Filed under: 70 nations, Angels, klippah, meditation, prayer, Raising Sparks, Supernal court
Vyatze
Bs”d
First Yaakov sees all the angels of God rising from the earth and descending from the heavens. The sages say these were the angels who supervise the nations of the world. While on top of the ladder is God who alone supervises the providence of Yisrael, the whole world and all in it. If they will only draw close to him and follow his will God would give them everything. Next are born the 12 tribes. These 12 sons of Yaacov who entered Egypt with their families numbered 70 in all as listed in Exudus. These parallel the 70 nations of the world listed in Genesis.
The ladder of Jacob’s dream is prayer. Jewish prayer (meditation) is a teaching passed down from their Prophets. It is written in the Zohar that the ladder in Jacob’s dream is a metaphor for prayer (Tikunei Zohar #43).In the dream, the ladder represents prayer as the connection between man, situated at the bottom of the ladder, and God who appears at the top of the ladder. The numerical value of sulam, ladder equals 136, the same as kol, voice. The ladder is the voice of prayer rising from the heart of man who is firmly entrenched in the physical world below, till it reaches the heavens and God who is ever present above the ladder. Through the act of prayer man’s consciousness rises from rung to rung, and although standing on the earth, his or her spiritual awareness is truly elevated to the heights of heaven. The Arizal taught that prayer itself is comprised of four sections or rungs on a ladder and that these sections relate implicitly to the four ascending worlds of Kabbalah. The first rung of prayer comprises the preliminary morning blessings until the prayer Baruch Sheamar, which begins the next section. The morning blessings correspond to the world of Assiyah, action. The series of blessings thank God and acknowledge His goodness in providing for all the basic abilities and requirements enabling us to function in the practical world of action.In this section we create a vessel in this physical world for the coming blessings of our meditation. We fix our own physical bodies.
The second rung consists of the section of prayer referred to as Pesukei D’Zimrah, Verses of Praise. These prayers are comprised of the psalms of David, inspiring praises to God for creating the beautiful world we live in. This section corresponds to the world of Yetzirah, formation. Nature both reveals and hides God. It is for us to search for God and praise His manifest creation, maintaining a sense of awe even when ”grown up.” This world relates to our emotional attachments and response to the world around us. This section of the meditation fixes the soul level called “Ruach” (Spirit) , the Emotional soul.
The next section of prayer is centered around the recitation of the Shema, the ultimate unification of the NAME OF GOD in His creation. This section begins with a description of how the angels daily praise God and leads into the Shema, the revelation of the soul’s understanding of the nature of God’s unity. The beginning of this section represents the angels ascending and descending on the ladder and culminates with man standing humbly, yet elevated, ready to speak directly to the Creator. This once again teaches us that ultimately the soul is rooted in a higher place than even the angels. This third rung corresponds with the world of Briyah, creation and relates to the intellect. This level is the Soul called “Neshama” (soul of Divine intellect). This level of the soul is a part of the God itself. By the Meditation of the “Sma” we unify the Divine name YHV”H with our self and everything in a more revealed way preparing us for the work of the next level.
The final rung on the ladder of prayer is the recitation of the Amida, the silent prayer. This corresponds to the world of Atzilut, emanation, where man encounters God who appears above the head of the ladder, in a state of intimate union. At this level a man joins God as a partner in creation. This level is actual “emanation” of the powers of creation. This prayer- meditation is another ladder itself having 18 levels corresponding to the 18 vertebrae of the Spine. It is taught in the Yerushalmi Berachot that one hundred twenty elders and eighty prophets ordained the Amida meditation (the standing prayer). This hints at its awesome depth. Infinite Divine names fill these 18 levels. The simple level of this meditation are known. Its secrets are not taught in public but are only passed down on a one to one basis.
While approaching the ladder of Holiness to enter the upper worlds one must elevate this physical world by their actions. Observe, to accomplish the gathering of Holiness of the giving birth to the extended family of the 70 children of Yisrael first Yaakov had to go through great treachery and deceit from Lavan. The greatest revelation of light founding to the world came from the patriarch Yaakov and his wives as they gave us the foundation of the Hebrew people, but at what cost. Such hardship one has to undergo to reveal the Shechina in this world. One cannot expect it to be easy. Its written in Safer Giloyah Raza that the evil forces are always trying to get permission from the supernal court to try to test and trouble one who can or is trying to increase Holiness in this world. On top of all the trouble with Lavan , his own brother Asev wants to kill him.
All the sufferings we endure in this world make us stronger. Like a runner who jumps over bigger and bigger hurdles. After each Klipa (obstacle) is overcome it reveals its spark of vitality, its light which then enlivens us. Each time we do good and turn from evil we show to God how much we love him. It is by these ”opportunities” which seem as hardships we can give thanks to God for. As it is by these ”opportunities” that we earn our entrance fee into the world to come, and from such comes our portion.
It can be observed from the parsha that that just as Yaakov thought that he married Rachel but in the morning found it was Leah. So to in the time of the morning, time of revelation of new light the true nature of people becomes revealed, and this new nature may make one appear as though they went through a total transformational experience. Then one may have difficulties in their relationships dealing with one who appears to them as a different person then they once knew. But by overcoming obstacles causing confusion they can come to great results as with Yaakov and Rachel. As their first child was Yosef who saved all Yisreal in Egypt and from his descendants will arise Mashiach ben Yosef who will overcome our enemies. Yaakov had to work 7 more years to marry Rachel. Needless to say all the trouble that the wicked sorcerer Lavan inflicted upon Yaakov, and his financial treachery.
But in the end all the deceit that Lavan worked against Yaakov only turned to blessings, as will all the curses in the Torah to those who merit such. As Yaakov saw in his dream that God took great concern for him, and the ordeals that he had to go through in the house of Lavan. God rewarded him greatly as he multiplied exceedingly in good when he left Lavan’s house. He was blessed in a supernatural way. Fulfilling the teaching of the Torah that that the righteous are put to sufferings in a natural way, but their deliverance comes about with signs and wonders.
One must not wait for miracles for deliverance from evil, and one cannot expect providence above nature to always protect them. They need to seek a natural way to deal with the trials of this world. Here again we learn the lesson ” one must deal with the wicked with subtly”. In last weeks parsha Yaakov used guile to get his blessings, taking them away from the wicked Asev. In our parsha Yaakov sneaks away from Lavan with his belongings because he feared that Lavan may never let him leave, or take his rightful possessions with him if he were to announce his departure. This is the 2nd parsha in a row this lesson is taught, so we should take heed. ”One must deal with the wicked with subtly”. The crooked cannot be made straight, so they must be dealt with accordingly.
Filed under: Beney Elohim, FREE WILL, jOB, Rosh Hashanah, sons of god, Supernal court, Zohar
“And YHV”H said to Moses, ‘Go in to Pharaoh, for I have hardened his heart…’” (Exudus 10:1).
Sometimes God takes away our free will.
Rabbi Yehuda opened the discussion, saying: “Happy is the people that know the joyful note; they shall walk, YHV”H, in the light of Your countenance” (Tehilim 89:16). How much should people walk in the ways of the Holy One, blessed be He, and observe the commandments of the Torah in order to merit the World to Come, and that they may be delivered from all Accusers above and below. For as there are Accusers in the world below, so there are Adversaries above whose functions are to ACCUSE people.
These Accusers are angels of judgment. They bring judgment so to direct us back to the right path and a means of refining us from evil we have done.
Those who observe the commandments of the Torah and walk the right path in fear of their Master, good Advocates are situated above them, as is written: “If there be an angel over him, an interpreter, one among a thousand…then He is gracious to him, and says, ‘Deliver him from going down to the pit: I have found a ransom’” (Job 33:23). Therefore, fortunate is he who observes the commandments of the Torah.
THIS IS REFERRING TO IN THE OTHER WORLD
Rabbi Chiya said to him: If so, why is it necessary to have an angel to intercede for the person, seeing it is written: “For YHV”H will be your confidence and will keep your foot from being caught” (Proverbs 3:26). “YHV”H will guard you from all evil” (Psalms 121:7). For the Holy One, blessed be He, sees everything that a man does in the world, both good and evil. And so He says, “‘Can any hide himself in secret places that I shall not see him?’ Says YHV”H” (Jeremiah 23:24).
So many times are we saved from calamity by these angels, and don’t know. From God nothing is hidden. From us a lot is concealed, so to preserve free will.
Rabbi Yehuda said: Certainly it is so. But it is written: “And touch his bone and his flesh” (Job 2:5), and “although you did move me against him to destroy him without cause” (Ibid. 3). This shows that permission was granted to the Other Side to accuse in worldly matters, and they should be given into his hands. All these things are to stay concealed before the Holy One, blessed be He, and you have no right to investigate them, because they are the statutes of the Holy One, blessed be He. Humans are not permitted to be particular about them except for those truly Righteous who know the secrets of the Torah and go in the way of wisdom to know these hidden things in the Torah.
Why “bad things” happen is not always easy to understand.
“Now there was a day…and the Adversary came also among them”
Rabbi Elazar begins by talking about Rosh Hashanah, Judgment Day.
This is the day the Bible refers to by “In the seventh month, in the first day of the month, shall you have a sabbath, a day of remembrance of blowing of horns, a holy gathering.”
He says there are messengers who are appointed by God to watch over the actions of people, and at Judgment Day these messengers accuse those whose actions were improper. When people sin, they weaken ELOHE”M (manifestation of God in nature), but when they perform good actions they give might and power to Him. Rabbi Elazar speaks about “The Adversary also came among them,” and recounts the conversation between God and Satan wherein God distracts Satan from his accusation of Yisrael, by asking him if he has considered His servant Job. Satan always requests justice from God. We read that Job was judged as he had judged Yisrael, since he had been one of Pharaoh’s advisors. The Satan was given permission to afflict Job’s bones and flesh, but not to kill him. We are told that God does not want to destroy the whole world on the word of the Accuser, since the Accuser’s desire is always to destroy. The discussion turns to “The end of all flesh” which is the Satan, and “the end of days” that is in Holiness. On Rosh Hashanah those who come before God with repentance deserve to be written on the side of Life; those who come with evil actions are written on the Other Side, which is Death. We are told then of the balance, where the world is half Life and half Death, and the actions of one Righteous man or one wicked person can tip the balance so that all the world is written to Life or Death. A person should not be set apart by himself because he can be noticed and accused from above. Job, who was set apart, and who was tested severely, did not even then join the Other Side. He should, however, have given a part of his sacrifice to the Other Side because then the Other Side would have removed himself from the Temple. The conclusion of this section is that God judged Job, giving him first good and then bad and then good again; thus it is proper for a person to know good and bad, and to return himself to good.
Rabbi Elazar opened the discussion, saying: “Now there was a day when the sons of Elohim came to present themselves before God, and the Adversary came also among them” (Job 1:6). “Now there was a day,” refers to Rosh Hashanah, the day that the Holy One, blessed be He, rises to judge the world. Similarly, “And it happened one day, that he came there” (II Kings 4:11). That day was the holy day of Rosh Hashanah.
“And the sons of Elohim came.” These are the appointed ministers whose mission in the world is to observe the actions of people. “To present themselves before God,” as is written: “And all the hosts of heaven standing by Him on His right hand and on His left” (I Kings 22:19). But in the passage: “To present themselves before God,” “The Adversary also came among them.” The word “also” adds to THE CHILDREN OF ELOHIM, because they all came to accuse, and THE ADVERSARY also joined them because he was the greatest slanderer of them all. As soon as the Holy One, blessed be He, saw that they all came to accuse, immediately, “And YHV”H said to the Adversary, ‘From where do you come?’” (Job 1:7) Did not the Holy One, blessed be He, know where he came from: Rather only to allow the matter to the wishes of the Satan, MEANING THAT WITH THESE WORDS HE GAVE HIM AN OPENING TO ACCUSE AS HE WISHES.
“YHV”H said to the Adversary, ‘Have you considered my servant Job, that there is none like him on earth…’” (Ibid. 8).
The Satan works for God being the Evil inclination in man, THE ADVERSARY, Accuser and prosecuter of the supernal court. Only with permission from God can he do anything. As we see here with Job “YHV”H said to the Adversary, ‘Have you considered my servant Job, that there is none like him on earth…’” (Ibid. 8).
Vyatze
Bs”d
First Yaakov sees all the angels of God rising from the earth and descending from the heavens. The sages say these were the angels who supervise the nations of the world. While on top of the ladder is God who alone supervises the providence of Yisrael. If they will only draw close to him and follow his will God would give them everything. Next are born the 12 tribes. These 12 sons of Yaacov who entered Egypt with their families numbered 70 in all as listed in Exudus. These parallel the 70 nations of the world listed in Genesis.
To accomplish this gathering of Holiness of the giving birth to the extended family of the 70 children of Yisrael first Yaakov had to go through great treachery and deceit from Lavan. The greatest revelation of light founding to the world came from the patriarch Yaakov and his wives as they gave us the foundation of the Hebrew people, but at what cost. Such hardship one has to undergo to reveal the Shechina in this world. One cannot expect it to be easy. Its written in Safer Giloyah Raza that the evil forces are always trying to get permission from the supernal court to try to test and trouble one who can or is trying to increase Holiness in this world. On top of all the trouble with Lavan , his own brother Asev wants to kill him.
All the sufferings we endure in this world make us stronger. Like a runner who jumps over bigger and bigger hurdles. After each Klipa (obstacle) is overcome it reveals its spark of vitality, its light which then enlivens us. Each time we do good and turn from evil we show to God how much we love him. It is by these ”opportunities” which seem as hardships we can give thanks to God for. As it is by these ”opportunities” that we earn our entrance fee into the world to come, and from such comes our portion.
It can be observed from the parsha that that just as Yaakov thought that he married Rachel but in the morning found it was Leah. So to in the time of the morning, time of revelation of new light the true nature of people becomes revealed, and this new nature may make one appear as though they went through a total transformational experience. Then one may have difficulties in their relationships dealing with one who appears to them as a different person then they once knew. But by overcoming obstacles causing confusion they can come to great results as with Yaakov and Rachel. As their first child was Yosef who saved all Yisreal in Egypt and from his descendants will arise Mashiach ben Yosef who will overcome our enemies. Yaakov had to work 7 more years to marry Rachel. Needless to say all the trouble that the wicked sorcerer Lavan inflicted upon Yaakov, and his financial treachery.
But in the end all the deceit that Lavan worked against Yaakov only turned to blessings, as will all the curses in the Torah to those who merit such. As Yaakov saw in his dream that God took great concern for him, and the ordeals that he had to go through in the house of Lavan. God rewarded him greatly as he multiplied exceedingly in good when he left Lavan’s house. He was blessed in a supernatural way. Fulfilling the teaching of the Torah that that the righteous are put to sufferings in a natural way, but their deliverance comes about with signs and wonders.
One must not wait for miracles for deliverance from evil, and one cannot expect providence above nature to always protect them. They need to seek a natural way to deal with the trials of this world. Here again we learn the lesson ” one must deal with the wicked with subtly”. In last weeks parsha Yaakov used guile to get his blessings, taking them away from the wicked Asev. In our parsha Yaakov sneaks away from Lavan with his belongings because he feared that Lavan may never let him leave, or take his rightful possessions with him if he were to announce his departure. This is the 2nd parsha in a row this lesson is taught, so we should take heed. ”One must deal with the wicked with subtly”. The crooked cannot be made straight, so they must be dealt with accordingly.
