always be done with love. We insist on standards of behaviour for ourselves and others out of love. Love should be expressed with a disciplined approach. To harshly criticise and judge others by verbal or physical means is not true discipline. Love should restrain our discipline so that it does not go outside reasonable bounds based on love and mercy. We have a right and duty to love others but we do not have a right to judge others. This love for ours is for us to desire the very best for them which can only be achieved by discipline.
When I lived in Jerusalem I shared an apartment with a young American Messianic Jew who was very upset with his parents for spoiling him and not giving him loving discipline. He felt they had not taught him to have self-discipline and he felt handicapped by that in his life because of it. It was so much harder to learn to be disciplined later in life.
Our Lady was asked by the children visionaries of Medjugorje what made her so beautiful. She answered that it was Love. Those who truly love with their whole heart are beautiful whether they are young, middle aged or elderly and regardless of their outward features. One of the most beautiful women I ever saw and heard speak was St Mother Teresa of Calcutta who radiated divine beauty even though she was an elderly woman with a very wrinkled face. When she spoke I wept as her words of beauty penetrated my heart. At the time I was anti-Catholicism and had no desire to become a Catholic. The next time, five years later, I encountered a soul that had this quality of loving beauty in the flesh was St Pope John Paul II when I was a practicing Orthodox Jew in 1986. Six months later I became a Hebrew Catholic.
Rabbi Ginsburgh writes about Netzach:
Netzach is associated in the soul with the power to overcome those obstacles which stand in the way of realizing one's chesed aspiration to bestow goodness upon Creation. Insofar as the word netzach denotes both "victory" and "eternity," it can be said that the ultimate victory of netzach is that over death itself, the final impediment to the pursuit of chesed.
For true Endurance to last and to bring forth spiritual fruit it must be rooted in Ahavah (Love). Suffering without Ahavah often produces bitterness, resentment and even hatred. Job only was able to overcome his sufferings and pain by his love and trust in Elohim. If we don't have Ahavah for our duties and responsibilities, we will not be able to persist and be committed with dedication to them, whether it is our marriage, our families, our work or our charitable work for others.
For Netzach without dedicated and devout love and care produces coldness of heart and spiritual death of soul. This is connected to the mystery of the death of Miriam and the drying up of the waters of the Well of Miriam and the death of the Red Heifer. Without Ahavah shebeNetzach the Passion of the Mashiach would not have been the greatest story of love ever told but a cruel and heartless horror story of man's inhumanity to man.
Rabbi Ginsburgh writes about Hod:
Hod is associated in the soul with the power to continually advance, with the determination and perseverance born of deep inner commitment, toward the realization of one's life goals. The acknowledgment of a supreme purpose in life, and the total submission of self which it inspires, serve to endow the source of one's inspiration with an aura of splendor and majesty. Hence the word hod connotes both "acknowledgment" (hoda'ah) and "splendor," in the sense of an aura-like "reverberation" (hed) of light.
The hoda'ah aspect of hod also manifests itself as the power to express gratitude (thus qualifying it as a sefirotic response to chesed), as well as the power of "confession" (vidui).
Rabbi Ginsburgh teaches:
...the bride enters into the state of consciousness of hod. She experiences in full the presence of Divine providence that has brought her groom and herself together. From the depth of her heart she expresses her gratitude and thanksgiving to God, the "third partner" of her marriage.
Hod = 15, the sum of all numbers from 1 to 5. Hod expresses and reflects all the five emotions of the heart from chesed to hod. "Binah [the "mother" of the emotions of the heart] extends until hod."
The pomegranate or rimon is
associated with the Bride of the Song of Songs or Song of Solomon. The
inner meaning of the pomegranate in the Song is mystically erotic and is
only revealed cryptically in the Jewish mystical tradition.
Thy lips are as a scarlet lace: and thy speech sweet. Thy cheeks are as a piece of a pomegranate, besides that which lieth hid within. (Song 4:3)
Thy plants are a paradise of pomegranates with the fruits of the orchard. Cypress with spikenard. (Song 4:13)
I went down into the garden of nuts, to see the fruits of the valleys, and to look if the vineyard had flourished, and the pomegranates budded. (Song 6:11)
Let us get up early to the vineyards, let us see if the vineyard flourish, if the flowers be ready to bring forth fruits, if the pomegranates flourish: there will I give thee my breasts. (Song 7: 12)
We would not be perfectly sanctified if we only demonstrated Yirah before the Divine Majesty but we also need love. In regard to our late Queen Elizabeth II, I did not just have respect and reverence for her as the font of Justice and Law who embodied our history and heritage but I had a filial love of her in which I was prepared to give my life for her if necessary, not out of mere duty but out of love.
Republicans often miss the heart dimension of the mystical love of Monarchists for the person of the Monarch that goes beyond the academic and rational arguments for the benefits of the Monarchy. Most Australian soldiers in World War I did not go to Europe out of mere love of country but because of filial love and loyalty for the King. Thus, we should have this heart dimension of love and loyalty in our relationship with HASHEM who is the Monarch of Monarchs or King of Kings. Most of us Catholics also have this royal love relationship for Our Lady who is the true Queen of Hearts and for St Joseph the Regal Viceregent of Heaven and Earth.
Rabbi Ginsburgh teaches in regard to Yesod:
The yesod is also referred to as the brit, the holy sign of the covenant (that God made with Abraham, the first Jew). In particular, the yesod is the covenant between the two Divine attributes of truth and peace, as the prophet says (Zacharia 8:19): "and truth and peace shall love." The origin of love is represented by the soul of Abraham, of whom is said "Abraham, My lover" (Isaiah 41:8). All of his lovingkindness (chesed) flows down (as water) to become concentrated in yesod. There it creates the covenant between the absolute truth of Torah and the peace of mitzvot, good deeds performed with love for Israel.
Ahavah is the heart, source and foundation of the bonding of souls. You can't have true bonding or emotional union without Ahavah shebeYesod (Love that is in Foundation or Bonding). Ahavah establishes a solid base on which this spiritual and emotional bonding can build. This is the pillar and base united together. St Paul tells Timothy that the Kehilla or Church of the Living Elohim is the foundation or base and pillar of the Truth (Emet).
Thus, the Kehilla is the gathering or bonding of the saints (tzaddikim) in the bond or bundle of Life in the Truth. When one has a difficulty connecting with another, ask yourself how much you love the one who you are encountering this difficulty with, in regards to a spiritual and/or emotional connection. First one, in Divine Will, must desire and will to love with HASHEM's love the other, which will hopefully lead to a spiritual and possibly emotional relationship of friendship. The best way to attain this is to perform acts of love for the other in an appropriate manner, that respects the dignity of the other and listens to their truth.
The number 36 alludes to the Divine Will and the Lamed Vavniks, as well of the 36 volumes of the Book of Heaven, that reveals the divine truths and knowledges of the grace of Living in the Divine Will, in a permanent, eternal and divine manner. This foundation of love is a manifestation of the Eternal Divine Will in time and place. Love is the blood of the divine Body of the Mashiach.
The seventh mansion of St Teresa's interior Castle can be linked to the Jewish level of soul called Zer Anpin (Small or short Face alluding to the human nature of the Messiah) and seventh word of the Bible haAretz (the earth) and the Sabbath day of Rest of the Creative week in Genesis 1. This is the Green Palace or the Palace of the Living of the Mystical Diamond of the Sefirotic array. Alternatively, this could represent the Blue Sapphire Palace of Chesed.
The seventh mansion or Palace of the Interior Castle or Mystical Diamond of St Teresa of Avila is that of Divine Union.
St Teresa reveals that the seventh and the most interior mansion or
palace is different
from all the ones that came before. It is the state or mansion of
mystical union, of
direct da'at (knowing or knowledge). This is the knowing beyond all
knowing as articulated in the poetry of St John of the Cross.
In the hidden depths of our heart, there is a union or cleaving between the radiant Light (Zohar or Dark Light) shining from the Divine and Holy King and our total being (body, soul and spirit). They are fused, joined or melted into one unity through love. This is part of the process of Divinisation of the soul in Divine Will.
The Hebrew term da'at is an experiential knowing rather than a purely intellectual knowing. It is the true gnosis not the false gnosis of the Gnostic heretics. The term is associated with the sexual knowing and thus is appropriate when referring to the mystical or spiritual marriage which is a virginal nuptial act. St Teresa of Avila teaches that this mystical marriage:
“might be compared to water falling from the sky into a river or fountain, where the waters are united, and it would be no longer possible to divide them, or separate the water of the river from that which has fallen from the heavens. Or like a tiny stream, which falls into the sea -there is no possibility of separating them.” (St. Teresa of Avila The Interior Castle (1945): 109).
Thus the heart of the loved bride (kallah) hears and treasures the secrets and mysteries of her beloved Bridegroom (chatan) that flow forth from the Divine heart as the Radiance or Zohar Light. St Teresa proclaims that these whispered love secrets:
“...are the touches of His Love, so suave and penetrating. When you receive these impulses, remember they come from this innermost mansion where God dwells in our soul, and praise Him greatly, for certainly this message or order of the king is His own, written with so much love, and in a way that reveals His wish that you alone shall read the writing and know what He is asking of you” (St. Teresa of Avila The Interior Castle (1945): 113).
In this elevated state of mystical marriage, union and knowing, all is free flowing nuptial graces and rests in the intimate and romantic silence that transcends words and even thoughts. St Teresa describes her own mystical experience of this union with the Divine Bridegroom:
“Here, the understanding need not stir nor seek for anything more; the Lord who created it, wishes it now to be at rest, and only through a little chink to survey what is passing in the soul. This scene may be lost to it at times, or it may be permitted to see it, but only for a very short interval because the powers and faculties are now suspended; they are simply not working, but remain as if wonderstruck” (St. Teresa of Avila The Interior Castle (1945): 114).
This mystical and virginal nuptial union is consummated with the Mystical Kiss that unites the soul to God,
“God grants these sublime and intimate interior states when He binds the soul to Himself, with that Kiss that the bride asks for.”
She in referring us to the opening of the mysteries of this mystical marriage in the Song of Songs 1:1:
Let the Lord kiss me with the kiss of His mouth, for Your breasts are better than wine, etc
It will seem to you that there are some words in the Song of Songs that could have been said in another style. In light of our dullness, such an opinion doesn’t surprise me. I have heard some persons say that they avoid listening to them...
O my Lord, how poorly we profit from the blessing You grant us! You seek ways and means and you devise plans to show Your love for us; we, inexperienced in loving You, esteem this love so poorly that our minds, little exercised in love, go where they always go and cease to think of the great mysteries this language, spoken by the Holy Spirit, contains within itself. What more was necessary than this language in order to enkindle us in His love and make us realize that not without good reason did He choose this style. (Meditations on the Song of Songs: Ch. 1, nos. 3–5)
Chaim Vital's Sefer Etz Chaim (written in 1573 based on the teachings of the Ari or Rabbi Isaac Luria 1534-1572) discusses seven palaces with their gates. There are 50 gates that mirror the 50 gates of Binah (Understanding) and are connected to the 50 days of the Counting of the Omer. St Teresa of Avila writing in 1577 describes an Interior Castle as a kind of mystical diamond or crystal that includes seven mansions or palaces of the soul which have different sections. St Teresa of Avila was of Jewish ancestry and her family had been relapsed Jews in Toledo when her father was about nine or ten years old. Teresa writes in the Interior Castle:
" Although I have described no more than seven mansions, in each one of these there are many – below, above and at the sides – with charming fountains, gardens and such delightful things, that you will desire to spend yourselves in praising the great God, who created the soul to His image and likeness.”
The mysteries in the Kabbalah are also the mysteries of the human soul. It is through the soul made in the image and likeness of God that we can ascend to the Divine mysteries and concepts through this mirror of the Divine. Thus, this gives us a key to open the mysteries of the Divinity and the mysteries of the created worlds which are also made in the image and likeness of God as the Shiur Komah (the Supernal metaphorical Body of God). This is at the heart of both Jewish and Catholic mystical thought which have cross-fertilised each other over the centuries.
The Divine Tree of Life is the divinity of the Messiah and it is mirrored perfectly in the created humanity of the Messiah (He is one person in two natures) and the created human soul of Our Lady his Mother. St Louis de Montfort refers to Our Lady as the Mirror of the Tree of Life.
The scenario here is just one way of looking at these mysteries. One could see that it is the Green Palace of Malkhut that is the First Mansion, and then ascending to the Blue Palace of Chesed as the 7th Mansion. Whereas the other scenario we begin with the Blue Palace of Chesed as the First Mansion and descend to the Green Palace of Malkhut as the 7th Mansion. Both are fruitful ways of perceiving the mystical diamond or crystal through different prisms of insight.
St. Teresa of Avila, a descendant of a Jewish converso family of medieval Spain, in her treatise in 1577, depicts the soul as an Interior Castle.
“I began to think of the soul as if it were a castle made of a single diamond, or of a very clear crystal, in which there are many rooms, just as in Heaven there are many mansions” (Complete Works of Saint Teresa of Jesus, Volume 2, (1946), 201).
It is obvious that the wisdom of the Sefer Zohar and
other Kabbalistic teaching had permeated the Jewish communities of
Spain. Avila, a century before, had been a centre of study of these
mystical teachings which had then spread into the popular devotion of
the ordinary Jews.
The first mansion or palace described by St Teresa is the mansion of devotion. St Teresa's first mansion represents the beginning stage of the spiritual life. This could be seen in Jewish terms as the spiritual levels of Nefesh (the vessel of the soul) and the first word of the Bible in Hebrew Bereshit (In or with the Beginning).
In this first mansion the soul is starting to awaken and arise to the interior spiritual life. She (the soul) begins this awakening through devotion by cultivating a longing for the love of the Divine Majesty, which then develops an awakening to love in the depths of one's heart. This begins a stage of deep calling to deeper. In these beginning stages of the mystical journey into the heart of the diamond, St Teresa focuses on the importance of lowliness or humility, knowledge of the self and the deepening of one's prayer life through reflection and meditation.
Gaining
a true knowledge of one's self is a slow and painstaking process, in
these early stages of the spiritual life. In order to become truly aware
or conscious of our self is to take responsibility for our thoughts,
emotions and acts. St Teresa in the Interior Castle writes of the great
struggle or wrestling with the hardships, spiritual blockages and the
resistance of our selfish will that occur in these beginning attempts to
enter into the mystical realm. One's soul needs to turn away from one's
external attachment to outward appearances and the physical senses and
desires towards a renunciation of such things. This is what St John of
the Cross calls the Dark Night of the Senses.
This first mansion of the Interior Castle or Mystical Diamond is the beginning of loosening and cutting off the numerous attachments and self centred wants, needs and desires that one's has as a result of the Fall. One at this stage starts to confront these bitter results of the Fall which has led to interior delusions about ourselves based on deception, lies, doubts and confusion of soul. This is called the yetzer haRa or evil inclination in Jewish thought as well as the Green Slime of Adam, which we all inherit as fallen descendants of Adam and Eve.
One at this stage needs to start to remember and seek their true origins and their spiritual destination. One, at this stage, is now entering into a new dimension or spiritual world. In achieving this one is aided by this process of dying to the old way of the attachments to one's physical senses and desires. It is not a purely intellectual journey in one's mind but a journey of the heart into deeper love.
It is important at this stage that we seek to be obedient in every way to the teachings of the Church as taught in the writings of the Fathers and Doctors and those who have made this spiritual journey before us. We should also be obedient to our priestly confessors and spiritual directors. It would be good for one not to try to do this stage alone but with the company of others who are seeking to follow this way. At this stage one's soul is vulnerable and needs the assistance, nurturing and guidance of others to strengthen our faith and hope. Reflecting on the beauty and unity of all Creation is also very helpful at this stage to further inspire us to make this journey.
This mansion can be perceived as the Blue Palace or the Sapphire Blue Palace. Alternatively, it could represent the Green Palace or the Palace of the Living. In the time of St Teresa of Avila the greatest mystics and saints could only attain to the level of the seventh mansion and only glimpse the higher levels as this was the time of following the Divine Will. After 1889 the grace of Living in Divine Will was given through the servant of God Luisa Piccarreta and the higher levels can be attained in this life which were once reserved to Heaven, except in the case of the Holy Family who lived in Divine Will on earth. One, in the past by following the Divine Will and desiring it, could receive the effects of these higher levels but not dwell in them in a divine, permanent and eternal state or manner.
