"And Jacob went out from Beer-Sheva," part two

Synopsis

In an addendum to the previous section, an analogy is made between the pattern of Jacob's physical movements and the structure of the Tree of Life, which is Kabbalah's great symbol for the attributes of God. The Tree of Life is also spoken of as the Ten Sfirot, or ten dimensions. The rabbis discuss some of the relationships between the various attributes of the Tree, such as "the 32 paths" which are woven into the structure of the Ten Sfirot. An anecdote concerning Rabbi Yitzchak further explains the powerful attraction among the three pillars or columns which comprise the 'trunk' of the Tree of Life. From these grow the branches that represent the complex interconnection of all aspects of Creation.

Relevance

All events that transpire throughout the cosmos, from the budding of a seed in the forest to the birth of a new star in a distant galaxy, are reflections of creative processes unfolding in the Upper World, through the agency of the Ten Sfirot. Our world is a reflection - a branch automatically responding to influences that emanate from the seed that is the Upper Reality. Physical existence can be likened to a marionette, whose strings are manipulated from dimensions on high. There is, however, one exception to this metaphor-man. Man has the power to influence and control the Upper World and the Ten Sfirot through his own conduct. Prayer, meditation, rituals and, most importantly, actions are the mechanism through which we exert control over the Sfirot. Thus, we determine which influences will rebound into our realm. The spiritual forces arising from this passage help us exert positive influence upon the Tree of Life through the actions of Jacob. This brings more Light in our lives and diminishes the presence of darkness and evil in the world as a whole.

Atika Kadisha Eyes Female Head Hebrew Letters Holy Name Light Male Nukva Stones Tetragrammaton White Yud Hei Vav Hei (YHVH) Zeir Anpin

30. Tosefta (Addendum). People of the world, beloved of the High One, chosen of the government: THE TOSEFTA INVITES THOSE WHO ATTAINED THE ILLUMINATION OF THE THREE COLUMNS. ON THE SIDE OF THE CENTRAL COLUMN, THEY ARE CALLED 'THE PEOPLE OF THE WORLD,' BECAUSE ZEIR ANPIN, THE CENTRAL COLUMN, IS CALLED 'WORLD,' AND ON THE SIDE OF THE ILLUMINATION OF THE RIGHT COLUMN, THEY ARE CALLED 'BELOVED' BY THE HIGH ONE. ON THE SIDE OF THE ILLUMINATION OF THE LEFT COLUMN, THEY ARE CALLED 'CHOSEN OF THE GOVERNMENT,' WHICH MEANS THAT THEY WERE CHOSEN TO RULE THE WORLD, AS THE POWER TO RULE COMES FROM THE LEFT COLUMN. Draw near and listen, whoever is wise among you, of intelligent eyes - NAMELY, WHOEVER IS VERSED IN CHOCHMAH OF TEVUNAH, FOR 'EYES' IS A DESCRIPTIVE NAME OF CHOCHMAH, TO BRING OUT CHOCHMAH OF STRAIGHT LIGHT - let him come and know that when the 'White Head,' ATIKA KADISHA, took and engraved the three letters Aleph, Yud, and a final Nun, then was engraved Ayin (nothingness, Aleph Yud Nun). For Aleph is the head, high above all, the most hidden of all, NAMELY, THE HEAD OF ARICH ANPIN. Yud is the rising of desire, constructed from the head up, THE HEAD OF ARICH ANPIN. IT CAME AFTER ITS CONSTRUCTION, TO MALE AND FEMALE. HE EXPLAINED THAT it came down FROM THE HEAD OF ARICH ANPIN and resulted in 32 paths, WHEN IT AGAIN ENTERED THE HEAD OF ARICH ANPIN, until they were engraved between precious burning stones. These were connected with the final Nun, AND THIS IS THE SECRET OF THE JOINING OF male and female, two lovers, with strong contact between them, and the Holy Name, YUD HEI VAV HEI, is connected to them. From them nourishment is drawn for all, and the worlds, ZEIR ANPIN AND NUKVA, are constructed.

30. (תּוֹסֶפְתָּא) בְּנֵי עַלְמָא, רְחִימֵי עִלָּאָה, הוּרְמָנָא דְּבוּרַיְירֵי, קְרִיבוּ שְׁמָעוּ, מַאן חַכִּימֵי בְּכוֹ, מָארֵי דְעַיְינִין בְּסוּכְלְתָנוּ, לֵיתֵי וְלִינְדַע, בְּשַׁעְתָּא דְרֵישָׁא חִוָּורָא נָטֵיל תְּלַת אַתְוָון, וְגָלֵיף לוֹן, בְּגִלּוּפָא בְּגִלּוּפִין, חַד א,' חַד י,' וְחַד ן,' וְאִתְגְּלֵיף אי"ן, א' רֵישָׁא עִלָּאָה דְּכֹלָּא, טְמִירָא דְּכָל טְמִירִין, י' סְלִיקוּ דִרְעוּתָא הֲוֵי, אִשְׁתַּכְלֵל מֵרֵישָׁא לְעֵילָא, וְנָחַת לְתַתָּא, נָפַק וְאַפֵּיק תְּלָתִין וּתְרֵין שְׁבִילִין, עַד דְּאִתְגְּלִיפוּ בֵּין אַבְנֵי יְקָר דְּמִתְלַהֲטָן. וְאִתְקַשָּׁרוּ בְּאוֹת נו"ן, דְּאִיהוּ דְּכַר וְנוּקְבָא, תְּרֵין רְחִימִין. קִשּׁוּרָא תַּקִּיפָא, בְּהוּ אִשְׁתַּכְלָלוּ, וּשְׁמָא קַדִּישָׁא בְּהוֹ אִתְקַשַּׁר, מִנַּיְיהוּ אִשְׁתַּכַּח מְזוֹנָא לְכֹלָּא, אִשְׁתַּכְלָלוּ עַלְמִין.

Court Female Firmaments Haran Hebrew Letters House Jacob Judgment Male North Nukva Sheep South Sword Water Well Wind Zeir Anpin Zohar

31. THE ZOHAR REPEATS AND FURTHER EXPLAINS THESE WORDS, SAYING: Therefore, the vertically extended straight, final Nun was engraved, FOR IT REPRESENTS the union OF MALE AND FEMALE, ZEIR ANPIN AND NUKVA. For the bent Nun represents the Nukva alone, WITHOUT A MALE. The letter Yud - 'desire,' BINAH, which produced 32 paths - struck between the letters, NAMELY, THE 22 LETTERS, WHICH ARE MALE AND FEMALE, and formed the firmament, which is Jacob, NAMELY, THE CENTRAL COLUMN between the two winds, THE SOUTH AND NORTH, RIGHT AND LEFT COLUMNS. It then joined the pieces. Then Jacob descended toward the bent Nun, THE NUKVA, and HIS RIGHT AND LEFT COLUMNS north and south, were joined in It as one. BY THIS, THE NUKVA IS BUILT AND BECOMES READY FOR UNION. Then JACOB AND THE NUKVA were joined as one, AND BECAME A STRAIGHT, FINAL NUN, WHICH INCLUDES JACOB AND THE NUKVA. This bent Nun, WHICH IS THE NUKVA AND INCLUDES THE STRAIGHT, FINAL NUN, is called 'Beer-Sheva' and is filled by Jacob to water the flocks of sheep, NAMELY, TO GIVE PLENTY TO THE LOWER BEINGS. As it is written, "And Jacob went out from Beer-Sheva, and went toward Charan." Further, "from Beer-Sheva" MEANS above, NAMELY, IN BINAH. For he came out of it AND THERE RECEIVED PLENTY. THEREFORE, IT IS WRITTEN, "AND JACOB WENT OUT FROM BEER-SHEVA." Then he went to water Charan, the lower well, THAT IS, THE NUKVA, WHERE THERE ARE JUDGMENTS CALLED the 'Wrath of Hashem,' and the 'Sword of Hashem,' IN WHICH LIES the judgment of the court house named Elohim. THEREFORE, SCRIPTURE MENTIONS THE NAME OF Elohim, as in, "Elohim, heathen nations have come into Your inheritance" (Tehilim 79:1). End of Tosefta (Addendum).

31. וְעַל דָּא אִתְגְּלֵיף ן' פְּשׁוּטָה, כְּלָלָא דִתְרֵין: נ' כְּפוּפָה נוּקְבָא חָדָא, י' דְּאִיהִי רְעוּתָא דְּאַפֵּיק שְׁבִילִין, בָּטַשׁ בֵּין אַתְוָון, וַעֲבַד רְקִיעָא דְיַעֲקֹב, בֵּין תְּרֵין רוּחִין, וְאַטֵּיל בֵּינֵי שַׁיְיפֵי מִלּוּלֵי, עַד דְּנָחַת לְהַאי נ,' דְּאִיהִי כְּפוּפָה, וְחָבְרוּ לָהּ כַּחֲדָא, צָפוֹן וְדָרוֹם, לְבָתַר אִתְקַשָּׁרוּ כַּחֲדָא. הַאי נ' כְּפוּפָה, בְּאֵר שֶׁבַע אִקְרֵי, וְאִתְמַלֵּי מִיַּעֲקֹב, לְאַשָׁקָאָה כָּל עֶדְרֵי עָנָא, וְע"ד וַיֵּצֵא יַעֲקֹב מִבְּאֵר שָׁבַע וַיֵּלֶךְ חָרָנָה. תוּ, מִבְּאֵר שָׁבַע לְעֵילָא, דְּהָא מִינָהּ נָפֵיק, לְבָתַר אָזֵיל לְאַשְׁקָאָה לְחָרָנָה, דְּאִיהוּ בֵּירָא דִלְתַתָּא, חֲרוֹן אַף ה,' חֶרֶב ה,' דִּינָא, בֵּי דִינָא, אֱלֹקִים. וְע"ד אֱלֹקִים בָּאוּ גוֹיִם בְּנַחֲלָתֶךָ. (עד כאן תוספתא)

Caves Chassadim North Nukva South Sun Wind Zeir Anpin

32. Rabbi Yitzchak was sitting one day by the cave of Apikuta. A man passed with his two sons, one of whom said that the vigor of the sun, ZEIR ANPIN, is from the south side, WHICH IS THE SECRET OF THE RIGHT, CHASSADIM. And the world, THE NUKVA, does not exist save by wind, WHICH IS THE CENTRAL COLUMN, because the wind represents existence and perfection on all sides. THIS IS BECAUSE THE CENTRAL COLUMN, WHICH IS THE WIND, INCLUDES THE SOUTH AND NORTH SIDES, WHICH ARE RIGHT AND LEFT, THE SECRET OF CHOCHMAH AND CHASSADIM. If it were not complete, the world, THE NUKVA, would not have been able to survive.

32. רִבִּי יִצְחָק הֲוָה יָתֵיב יוֹמָא חַד, קַמֵּי מְעַרְתָּא דַּאֲפֵיקוּתָא, אַעֲבַר חַד בַּר נָשׁ, וּתְרֵין בְּנִין עִמֵּיהּ, וַהֲוָה אֲמַר חַד לְחַד, דָּא תּוֹקְפָא דְּשִׁמְשָׁא, מִסִּטְרָא דְּדָרוֹם אִיהוּ, וְעַלְמָא לָא אִתְקַיַּים אֶלָּא עַל רוּחַ, בְּגִין דְּרוּחַ, אִיהוּ קִיּוּמָא שְׁלִימוּ דְּכָל סִטְרִין, וְאִלְמָלֵא דְּאִיהוּ קָיְימָא בִּשְׁלִימוּ, לָא יָכֵיל עַלְמָא לְאִתְקַיָּימָא.

Aba and Ima Abraham Female House Isaac Jacob Male Nukva Unity

33. The younger brother said that if it were not for Jacob, the world would not have existed. Come and behold, whenever his children proclaim the unity of the supernal union saying, "Hear Yisrael; Hashem our Elohim; Hashem is one" (Devarim 6:4), which is the perfection of the High One, FROM ABA AND IMA, SO AS TO BE joined in one unison, Jacob their father, THE CENTRAL COLUMN, TIFERET, then joins and takes possession of his house, THE NUKVA, SECRET OF THE LOWER UNION. And he sits in it united with the fathers, THE RIGHT AND LEFT COLUMNS, so as to join male and female as one. BECAUSE THERE IS NO UNION OF MALE AND FEMALE BEFORE THE CENTRAL COLUMN, JACOB, MEDIATES AND ATTACHES THE TWO COLUMNS, RIGHT AND LEFT, WHO ARE ABRAHAM AND ISAAC.

33. אָמַר לוֹ אֲחוּהָ זְעֵירָע, אִלְמָלֵא יַעֲקֹב, לָא אִתְקַיַּים עַלְמָא. תָּא חֲזֵי, בְּשַׁעְתָּא דְּיִיחֲדוּ בְּנוֹי יִחוּדָא דִלְעֵילָא, וַאֲמָרוּ שְׁמַע יִשְׂרָאֵל יי' אֱלֹהֵינוּ יי' אֶחָד, דָּא הוּא שְׁלִימוּ עִלָּאָה, לְאִתְיַחֲדָא בְּיִחוּדָא חַד, כְּדֵי אִתְחַבַּר יַעֲקֹב אֲבוּהוֹן, וְנָטֵיל בֵּיתֵיהּ, וִיתֵיב בֵּיהּ בְּחִבּוּרָא חָדָא עִם אֲבָהָן, לְאִתְחַבְּרָא דְּכַר וְנוּקְבָא כַּחֲדָא.