The splendor of the shining mirror

Synopsis

This section discusses the true nature of the patriarch Jacob. "As the Color Purple includes all the colors, so the shining mirror comprises all the lights." Just as the mirror includes all the lights, Jacob springs from the same mystical source as the Fathers who preceded him, from Adam and Noah to Abraham and Isaac. Like the earlier patriarchs, Jacob's potent self and soul are forged by the fires of sexuality, the union of opposites whose power the Other Side finds irresistibly attractive. Just as Adam was tempted by the serpent, Jacob had to "bring a gift to the other side;" that is, he had to survive a similar trial of darkness and desire. Although there were differences in the formative ordeals of the five patriarchs, we are told that they were essentially alike in nature. Thus, they produced similarly potent identities in the men who survived them. After Jacob endured his own trial-by-desire, he was given the name of the descendants who would share the identity he had gained for them - "Israel."

Relevance

The Light arising from these verses cleanses negativity created through previous impure sexual thoughts and behavior. We become more enlightened to the power and potency of sexual union, and are inspired to keep the act free from the influences of the Other Side that always attend it. The Hebrew letters summon forth the might of the five patriarchs to help us conquer the obstacles and temptations employed by the devious Evil Inclination dwelling both within us and around us.

Chassadim Colors Jacob Labyrinth Lights Mirror Purple

17. "And Jacob went out" of the closed labyrinth; and from the closed mystery emerges the splendor of the shining mirror, which is composed of two colors joined together. Because they are included within one another, all the colors are visible in it. All the appearing lights are included in the color purple. THAT IS, AS THE COLOR PURPLE INCLUDES ALL THE COLORS, SO THE SPLENDOR OF THE SHINING MIRROR COMPRISES ALL THE LIGHTS. These lights run and return, FOR THEY RUN FROM THE ILLUMINATION OF THE RIGHT TO THE ILLUMINATION OF THE LEFT TO BE INCLUDED IN IT. BUT THEN THEY IMMEDIATELY RETURN TO THEIR PLACE IN THE ILLUMINATION OF THE RIGHT. And they do not stop to see - THAT IS, TO DRAW OUT CHOCHMAH - BUT IMMEDIATELY RETURN TO THEIR PLACE. THE ILLUMINATIONS OF THE RIGHT AND LEFT are joined within that splendor, BRINGING BOTH TO THE RIGHT IN THE ILLUMINATION OF CHASSADIM. AND THE ILLUMINATION OF THE LEFT IS NOT SEEN AT ALL, BUT IS NEGATED AND INCLUDED WITHIN THE RIGHT.

17. וַיֵּצֵא יַעֲקֹב, בְּקִטְרָא דִּסְתִימוּ, מִגּוֹ סִתְרָא סְתִימָא נָפְקָא, זֹהַר אַסְפַּקְלַרְיָאה דְּנָהֲרָא, כְּלִילָא מִתְּרֵין גְּוָונִין, דְּמִתְחַבְּרָן כַּחֲדָא, כֵּיוָן דְּאִלֵּין אִתְכְּלִילוּ דָּא בְּדָא, אִתְחֲזוּן בֵּיהּ כָּל גְּוָונִין. אַרְגָּמָן אִיהוּ, כָּל חֵיזוּ דִּנְהוֹרִין, בֵּיהּ כְּלִילָן. רָצוֹא וָשׁוֹב, אִינוּן נְהוֹרִין, לָא מִתְעַכְּבָן לְמֶחֱמֵי, חִבּוּרָא חָדָא אִתְחַבְּרָן בְּהַהוּא זֹהַר.

Chassadim Faith Grades Israel Jacob Labyrinth Light Nukva Purification Tetragrammaton Voice Yud Hei Vav Hei (YHVH)

18. In that splendor dwells whoever dwells, YUD HEI VAV HEI, WHICH IS THE FIRST THREE SFIROT. This is a name that describes something closed and utterly unknown. THAT IS, THE NAME DWELLS ON THE ILLUMINATION OF THE RIGHT, WHOSE LABYRINTH IS NOT YET OPENED OR KNOWN. IT DOES NOT DWELL ON THE LEFT, WHOSE LABYRINTH WAS OPENED AND ITS EXISTENCE BECAME KNOWN. THIS SPLENDOR is called the 'voice of Jacob,' NOT 'A GREAT VOICE.' In this SPLENDOR, THE LIGHT OF THE FIRST THREE SFIROT OF BINAH, CALLED 'the Whole Faith,' is seen. THESE CHASSADIM ARE ALSO CONSIDERED PART OF THE FIRST THREE SFIROT, AS THE CHASSADIM OF THE FIRST THREE OF BINAH. And within this closed LABYRINTH OF THE ILLUMINATION OF THE RIGHT, which is utterly unknown, the Name of Yud Hei Vav Hei dwells. It is whole on all sides, for the upper and the lower, BINAH AND THE NUKVA, are here INCLUDED WITHIN THIS SPLENDOR. Therefore, Jacob was selected to be the chosen among the Fathers, for he is included in all sides. This splendor OF JACOB'S GRADE, AS A RESULT OF THE purification of his name, WHICH REACHED MALCHUT, IS CALLED 'THE CHOSEN AMONG THE FATHERS,' as it is written, "Jacob whom I have chosen" (Yeshayah 41:8). He is called by two names, Jacob and Yisrael. First, HE WAS CALLED 'Jacob.' AT THAT TIME, HE LET THE RIGHT RULE. After HE ESTABLISHED THE ILLUMINATION OF BOTH LEFT AND RIGHT, FOR CHOCHMAH SHINES ONLY AFTER IT IS INCLUDED WITHIN CHASSADIM, HE WAS CALLED 'Yisrael.'

18. בְּהַאי זֹהַ"ר שָׁארֵי מַאן דְּשָׁארֵי, שְׁמָא אִיהוּ, לְהַהוּא דְּסָתִים דְּלָא יְדִיעַ כְּלָל, קוֹל יַעֲקֹב אִקְרֵי, בְּהַאי אִתְחֲזֵי מְהֵימְנוּתָא דְּכֹלָּא. הַהוּא דְּסָתִים וְלָא יְדִיעַ כְּלָל, בְּהַאי שַׁרְיָא ידו"ד. שְׁלִימוּ דְכָל סִטְרִין אִיהוּ, עִלָּאָה וְתַתָּאָה, הָכָא אִשְׁתַּכַּח, יַעֲקֹב שְׁלִימוּ דַּאֲבָהָן דְּאָחִיד מִכָּל סִטְרִין. זה"ר דָּא, עַל בְּרִירוּ דִּשְׁמָא דָא אִקְרֵי, דִּכְתִיב יַעֲקֹב אֲשֶׁר בְּחַרְתִּיךָ. תְּרֵין שְׁמָהָן אִקְרֵי, יַעֲקֹב וְיִשְׂרָאֵל, בְּקַדְמֵיתָא יַעֲקֹב, וּלְבָתַר יִשְׂרָאֵל.

Chassadim Haran Jacob Moses Nukva Seven Temple, The Thought Torah Voice Well Year

19. This is a great mystery, for the beginning, BEFORE HE WENT TO CHARAN, he was at the end of this thought, which is the explanation of the Written Torah, called the 'Oral Torah,' WHICH IS THE NUKVA. THOUGHT MEANS BINAH; THE END OF THOUGHT IS THE NUKVA WHEN SWEETENED BY BINAH. It is therefore called a 'well' (Heb. beer), as it is written, "Moses began to declare (Heb. beer) this Torah" (Devarim 1:5). For it is a well, which is an explanation (heb. be'ur) of that which is referred to as seven (Heb. sheva), BINAH, WHICH EXPLAINS AND REVEALS THE CHOCHMAH IN IT, as it is written, "So was he seven years in building it" (I Melachim 6:38). AND THE FIRST TEMPLE IS THE SECRET OF BINAH, which is a great voice. AND WHEN THE NUKVA RECEIVES CHOCHMAH FROM BINAH, IT IS CONSIDERED TO HAVE A GREAT VOICE, NOT JACOB'S VOICE, SINCE IT IS CHASSADIM.

19. סִתְרָא דְסִתְרָא דָא, כַּד הֲוָה בְּקַדְמֵיתָא בְּהַאי סוֹפָא דְמַחְשָׁבָה, דְּאִיהוּ פֵּרוּשָׁא דְאוֹרַיְיתָא דְּבִכְתַב, וְאִיהִי תּוֹרָה שֶׁבְּעַל פֶּה, וְעַל דָּא אִקְרֵי בְּאֵר, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר הוֹאִיל מֹשֶׁה בְּאֵר אֶת הַתּוֹרָה, בְּאֵ"ר אִיהוּ לְהַהוּא דְאִקְרֵי שָׁבַע, דִּכְתִיב וַיִּבְנֵהוּ שֶׁבַע שָׁנִים. וְהַיְינוּ קוֹל גָּדוֹל.

Chassadim Faith Jacob Peace Thought

20. וְדָא סוֹפָא דְּמַחְשָׁבָה, בְּאֵ"ר שָׁבַע אִיהוּ. וְיַעֲקֹב עָאל בְּהַאי רֵישָׁא לִמְהֵימְנוּתָא, כֵּיוָן דְּאִתְדַּבַּק בִּמְהֵימְנוּתָא דָא, אִצְטְרִיךְ לֵיהּ לְאִתְבָּחֲנָא, בְּהַהוּא אֲתַר דְּאִתְבְּחִינוּ אֲבָהָן דִּילֵיהּ, דְּעָאלוּ בִּשְׁלָם וּנְפָקוּ בִּשְׁלָם.

Abimelech Abraham Adam Egypt Isaac Noah Philistines Serpent Tents Wine

21. Adam was tried first: HE WAS TEMPTED BY THE SERPENT. Because he was not careful, he was seduced, and he sinned with "a wife of harlotry" (Hoshea 1:2), the primordial serpent. Noah was tried, but did not take heed. He was seduced BY A WIFE OF HARLOTRY and sinned, as it was written, "and he drank of the wine, and was drunk; and he was uncovered within his tent" (Beresheet 9:21). Abraham went in and departed, as it is written, "And Abram went down to Egypt" (Beresheet 12:10), and, "And Abram went up out of Egypt" (Beresheet 13:1). Isaac went in and departed, as it is written, "And Isaac went to Abimelech, king of the Philistines" (Beresheet 26:1), and, "And he went up from there to Beer-Sheva" (Ibid. 23).

21. אָדָם עָאל וְלָא אִסְתַּמַּר, וְאִתְפַּתָּא אֲבַתְרָהּ, וְחָטָא בְּהַהִיא אֵשֶׁת זְנוּנִים, נָחָשׁ קַדְמָאָה. נֹחַ עָאל, וְלָא אִסְתַּמַּר, וְאִתְפַּתָּא אֲבַתְרָהּ, וְחָטָא, דִּכְתִיב וַיֵּשְׁתְּ מִן הַיַּיִן וַיִּשְׁכָּר וַיִּתְגָּל בְּתוֹךְ אָהֳלֹה. אַבְרָהָם עָאל וְנָפַק דִּכְתִיב וַיֵּרֶד אַבְרָם מִצְרַיְמָה, וּכְתִיב וַיַּעַל אַבְרָם מִמִּצְרָיִם. יִצְחָק עָאל וְנָפַק, דִּכְתִיב וַיֵּלֶךְ יִצְחָק אֶל אֲבִימֶלֶךְ מֶלֶךְ פְּלִשְׁתִּים גְּרָרָה, וּכְתִיב וַיַּעַל מִשָּׁם בְּאֵר שָׁבַע.

Abraham Adam Egypt Faith Grades Haran Head Isaac Jacob Noah Philistines Tree Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil Wine

22. After Jacob entered the grade of faith, WHICH WAS THE DOMINION OF THE ILLUMINATION OF THE RIGHT - he had to bring a gift to that side - THAT IS, TO THE RULER OF THE ILLUMINATION OF THE LEFT, BY SURVIVING A TRIAL. For whoever survives THE TRIAL is beloved of and chosen by the Holy One, blessed be He. It is written, "And Jacob went out from Beer-Sheva," from the side of faith, FROM THE RIGHT SIDE, "and went toward Charan," which is the LEFT side, where a wife of harlotry TAKES HOLD, a fornicating wife. AND ALTHOUGH THERE ARE MANY DIFFERENCES AMONG THESE FIVE TRIALS - THE TREE OF KNOWLEDGE OF GOOD AND EVIL, THE HEADY WINE, EGYPT, THE PHILISTINES, AND CHARAN, WHICH WERE THE TRIALS OF ADAM, NOAH, ABRAHAM, ISAAC, AND JACOB - NEVERTHELESS, THEY HAVE THE SAME ROOT, NAMELY, THE DRAWING OF CHOCHMAH ONLY FROM DOWN UPWARDS, WHICH IS CALLED A 'WIFE OF HARLOTRY.'

22. יַעֲקֹב כֵּיוָן דְּעָאל בִּמְהֵימְנוּתָא, אִצְטְרִיךְ לְמֵיעַל מִנְחָתָא לְהַהִיא סִטְרָא, בְּגִין דְּמַאן דְּאִשְׁתְּזֵיב מִתַּמָּן אִיהוּ רְחִימָא וּבְרִירָא דְּקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא. מַאי כְּתִיב, וַיֵּצֵא יַעֲקֹב מִבְּאֵר שָׁבַע, סִתְרָא דְרָזָא דִמְהֵימְנוּתָא. וַיֵּלֶךְ חָרָנָה, סִטְרָא דְאֵשֶׁת זְנוּנִים, אִשָּׁה מְנָאֶפֶת.