Sefer B’shem Hashem – Ratzon Meditations

סֵפֶר בְּשֵּׁם הַשֵּׁם
Sefer B’shem Hashem

by Rav Rahmiel Hayyim Drizin and Rav Yitzchak Schwartz

Download PDF version of the book.

Gutt’s Nuhmen or ” Gott’s Nomen is Yiddish for “G-d’s Name.”
For the ten days starting with Rosh Hashanah through Yom Kippur , we amend one
of the passages in the Amidah prayer. Instead of saying “blessed are You…the holy
G-d,” we say “blessed are You…the holy King.” During these ten days, we
emphasize G-d’s kingship and accept His sovereignty upon us, recognizing that He
is the Ultimate Existence and that without Him we are naught.
After Yom Kippur we revert to saying “the holy G-d,” hence: Gutt’s Nuhmen .
[ Geulat Yisroel ]
The Baal Shem Tov writes that the day after Yom Kippur is an even greater holiday
than Yom Kippur itself, a day called ” B’shem HaShem ” or in Yiddish ” Gott’s
Nomen “, literally “G-d’s Name”. [ Eishel Avraham , Section II, Orach Chaim 624; Sefer
Baal Shem Tov, Yom Kippur 51 ][ s ee also R. Jacobson’s 60 Days pp.107-15 ]
The Baal Shem Tov there explains that each of the various Divine names describes
G-d’s involvement in a specific “world’ or realm of reality, but the designation of
“G-d’s Name,” without reference to any particular Name, connotes a Divine
effluence that transcends all realms and particulars. On Yom Kippur , we access and
reveal the very essence of our soul, which is one with the very essence of G-d; thus
the day after Yom Kippur carries the designation “G-d’s Name”, or B’shem HaShem
בְּשֵּׁם הַשֵּׁם . On a deeper level, R ebbe Nachman says that when Jews are sullied with
sin, it gets “reflected” in G-d’s Name or “presence” here on earth. After the
forgiveness wrought by Yom Kippur , G-d’s Name is, so to speak, “whole” once
again.
Each of the four days between Yom Kippur and Sukkot correspond to one of the
four letters in the essential Name of Hashem known as Havaya . These four days
are higher than the revelation of G-d’s Name said at the conclusion of the Neilah
service [ Sichat Motzo’ei Yom Kippu r 5689, p. 25 ]. The correspondence is as follows:
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Tishre 11 (first night): Kotz shel Yud , the tip above, the Yud , the
first letter of G-d’s Name, which is a brilliant light [ Sefer HaMa’amarim , 5711, p.
42 ]. (page 4 below)
Tishre 11 ( day one): י Y ud , the first letter of G-d’s Name, reflecting on the initial
spark of Chochmah /wisdom, reborn after Yom Kippur . (page 12 below)
Tishre 12 (day two:) ה H eh , the second letter of G-d’s Name, represented by
Binah /understanding, which develops the initial spark of Chochmah into a full
concept. On this day we really begin to develop the power generated by Yom
Kippur . (page 18 below)
Tishre 13 ( day three): ו V av , the third letter of G-d’s Name, shaped like a straight
vertical line, transmits the Yom Kippu r energy. This is the level of the emotions
( Zeir Anpin ), which transmits the concept conceived in the Yud and developed in
the Heh . (page 25 below)
Tishre 14 (day four): ה H eh, the last letter of G-d’s Name, signifies that the
Yom Kippur experience is received by the recipient Malchut /Sovereignty, and is
ready to blossom and be celebrated in full glory on Sukkot. (page 34 below)
Our work in progress
When Rabbi Yosef Yitzchak asked his father what one is to do once Yom Kippur is
over, he was told, “ Now one has to begin doing teshuvah !”
What does that mean for you?
It may mean that now is the time to really bond with yourself, and with your G-d,
Hashem, with each of the letters of His Name Havaya.
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“These are four very busy days between Yom Kippur and Sukkot when the Jewish
people are preoccupied with mitzvot….this one is occupied with building his Sukkah ,
this one is occupied with acquiring his lulav, this one is occupied with baking her
bread for the holiday…thus they continue to carry the purity of Yom Kippur.”
[ Midrash Vayikra Rabbah 30:7 ]
But as we race, and race about we will [!], we would do ourselves a major spiritual
service by spending some time meditating on the Name we are rebuilding for
ourselves, the “new” Name of Havaya we have been graced with to call onto once
Yom Kippur leaves us. To that extent, we are offering a series of daily
contemplations designed to add psychic spice [say that 3 times fast!] to our
endeavors, starting from right after Yom Kippur and taking us to right before
Kiddush on Sukkot night.
It is our prayer that this brief respite from all of our activities serves as the pause
that refreshes. And that the meditations that follow help to reinforce all of the good
thoughts, words, and deeds, we’ve worked on for the past several weeks.
The Chofetz Chaim relates: We have the choice to either follow our soul and
“climb the mountain to HaShem ,” or follow base instincts and squander away our
precious opportunity in this world.
On these days of B’Shem HaShem , we can activate our powers to get higher than
on Yom Kippur by doing “ aliyat haregel ” which means going up to rejoice with G-d.
Or we can just involve ourselves in the physical preparations for the Holiday without
any additional desire, thought, intention, speech or actions. Here’s a story:
In the days before Reb Yissacher Do v of Radoshitz became known as a Rebbe , he was so poor that he
often fasted because he simply had no bread to eat. One year he had eaten nothing for a few days
before Yom Kippur, and even after the fast was over he had nothing better than meager rations of
bread and water. Nor could he afford to prepare anything at all for the coming festival of Sukkot . After
the evening service on the first night of the festival he remained in the synagogue, for he knew that at
home there was nothing to eat. But he did not know that on the eve of the festival his wife had sold
some modest item of jewelry that she had found among her possessions, and with the proceeds had
bought braided challahs , candles and potatoes. When he decided that most people had by now
finished eating in their Sukko t and had probably returned to their houses, he left the synagogue and
went home. Entering his Sukkah, he was overjoyed to see candles and challot on the table. He washed
his hands, recited Kiddush , and sat down to eat. By this time he was well-nigh starving, so he ate the
potatoes which his wife served him with a ravenous appetite. While he was eating, a thought flashed
through his mind. “Berl,” he said to himself, “you’re not sitting in the Sukkah : you’re sitting in your
plate!” And he stopped eating.
With blessings for an elevated 4 days and awesome Holiday,
Rahmiel Hayyim Drizin, Tishre 5776
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Tishre 11 (night): Say this silently without making a sound יָ’הָ’וָ’הָ
The gates of Yom Kippur prayers have just closed [ Neilah ], and we stood at the
summit of our potential as human beings. For now we for a short, short time, we
just accessed the highest level of soul, Yechidah /Unique One, only available at
Neilah , the 5th of the Yom Kippur services, where we do not say the Al Cheit as
there are no sinning at this madrega . This Yechidah level relates to the Kotz shel
Yud , the tip of the point of the letter Yud of Hashem’s Name. We won’t see this
level again for another 364 days.
But wait, this Kotz , this jot/point/thorn, still carries over to the day after Yom
Kippur . How?
The Kotz shel Yud is “reborn”, and transcends the high level of Yom Kippur .
Picture the top point of the Yud , facing towards the Or Ayn Sof, only looking up to
the original source.
Remember this light? It is the lamp that was above you when you learned Torah in
the womb. It is the Or HaGanuz /concealed light, saved for the righteous in the
World to Come. You are all righteous, and this is the light of the Keter /crown inside
your head. That radiance is where we stand, alone, and at one with Hashem ,
completely created, and renewed.
The day of at-one-ment has ended. But we have a take-home gift: Kotz Shel Yod .
See, the Holy Baal Shem Tov refers to the day after Yom Kippur as “G-d’s Name.”
Since Yom Kippur connects to all 5 soul levels (as we can perceive), the day after
Yom Kippur is called G-d’s Name. Tonight we access the Kotz Shel Yud , the tip on
the most sublime level of Divine radiance ( tomorrow corresponds to Yud, the next day
Heh, the next day Vav, and the next day Heh ). This jot of the Yud , this tiny point, this
pintele Yid , relates to Keter /crown, and the Yechidah level that we reached during
Neilah . So the joy that we bring to Havdalah , breaking the fast, blessing the moon,
and hammering the first nail for our Sukkah , is filled with the radiance of the
ultimate level we achieved just moments earlier. And it lasts with us till dawn.
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Intention: [ to be said out loud ]
On this night of 11th of Tishre , I meditate on re’uta deliba /the desire of my
heart , to repair the aspect of Keter /crown, and all of the forms that enclothe the
Kotz Shel Yud of the Name Havaya , the Yechidah of the general aspects of the
Worlds of Atzilu t, Beriah, Yetzirah , and Asiyah , and specific aspects of the Worlds of
Atzilut, Beriah, Yetzirah , and Asiyah , and all the partzufim /faces and
Sefirot/emanations of the specifics of Atzilut, Beriah, Yetzirah and Asiyah .
Teshuvah and Desire: Now is the time for return/repentance!
The repair of the Kotz shel Yud, that of the Keter, is the fixing of one’s desire , a
face of Keter called Ratzon .
Even when one stumbles by not acting according to G-d’s Desire , there is a
spiritual remedy: teshuvah – repentance, or return. The first step of teshuvah is
regret. One realizes that he would have been better off if he had not acted a certain
way. He acknowledges that he really has no desire for what he did. Through
teshuvah, a person can repair anything.
Ratzon is always the underlying factor. Our will and desire always should be for
G-d, that we should act within the framework of Torah. Through this, we have the
power to elevate all material desires to the Creator. We must greatly strengthen
our fear and awe of G-d, and stay far away from anything forbidden. Every
stumbling blemishes the soul tremendously and creates distance from G-d. We then
may be drawn to unholy desires entirely, G-d forbid. However, again, with ratzon ,
everything can be restored to holiness – to such an extent, our sages tell us, that
our sins actually become transformed to merits. Therefore, Rebbe Nachman of
Breslov tells us that it is forbidden to despair. Because the problem of our misdeeds
originated with blemished desire, we now can come to an even stronger desire for
G-d. The farther someone is from G-d, the more he needs to awaken his desire for
Him.
This is why sometimes a person has no desire for G-d, Torah, or prayer. Since he
blemished the quality of ratzon , he now must reawaken his ratzon for the right
thing, and express it with a settled mind through what is permitted. When a person
realizes that this world amounts to nothing, he will not be drawn after worldly
materialism and cravings. Then within the distance itself, a person again begins to
long and yearn for G-d. Through regret and teshuvah , a person has the power to
repair all blemish by transforming his sins into merits, since the fundamental
blemish was in his desire. Through the stumbling itself, he can arouse himself to an
even greater level of yearning.
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We’ve just left the gates of teshuva closed after Neilah. At the high level of Kotz
shel Yud , that of Keter, we can yearn even more greater than we did moments
earlier. Regret and desire to return to the Source, pointed to by the Kotz shel Yud ,
which points upwards to the Or Ayn Sof . Offer a silent prayer and known in your
heart of hearts, that the Hashem knows your heart, and your ratzon , your desire.
Rutz /run with that desire for the rest of the night. Then ground it in the Eretz /
earth, and make some meaningful change you reflect on during upcoming Sukkot .
Rabbi Yitzchak Schwartz’s Ratzon Meditations : We would be derelict in not
offering our teacher’s profound contemplations on Ratzon.
CREATION’S RATZON FACTOR : we review the Creation story in Parsha
Beresheet in just over a week, so too we should contemplate the Creation
Ratzon factor
RATZON
The ‘Void’—-The middle step of the 3-step ‘Tzimtzum ‘ Creation Process [1-Infinity,
2-Void, 3-The graduated Filler Conduit ] –is the root and source of ‘ Ratzon ‘. What is
Ratzon and how is it rooted in this primordial process? Ratzon , usually translated
as Will, is an inner drive to complete that which is lacking. When I say that want or
will something, I’m saying that I lack that thing, and I want to somehow arrive at a
state of being where I won’t lack it anymore.
RATZON AND KETER
On a deeper level , Ratzon is the psychic trait of the highest Sefira,’ Keter ‘—the
inner-most motivator of all the rest of my psychic drives or Sefirot–i.e…I sense
that I need to complete what is lacking in my level of knowledge or in my level of
feeling or in my level of connecting with others or in my level of closure. So I
motivate these other Sefirotic drives accordingly–i.e…my Ratzon motivates and
activates all the rest of myself any psychic powers.
PRIMAL RATZON
In the Creation process, Hashem hides His Presence and what remains is a Vacant
Space or Void…He sets up the dynamic of LACK which needs to be filled…or in
different words– ‘ ‘RATZON” [ filling in the gap or void of Hashem’s missing
presence, is the deepest Ratzon that we and all of Creation has].
TAPING IN TO PRIMAL RATZON
Just as we have seen in our previous ‘ Tzimtzum Creation lessons, that this
primordial process is not only the root source of all subsequent similar Divine
processes, but also their generator or power source…We saw that to the extent
that you tap into the Tzimtzum’ s dynamic of contraction, you facilitate
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expansion–so too now, we will see that to the extent that you tap into what is
lacking, and identify it and motivate yourself to complete it—to that extent, you
will truly actualize your Ratzon .
THE CREATION’S RATZON MEDITATIONS
1. YOUR IDEAL SELF
Tap into the lacking : The common destiny that each one of us shares, is to
become perfect….This destiny, for the most part, is only fulfilled after many
lifetimes [ unless we make outstanding progress in this lifetime ]…meanwhile, we all
come into this world with unfinished business to take care of, on the way to
becoming perfect.
Contemplate deeply how wonderful it would be to cross over the gap that separates
you from your perfected ideal self, and similarly, contemplate how unbearable it is
to still be saddled with the unfinished business holding you back from manifesting
your ideal self.
Actualizing this Ratzon: Identify one factor or area of life that best depicts what
can help you become your ideal self… Perhaps it is something that you want to do
most, but it constantly evades you–such as feeling peace of mind or getting along
with someone…perhaps it is something that you excel at over and above others
and you feel like this thing is the key to your self-actualization, as well as being
your unique contribution to the betterment and wellbeing of mankind…[ an example
might be your ability to heal people or to understand the solutions to very complex
problems] …Once you identify what this is [even if you only approximate something
that seems to fit–thats ok also, work with that, until you discover something that
fits even better]
Then plug it into the 3-step Co-Creation formula:
a. Co-Create With Hashem :Declare your desired projected reality of your ideal
self with absolute faith and clear intention.
b. Let Hashem Make It Happen For You : Surrender control to Hashem –to let
Him take care of it in His own time and His own way…With powerful faith, watch
how Hashem is surprising and delighting you daily, by unfolding slowly but surely,
your personal vision.
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c. Be Open To His Guidance : Open up a Divine channel in your thoughts and in
the events of your life, guiding you to take the practical steps needed to do what it
takes to make it happen.
2. SPARKS
Tap into the lacking : If you are very receptive and resonative, you can plug into
constant Divine Guidance–guiding you to identify what your Soul is lacking, and
how to fulfill that lacking…This is a process known as the elevation of the Holy
Sparks…..The Elevation and redemption of lost Sparks of your Soul, that are
scattered and retrievable amongst the multi-dimensional realms of your life which
require some type of clarification –your challenges, your clarifications in matters of
wisdom, the clarifications in your interpersonal life–all of these clarifications and
many more, are lost parts or sparks of your Soul…What an incredible storehouse of
Soul redemption Hashem offers to us at all times, if only we are real with it and can
tune in!
Contemplate deeply how wonderful it would be to be filled up with this ongoing
24/7 stream of Divine guidance that would move you forward towards becoming
whole and complete —-and how much you lack in not being tuned in enough to it.
Actualizing this Ratzon: In your mind’s eye, walk through the day that you had
yesterday…Start with the minute that you woke up, and carry on step by step
throughout the day…Try to recall the experiences or resonations that you felt …
First , look at what it was that you were attracted to or repulsed by–whether it be a
person or a lesson that you were meant to learn–Feel if the feeling was strong or
weak–Focus on one of the stronger feelings that you experienced—ask yourself
what the experience that you felt offered to you to fill something that was missing
in your life–perhaps an opportunity to be more compassionate and/or sensitive to
others–perhaps an insightful realization that you needed to find out…Do the same
for other experiences that you went through yesterday…Afterwards, go through the
same process in the present–Resonate with whatever you encounter and ask
yourself what lack this experience is coming to fill in your lie…The more that you do
this, the more open you will be to receiving Hashem’s personalized soul-fulfilling
gifts all the time.
3. DAY TO DAY RATZON LIVING
Tap into the lacking : Studies have shown that most people are using a small
percent of their capabilities and capacities–their thinking capacity is shallow, so too
are their capacities for feeling inspired and indispensable and fun-filled and joyful
and G-d-fused and many other human capacities…To the extent that you wake up
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your dormant or semi-dormant psychic traits, to that extent you will be able to live
a life of inspiration and Ratzon .
Contemplate deeply how fantastic it would be, if you were able to truly be more
awake, alive, actualized and inspired in all areas of your persona on a constant day
to day basis…Experience the void and the lacking that exists when you don’t or
can’t.
Actualizing this Ratzon : Make a list of the activities of your upcoming day…On a
scale of 1 to 10, grade the level of inspiration or self expression and Ratzon that
you feel that you are presently holding by [without any further preparation]….Now
begin to ‘ Ratzon -ize’ each of your upcoming activities for the day….Visualize each
activity as being an empty vessel waiting to be filled up with the proper
ingredients–Now add the following ingredients 1 by 1:
a. increased awareness and sensitivity –intellectual and spiritual
b . increased feeling and pleasure
c. increased lower soul awareness of fun, adventure free of worry or pressure
d. increased higher soul awareness such as a sense of your life’s mission, your
unique contribution to the word as well as your sense of Hashem guiding you and
infinitely empowering you.
Now reevaluate on a scale of 1 to 10 each of your upcoming daily activities
….Shoot for the highest numbers and if necessary, fill yourself up with more and
more of the above inspirational fillers…Now go into your day, and witness the
positive difference that ‘ Ratzoning ‘ has on your life.
A Sukkah Preparation Meditation
The Holy Ari instructed his disciples that the cultivation of joy is one of the
prerequisites for attaining mystical illumination. Having gone through the necessary
ten days of teshuvah from Rosh Hashanah through Yom Kippur we are ready to
begin our engagement with the new year. That engagement can only take place
with joy as one of its elements, the joy of Sukkot sets our bearings on the right
course.
Jews who come to services only on Yom Kippur get but a partial picture of what
Judaism has to offer. The traditional pounding of the first nail into the sukkah
as soon as the fast of Yom Kippur is over both literally and figuratively hammers
home the point that these two holidays must be seen as complementary parts of
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the whole. The insular, cerebral nature of Yom Kippur is balanced by the
commandment on Sukkot to go outside to build and to live in the Sukkah . The two
holidays need each other. Our internal work is a necessary prerequisite providing us
with the spiritual sustenance and energy to walk in the material world. When we
separate the two or only do one we are incomplete.
This first nail joyously driven in represents the Kotz shel Yud , the thorn, the jot, the
point of the Yud. It demonstrates our desire to take the inside work of Yom Kippur
and channel it into the surrounding ohr makif energy of the Sukkah.
The B’Shem HaShem Lulav Meditation
Few of us have acquired our lulav-etrog sets yet, because they need to last at least
10 more days! Kutz shel Yud represents Ratzon, desire or passion.
So we passionately desire a beautiful etrog , the Etz Pri Hadar . Accordingly, it may
be appropriate here to say the prayer said on Tu BiShevat , beseeching G-d to
provide us with a blemish free, perfect fruit:
יהי רצון מלפניך יהוה
אלהינו
ואלהי
אבותינו, שתברך כל אילנות האתרוג להוציא
פירותיהם
בעתם, ויוציאו אתרוגים טובים יפים ומהדרים ונקיים מכל מום, ולא יעלה בהם שות
חזזית, ויהיו
שלמים ולא יהיה
בהם שום חסרון ואפילו עקיצת קוץ ויהיו מצויים לנו ולכל
ישראל בכל מקום שהם, לקים בהם מצות נטילה עם הלולב בחג הסכות שיבא עלינו לחיים טובים
ולשלום, כאשר צויתנו בתורתך על ידי משה עבדך, “ולקחתם לכם ביום הראשון פרי עץ הדר
כפות תמרים וענף עץ עבות וערבי נחל”(ויקרא: כ”ג, מ), ויהי רצון מלפניך יהוה
אלהינו
ואלהי
אבותינו, שתעזרנו ותסעינו לקים מצוה זו של נטילת לולב הדס ערבה ואתרוג, כתקנה
בזמנה בחג הסכות שיבא עלינו לחיים טובים ולשלום בשמחה ובטוב לבב, ותזמין לנו אתרוג יפה
.ומהדר ונקי ושלם וכשר כהלכתו
Translation :
“M ay it be Your R atzon /Will, H aShem , our G-d, and The G-d of our forefathers,
that You bless all of the e trog trees to bear their fruit at the proper time, and that
they shall bear e trogim that are good, nice, beautiful, and clean from all blemish,
and that no lichen should come upon them, and that they shall be complete and
they should not have any deficiencies, even pricked by a thorn. These e trogim
should be available for us and for all of Israel in every place that they are, in order
to fulfill the m itzvah of taking [ the e trog ] with the l ulav on the Holiday of S uccot ,
that shall come to us with good life, and with peace, as You have written in Your
Torah by way of M oshe , Your servant, “A nd on the first day you shall take for
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yourselves a beautiful fruit of the tree, date frond, and branch of a myrtle tree, and
[ branches from a ] willow brook…” (Vayikra: 23; 40 ) May it be Your R atzon /Will,
HaShem , our G-d, and The G-d of our forefathers, that You help us and assist us in
this m itzvah of taking the l ulav , myrtle, willow, and e trog , in the proper manner, in
its proper time, on the Holiday of S uccos , that shall come upon us for good life, and
peace, with happiness and good-heartedness, and that You shall make a nice,
beautiful e trog [that is] clean [o f all blemishes and deficiencies] , and complete, and
kosher, according to its laws, accessible to us.
Gathering of Chassadim /Kindnesses
The entire period of the Days of Awe relate to an energy called Din /or judgment.
From Rosh Hashanah , the Yom HaDin , through the 10 days of Teshuva , through
Yom HaKippurim , through Hoshanah Rabbah , we are in a time in which Gevurah /
strength and discipline governs.
The hint is found in the way we vowel Shem Havaya when we say Shechechiyanu at
kiddush on these days: יְ’הְ’וְ’הְ w ith the vowel point for G evurah .
On Yom Kippur , where we wear white symbolizing purity and hinting to kindness,
we access the Malchut /Sovereignty and Yesod /Foundation of the Chesed of Imma ,
or the kindnesses of the Supernal Mother. We also channel the letter א of the first
name of the 42-letter Name [A na Bekoach] אבגית’ץ which represents
Chesed/ kindness of Gevurah . This Name helps us to ascend through the worlds in
general, and in particular, to help us elevate on our way to the Holiday of Sukkot.
Tonight and tomorrow, night and day of 11th of Tishre, we meditate on accessing
the C hesed of H od /glory of I mma , and the letter ב of the name אבגית’ץ
How can we access the Chesed of Hod ?
-When doing acts of kindness, use the left foot and thereby complete the limb of
Hod with the action of Chesed .
-Attempt to love Hashem , and to do actions of Chesed in the morning and
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particularly on Thursday.
-Concentrate in the Shemoneh Esrei prayer in the blessing Selach Lanu on what one
blemished when one received good and kindness from the Creator, and one claimed
this good for himself without thanking the Creator; one thus failed to fulfill the
verse ( Devarim 8:18), ” For Hashem your G-d, He is the one Who gives you the
strength to accomplish .”
-When mentioning the name Kel, should concentrate upon it, and when reading a
verse from the Prophets or any verse that mentions Aharon HaKohen.
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Tishre 11 ( day one): י Y ud , the first letter of G-d’s Name, reflecting on the initial
spark of Chochmah/wisdom, the point represented by the letter Yud , reborn after
Yom Kippur . Say silently without speaking י הַוַהַ r elated to Chochmah
When we awaken this morning, we now access a slightly “lower” level of awareness,
moving from the Kotz shel Yud to the Yud itself, from Keter /crown to
Chochmah /Wisdom.
Intention: [ to be said out loud ]
On this the day of 11th of Tishre , I meditate on machshavah / thought, to repair
the aspect of Chochmah/ wisdom, and all of the forms that enclothe the Yud of the
Name Havaya , the Chaya/ living soul level of the general aspects of the Worlds of
Atzilut , Beriah, Yetzirah , and Asiyah , and specific aspects of the Worlds of Atzilut,
Beriah, Yetzirah , and Asiyah , and all the partzufim /faces and Sefirot/emanations of
the specifics of Atzilut, Beriah, Yetzirah and Asiyah .
Contemplation on Machshavah / thought
Chochmah /wisdom and machshavah /thought are interdependent.
Our thoughts should stem from a high and pure level, for when they do not, it is as
if we have, G-d forbid, taken the King and dumped His head in a privy. [ Tanya end of
Chapter 24 ]
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[והוא כמשל האוחז בראשו של מלך ומורידו למטה וטומן פניו בתוך בית הכסא מלא צואה, שאין לך עלבון גדול מזה,
אפילו עושה כן לפי שע ה]
Machshavah — thought—is higher up, spiritually-speaking, than both action and
speech. Indeed, the Nefesh HaChaim makes the most remarkable assertion:
When a person pursues impure thoughts of his heart (we should be protected from such things), it is
comparable to bringing a woman of hire, the symbol of Divine jealousy, into the awesome Holy of
Holies in the Heavenly Temple; he strengthens the forces of impurity and the Sitra Achra, far more
than Titus did when he actually committed a profane act with such a woman in the Holy of Holies in
the Temple below. Every sin a Jew considers in his heart is a “strange fire,” whether it is a feeling of
anger or an evil longing. It is to this that the verse literally refers, “ Our holy house and our glory
which … was burned in fire . . .” (Yeshayahu 64:10 ). The Merciful One should save us. (Nefesh
HaChaim 1:4)
When he says “pursues impure thoughts of his heart,” the Nefesh HaChaim means
that the person not only has an impure thought, but that he chooses to dwell upon
it. And, since, the body of Jew corresponds to the Temple, and the mind,
specifically to the Holy of Holies, it is compared to bringing a woman of hire into the
Kodesh Kodashim —the Holy of Holies.
In fact, even worse, since action only takes place in the lowest of all spiritual
realms, and thought exists on two levels of up, it is far more damaging. Indeed, the
physical damage that we witness, such as the destruction of the Temple in our
world, is just the end result of the destruction our thoughts have caused in the
upper realms. Hence, the Nefesh HaChaim explains with respect to the destruction
of the First Temple:
Nebuchatnetzar and Titus could not affect the worlds above, since they themselves were not rooted in
those worlds. It was because of our sins, by which we “weakened” the strength of G-d, and through
which we defiled the Temple of G-d above, that Nebuchadnetzar and Titus were able to destroy the
Temples below, which corresponded to the Temple above. This is the meaning of what the rabbis
wrote, “You ground already ground flour” ( Eichah Rabboti 1:43). Our sins destroyed the Heavenly
Abode, the Holy Upper Worlds; they only destroyed the Earthly Abode. ( Nefesh HaChaim 1:4)
This may be counter-intuitive, because action seems so much powerful than
thought. True, every act may begin with a thought, but so many times thoughts
don’t end in action, and when they don’t what damage has really occurred? On the
contrary, unless someone can read your mind, no one is ever the wiser when you
are thinking something illicit.
Or so people mistakenly think. That’s what the system is trying to tell you, that
thoughts count for much more than action, the latter just being the end result of
the former. This is why the Talmud can state that, if a person means to do a
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mitzvah but is prevented from doing so for reasons beyond his control, the mitzvah
still counts in Heaven ( Berachot 6a ). Or why, it can state elsewhere with respect to
sacrifices, “Whether you bring a little or lot, all that matters is that your heart is
directed towards Heaven”( Menachot 110a ).
The word for “thought” in Hebrew is machshavah . When those letters are permuted
the spell choshav-mah , “to think of mah [ the essence of a matter]
From the Ari: the word Machshavah (thought) can be read as Cho’Shav Mah (think
of MaH ). This means to purify thoughts, one should visualize five times the
extended expansion of Hashem’s Name Havaya filled with Alef s, called MaH , like
so:
יוֹד יוֹד הֵא יוֹד הֵא וָאו יוֹד הֵא וָאו הֵא
יוֹד יוֹד הֵא יוֹד הֵא וָאו יוֹד הֵא וָאו הֵא
יוֹד יוֹד הֵא יוֹד הֵא וָאו יוֹד הֵא וָאו הֵא
יוֹד יוֹד הֵא יוֹד הֵא וָאו יוֹד הֵא וָאו הֵא
יוֹד יוֹד הֵא יוֹד הֵא וָאו יוֹד הֵא וָאו הֵא
Rabbi Yitzchak Schwartz’s Chochmah Meditations:
1. Connect to Chochmah ‘s Divine source
‘Raishit Chochmah yirat hashem ’ ‘the beginning of Chochma is awareness of
Hashem ’
-Experience how every aspect of Creation is infused with Hashem’s
Chochmah.
-Experience how the source of your Chochmah comes from being aware of
Hashem.
-Experience Chochmah coming to you personally from Hashem.
-Experience the Chochmah of the Torah.
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-Experience the Chochmah of the Torah as being the source of all the
Chochmah in the World.
-Experience your Soul.
-Experience your Soul being one with the Chochmah of Torah.
-Experience your Soul being one with Torah and Hashem.
2. Receive Chochmah selflessly
‘ Chochmah miayin timatze i’: Chochmah comes from a dimension called ayin /
nothingness’
-Experience silence.
-Experience the silence of your body.
-Experience the silence of your mind.
-Experience silently receiving Chochmah.
-Experience being selfless and egoless.
-Experience receiving Chochmah while selfless and egoless.
-Experience a passive state of mind.
-Experience passively receiving Chochma coming to you as a free gift
without you needing to actively think about it.
-Experience the point beyond where you can fathom.
-Experience Chochma coming from this unfathomable place.
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3. Receive Chochmah in a whole/total manner
‘ aizehu Chacham, halomaid mikol adam ’ : ‘who is the wise person,the one
who learns from everyone’
-Experience the Chochmah in everything and every person.
-Experience receiving Chochmah from everyone you meet.
-Experience seeing in a holistic fashion.
-Experience seeing all that meets the eye and beyond.
-Experience seeing any topic as being the composite of many smaller parts
all connected together.
-Experience receiving everything in an objective way before putting it
together in a ‘packaged way’.
4. Pass Chochmah along to others
‘ aizehu Chacham, haroe et hanolad’ : ‘who is the wise person, one who sees
the projected outcome’
-Experience receiving Chochmah with the intention of giving it over to
others.
-Experience receiving Chochmah as being a teacher, to teach you what to
expect in similar situations in the future.
-Experience receiving Chochmah as being a resource that you can use to
distinguish between what is more preferable and less preferable.
-Experience receiving Chochmah as a source of health and consciousness
and life and wellbeing—all meant to be enjoyed and then given over to
others to enjoy.
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A Sukkah Preparation Meditation
Wake up before the sun rises today, the day after Yom HaKippur , related to the
letter Yud , which is a nikkud , a mere point.
Go to the place where your Sukkah will be set up, and gaze at the stars, mere
points of light.
These stars stand for the nitzitzot shebekedusha , the holy sparks, that will filter
through the skakh /covering of the Sukkah .
Yerushalmi Sukkah 2:3 holds that one should not place too many branches on top
of the Sukkah , so that one can still see the larger stars in the night sky through
them. This stands for a great transcendent energy present during Sukkot , which is
represented by the heavenly stars shining through the cracks of the skakh . For,
unlike the sun and moon, which shine brightly and are relatively near to us, the
stars are the most distant visible objects in the sky.
Rabbi Yosef Teomim (d. 1792) explains that gazing at the heavens and seeing the
stars reminds one of the majesty and awesomeness of the Creator. This idea is
articulated by King David: “ When I see Your heavens, the work of Your fingers, the
moon and stars that You have established, what is man that You should remember
him, and the son of man that You should be mindful of him? ”
Offer a prayer now that you merit to see stars, that great transcendent energy,
flowing through the flimsy roof of your Sukkah, the points of the letter Yud .
The B’Shem HaShem Lulav Meditation
The Arizal has given over that when one binds the Lulav on Erev Sukkot , in just 3
days, one should meditate on Shem Ben , a filling of Shem Havaya , the Name of
which we are contemplating letter by letter each day. It is the Name filled with the
letters Heh as such:
יו ד הה וו הה
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This Name represents the Malchut /Sovereignty, the Name corresponding to Action,
and the final letter Heh connected to the 14th of Tishre in three days, Erev Sukkot .
Just as today we meditated on the letter Yud B’Shem HaShem , so too shall we
meditate on the spelling of Y ud יוד n ote that this spelling has three letters, three
which stand for the three branches of the Hadassim/ myrtle we shall bind and then
wave with the Lulav in four days on Sukkot .
Now according to the Midrash, the Hadas with its strong aroma and no taste
indicates one whose actions are good but is unlearned. This hints to its own tikkun /
repair: the need to develop the Chochmah of the Yud through Torah learning to
match the good deeds. There was a great debate between Rabbis Tarfon and Akiva
Of study or action, which is the best? “Study leads to action,” said Akiva to the rest
(Talmud, Kiddushin 40b). Talmud Torah K’neged Kulam : The study of Torah leads
to them all.
The Hadas representing action but no study, when combined with study leading to
Chochmah , only leads to better deeds!
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Tishre 12 (day two:) ה H eh , the second letter of G-d’s Name, represented by
Binah /understanding, which develops the initial spark of Chochmah into a full
concept. On this day we really begin to develop the power generated by Yom
Kippur.
Say silently without pronouncing: י הֵ וֵהֵ w hich relates to B inah.
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Intention: [ to be said out loud ]
On this the day of 12th of Tishre , I meditate on כַּוָּנָה k avanah /directed intention, to
repair the aspect of Binah/ understanding, and all of the forms that enclothe the Heh
of the Name Havaya , the Neshamah soul level of the general aspects of the Worlds
of Atzilut , Beriah, Yetzirah , and Asiya , and specific aspects of the Worlds of Atzilut,
Beriah, Yetzirah , and Asiya , and all the partzufim /faces and Sefirot/emanations of
the specifics of Atzilut, Beriah, Yetzirah and Asiya .
Jewish tradition captures the secret of prayer in the Hebrew term kavanah. But
what exactly is kavanah ? Since it comes from the Hebrew root k-v-n , “to direct” —
in the sense of “directing one’s heart” to G-d — we tend to think that prayer must
emanate from the heart. G-d wants the heart, the Baal Shem Tov used to say.
Prayer must be heartfelt. Today’s letter Heh concerns the heart. And as it says in
the Petachat Eliyahu prayer, “ halev mayvin /the heart understands.”
See, in antiquity, the heart was considered the seat of understanding, not of
emotion. Perhaps, then, prayer demands theological rigor, logical entailment, and
cognitive depth.
We read in Parsha Devarim , that Moshe says, pointedly, that he prayed to G-d
ba’et hahi, “ at that time “ [ 3:23]. Moshe Lieb of Sasov comments that prayer
should address the current moment; as with Moshe, it should always be ba’et hahi ,
because the current moment is all we ever have for sure. Prayers being heard,
therefore, have nothing to do with petitions being granted, because petitions are
always about “tomorrow.”
Read ba’et hahi as baet ha Heh , at the time the second Heh of Havaya is stressed,
the time of kavanah , the time of the heart, the time to do teshuvah .
Teshuvah is “Tashuv [letter] Heh”
Now is the time to really do teshuvah !
The Zohar explains that the word Teshuvah is a compound of the words, Tashuv
Heh , “returning the Heh “. The Heh that the Zohar is referring to is the Heh of
G-d’s Name, Yud – Heh – Vav – Heh , known as the Havayah , which has two
letters Heh .
The Zohar infers from the two Hehs of G-d’s Name that the process of Teshuvah ,
“of returning the Heh ” actually has two levels. There is the higher level of
Teshuvah, called “Teshuva ila’ah” , which is the process of returning the first Heh
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of G-d’s Name. Then there is the lower level of Teshuvah , called ” Teshuvah
tata’ah “, which is the process of returning the second Heh of G-d’s Name.
The first Heh of G-d’s Name represents a level of the Shechinah that is
transcendent, spiritually higher than us and of all the physical creation. This Heh of
G-d’s Name follows the letter Yud – a letter that is just a point and unlike the Vav
in G-d’s Name does not extend all the way down. This symbolizes G-d as He is for
Himself, unaffected by the created world.
We’ve been thinking about teshuvah for such a long time, it seems difficult to “add”
to it in a fresh manner. Accordingly, we present Rabbi Yitzchak Schwartz’s
meditations on this important subject:
A RETURN TO OUR SELVES
Teshuvah: the Hebrew root-word has 3 meanings;
a. ‘a return’ –back to where we came from
b. ‘a turning towards ‘–a certain direction or orientation
c. ‘ a response’ –to a certain question or challenge
When we combine all 3 definitions into one, we come up with something like this:
Teshuvah is the inner drive or response to orient ourselves to return to becoming
the primordial self that we are called upon to become deep inside of ourselves.
And even more precisely: Teshuvah is our drive to become who we are really
meant to become
A RETURN TO YOURSELF MEDITATION
Look deeply into your Soul…
Ask yourself what it is that you are truly meant to do in this life…
who is it that you are truly meant to become…
picture yourself after this life, in the post life, and you are being congratulated by a
mixed host of Heavenly and earthly beings…
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they are all celebrating the fact that you were able to become, while alive in your
physical existence, the ultimate you…
they are showing you what you did and how you did it, in a full-feature video…
watch the video in your mind’s eye, and take note of as much detail as you can…
you can watch it again and again to catch in subsequent viewings, what you didn’t
catch the previous times…pay close attention–this is the roadmap of your
future–where you will blossom into becoming the ultimate you!
‘ MASTER OF RETURN’ TESHUVAH MEDITATIONS
Become a Master of Return : Return to a constant awareness of your deepest and
most authentic self and to an awareness of your purpose of being on this earth, as
well as an awareness of Hashem inside you and all around you:
A. Know yourself as best as you are able
Look into your past year and recall as much as you can
Who you have become, what you have accomplished and any other valuable
information that you can gather…
Create an annual awards ceremony [like the ‘Oscars’] for yourself…
include such categories as ‘your greatest creative achievements , as well as your
greatest interpersonal, intellectual, and coping achievements…
From these recollections and self discoveries, allow the new you to emerge or to be
born or to be projected or to be yearned for…
Discover in this ‘new you’, your essential self…
Experience how this ‘new you’ feels like it has ‘come back home’.
B. Master the art of ‘Turning Away from falseness and inauthenticity ‘–from
within you and from without you
Seek out the company of people who are authentic, truthful and who mean what
they say and say what they mean…
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If you must be around people who are not like this, try to bring out in them their
good, authentic and truthful sides, the best that you can…
Seek out in yourself the greatest possible levels of truth and authenticity–
don’t settle for anything less…
There are always deeper and truer levels to achieve…
C. Know that by transforming your past failings into springboards for growth
and healing and all kinds of other goodness, you can reach levels that are higher
than that of the greatest Tzadik, and your act of teshuvah can impact in the
greatest possible ways, your surroundings, as well as the entire world and the
entire generation!
Search in your past, for the inner motivations you had in those areas that you failed
in, or missed the mark or caused damage to yourself or to others…
Go back and change those motivations with regard to what you did then , as well as
to similar challenges that you face now…
See how this new elevated and pure motivation represents a ‘new you’…
See how you can lift yourself and the outcome of your choices up to a new pristine
level of being…
A level of being , that if it is pure enough, can impact your present , your past, and
that of the entire world…
Carry on in this way with regard to as many life choices as you can.
A Sukkah Preparation Meditation
The Sukkah itself relates to Binah /understanding, or the first Heh of Shem Havaya .
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According to Halachah, a Sukkah may have either 4 walls, 3 walls, or 2 walls with a
hand-breadth
These dimensions parallel the Name Sukkah סֻּכָּה spelled S amech, Kaf, or
Heh .
A S amech ס has “4 walls”, a Kaf כ has “3 walls” and a H eh ה h as 2 walls with
a hand-breadth.
Moreover, the H eh ה , the letter of Havaya for today, stands for an arm bent at
the elbow, with the hand hugging the person inside the Sukkah , like a mother
embracing her child.
In Psalm 27, recited daily since Rosh Chodesh Elul , reads:
“Indeed, He will hide me in His shelter (Sukkah ) on a day of evil.”
The Sukkah shields a person on a day of evil . That is, when one falls away from
Divine service, if he will only strengthen himself and not give up, he will find himself
shielded and sheltered by an extremely lofty level of holiness: the aspect of the
Sukkah, which corresponds to the Supernal Mother called Binah . Binah /
Understanding, is the “mother” of the lower seven sefirot, which are the 7 days as
well as the 7 Ushpizin guests . Associated with the upper letter Heh in the Divine
Name Havaya , Binah also alludes to the ohr makif , or transcendent plane This
holiness will encompass him like a protective mother so that he does not fall, G-d
forbid, when he comes to a place of danger. It is also understood from the words of
Rebbe Nachman that when a person finds himself in a spiritual tailspin, in the very
place he has fallen, the greatest holiness is concealed. When he supplicates God
and finds Him there, at that very hour he will attain the loftiest sanctity.
(LH, Rosh Hashanah 4:7) .
Rebbe Nachman moreover writes:
“All of my bones shall declare, ‘G-d, who is like You?’ ” The sefirah of Binah is the
archetype of the mother; it is where the embryo is formed, as in the verse, “ If (IM)
you call to understanding (Binah)” (Proverbs 2:3 ). [The word Im is homiletically
related to EiM , meaning “mother.”] Binah is also an aspect of the mitzvah of
Sukkah , as it is written, “ You sheltered me (te SuK eini) in the womb of my mother
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(IMi)” (Psalms 139:13 ). When a person prays with intense concentration, and he
puts all his force into the letters of prayer, this is an aspect of “ All of my bones shall
declare, ‘G-d, who is like You?’ ” This is analogous to the Sukkah , as it is written,
“You encompassed me (te SoKhekh eini) with bones and sinews” (Job 10:1) . The
letters of the prayers which one utters with all his might ( KoaCh , which has the
numerical value of twenty-eight) become the twenty-eight letters of the act of
creation (i.e., the number of letters in the first verse of Genesis). Thus, his words
are the very words of the Holy One, blessed be He, as in the verse, “ I put My words
in your mouth” (Isaiah 51:16 ). [Thus by virtue of prayer with intense
concentration, one who prays becomes a “spiritual Sukkah” and an instrument of
the Divine speech of creation]
(LM I, 48) .
The B’Shem HaShem Lulav Meditation
Today we meditate on the second letter B’Shem HaShem , the letter Heh , which is
found in our contemplation of Shem Ben
יו ד ה ה וו הה
This letter הה spelled in full with two letters relates to the two A ravot in the
Lulav .
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Now these Aravot, possessing neither taste nor smell, the aravot signify someone
who is neither learned nor possesses good deeds.
It would appear that we truly need the ‘packaging’ of Binah , corresponding to the
letter Heh , to figure out what we need to improve our Torah learning–which we
meditated on yesterday with Chochmah and letter Yud , and our good deeds.
Binah ’s faculty of problem solving here comes into play, so it would be wise to
indulge in hitbonnenut [ root of Binah ] to reflect on how we can do better in both of
these areas.
Gathering of Chassadim /kindnesses
Today we seek to access the Chesed of Netzach /eternity of Imma , and meditate on
the third letter ג of Name אבגית’ץ related to C hesed.
How do we connect to Chesed of Netzach ?
-When doing kindness, use the right leg. This completes the limb of Netzach with
the actions of Chesed .
-Attempt to love Hashem, and to do actions of Chesed in the morning, and in
particular on Wednesday.
-Concentrate in Shemoneh Esrei in the blessing Selach Lanu on that which one
blemished when he defeated his friend in a prohibited way and he transgressed
” You shall not kill. ”
-When mentioning the name Kel , should concentrate upon it and when reciting a
verse of the Prophets or a verse that mentions Moshe Rabbeinu, the greatest of the
prophets.
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Tishre 13 ( day three): ו V av , the third letter of G-d’s Name, shaped like a straight
vertical line, transmits the Yom Kippur energy. This is the level of the emotions
( Zeir Anpin ), the middot /attributes of Tiferet /harmony which transmits the concept
conceived in the Yud and developed in the Heh .
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Intention: [ to be said out loud ]
On this the day of 13th of Tishre , I meditate on dibbur /speech, to repair the aspect
of Da’at/ knowledge, and all of the forms that enclothe the Vav of the Name Havaya ,
the Ruach spirit level of the general aspects of the Worlds of Atzilut , Beriah,
Yetzirah , and Asiya , and specific aspects of the Worlds of Atzilut, Beriah, Yetzirah ,
and Asiya , and all the partzufim /faces and Sefirot /emanations of the specifics of
Atzilut, Beriah, Yetzirah and Asiya .
Silently say to yourself without making sound: יֹה וֹ הֹ r elated to T iferet .
Kol, Dibbur , and Da’at
Our intention above seeks for us on this third day of “ B’Shem Hashem ” to meditate
on dibbur /speech, on Da’at /knowledge, and on letter Vav of Havaya.
Before speech comes kol or voice; for kol comes in a place where speech is not
possible. When the people of Israel descend to Egypt, dibbur or speech, the
kabbalists declare, was ‘in exile.’ Not to imply that there was no conversation in
Egypt. To the contrary, there was an abundance of conversation about the stock
market, political campaigns, and pennant races – important, but in Egypt the only
topics of discussion. Because of the enslavement to a culture of work and idolatry,
the people of Israel forsook their tradition, and it showed in their speech. Dibbur ,
speech, and Betzalel ’s special kind of knowledge, Da’at , are linked: language, like
Da’at , unifies spirit and body bringing together heaven and earth; through speech,
the physical is raised. But when speech is in exile, it ceases to achieve its higher
goal. In the absence of meaningful speech, the only remaining recourse is to cry
out. Though immersed in the decadence of Egypt, the people of Israel were still
able to cry out to G-d: ‘ And G-d heard the cries of the people Israel .’ For even when
speech is corrupted, the internal voice remains, the authentic kol of the soul, the
Neshama . A person may not know how to pray, he may not know how to study
Torah, but he can still access his voice or kol . Kol is the inner voice of longing,
evidence of the residual connection to the divine.
Kol /voice, corresponding to Tiferet /harmony in the Kabbalah , is “higher” than
dibbur /speech, connected to the Malchut /Sovereignty, the energy we contemplate
for tomorrow. Tiferet also relates in a sense to the Da’at . Tiferet is the letter Vav
of G-d’s Name Havaya , with Da’a t representing the top of the Vav .
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On this day we seek to fix any and all blemishes we have in the realm of dibbur /
speech. We acknowledge that in the Creation story we will soon re-learn on
Simchat Torah that G-d spoke, and Creation unfolded. That means that speech is
and must be considered sacred. When we use our mouths for anything less, we
destroy worlds as well as other people.
Da’at contemplation of Rabbi Schwartz
1. When we engage the world from a place of Da’at / Knowing, we are able to
transcend almost everything that stands in our way.
2. When we engage the world from a place of Da’at /Knowing, we activate more
aspects of the persona’s consciousness than with any [ almost ] any other other
Sefira.
3. When we engage the world from a place of Da’at /Knowing, we have everything
and we lack nothing.
4. When we engage the world from a place of Da’at /Knowing, we are able to
discover that which we don’t know.
5. When we engage the world from a place of Da’at /Knowing, we are in a state of
inner peace.
6. When we engage the world from a place of Da’at /Knowing, we are able to bridge
all sides and angles and perspectives [ even if they are conflictual and
paradoxical ].
7. When we engage the world from a place of Da’at /Knowing, we are able to
reproduce in a literal and conceptual sense.
8. When we engage the world from a place of Da’at /Knowing, we are empowered
to judge and decide between what is the main point and what is not.
9. When we engage the world from a place of Da’at /Knowing, we are able to
graduate from being the student to becoming the master.
10. When we engage the world from a place of Da’at /Knowing, we are able to to
see things from a Divine, Torah-based point of view.
11. When we engage the world from a place of Da’at /Knowing, we are able to
perceive Reality from the standpoint of the soul and of higher consciousness.
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12. When we engage the world from a place of Da’at /Knowing, we are able to
experience up to 96% more than we normally experience.
13. When we engage the world from a place of Da’at /Knowing, we are able to
transform lower lusts into sacred drives.
14. When we engage the world from a place of Da’at/ Knowing, we are able to
understand the massive role that our previous life[s] have on our present life.
15. When we engage the world from a place of Da’at /Knowing, we are able to
actualize our calling in life at all times.
16. When we engage the world from a place of Da’at /Knowing, we are able to truly
know a person and what they need to know.
17. When we engage the world from a place of Da’at /Knowing, we are able to
begin to know Hashem and constantly grow in this knowledge.
18. When we engage the world from a place of Da’at /Knowing, we are able to
participate significantly, in the healing and rectification of the World.
19. When we engage the world from a place of Da’at /Knowing, we are able to
Co-Create with Hashem almost anything that we intend.
20. When we engage the world from a place of Da’at /Knowing, we are capable of
living a life of Paradise.
Tikkun HaMiddot : work on our attributes [see Appendix below p. 43]
Tiferet related to the letter Vav also relates to the six middo t/attributes we
associate with G-d: lovingkindness, strength, beauty, endurance, glory,
foundation, and sovereignty.
When we contemplate letter Vav of Shem Havaya on this day of B’Shem
HaShem , we therefore should contemplate how we can repair how we may
have blemished these attributes. This tikkun hamiddot or fixing of our
attributes can be accomplished by considering a model raised in Chassidut ,
and described as follows:
Every Jew is a complex tale of two souls: a Nefesh Elokit and a Nefesh
HaBehamit , or a spiritual soul and an animal soul. Their on-going struggle
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and oscillation between heaven and earth, the soul and body, and the
spiritual and material is the epicenter of the purpose of creation, which is to
create a Dirah BeTachtonim (dwelling for G-d in the lowest of all worlds). In
human terms, this means making an abode within this “two-souled”
character, brokering a peace between the two parties, so that harmoniously
they may together fulfill the purpose for which they have been created.
This idea is expressed by our Sages when they stated that the Torah has
been given in order to make peace in the world.
Torah is elsewhere defined as “power” and “salvation” in the sense that
Torah gives the person the ability to overcome his baser nature, and the
Talmud states that if one meets one’s own evil inclination then “drag him to
the house of study.” Would it not be for the fact that G-d helps us overcome
the Evil Inclination we would never have the ability to do so.
Armed with Torah, a person can wage war against his darker nature, first
subduing and then transforming and channeling its power. The Nefesh
HaBehamit can be compared to an ox; it is coarse and animalistic. Yet it has
powers to be extremely constructive if channeled in the correct way. Torah is
the yoke that harnesses those powers and puts them into Divine service.
The Talmud speaks of the Good Inclination and the Evil Inclination.
Chassidut teaches that the Good Inclination is the intellectual faculty of the
Nefesh Elokit and the Evil Inclination is the emotions of the Nefesh
HaBehamit . All negative character traits stem from the emotions of the
Nefesh HaBehamit . The intellect of the Nefesh HaBehamit just serves as a
server to its emotions, the mind finds a way to fulfill the desire. Take for
example the emotion of Chesed /lovingkindness. In the Nefesh Elokit , the
Sefirah of Chesed represents the soul’s love for G-d. In the Nefesh
HaBehamit it is the capacity to love the material. This love can degenerate
into lust and can be very destructive. Not everyone has the ability to totally
transform and sublimate the Emotions of the Nefesh HaBehamit like the
Tzaddikim. The intermediate level person will always have the struggle and
it is for that purpose that he has been created. Knowing how powerful the
Evil Inclination can be how is one to bridle the Emotions of the Nefesh
HaBehamit ?
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The first stage must be that of interpretation . Whenever an impulse
comes to the mind or heart, one must first determine from which side does
this impulse stems. For example, if a person has a passion for a forbidden
relationship, then obviously the desire is not coming from the Nefesh Elokit
but from the Nefesh HaBehamit . But what about something that could be
seen as good, such as Torah study. How does one know if one is studying for
the right reasons, with the right intention? If a person is not sure as to the
source, then again there is a simple test to find out.
Simply ask: What is the result? If what will result is something positive in
terms of Avodat Hashem , then it stems from the Nefesh Elokit . If however
the result is negative, the Nefesh HaBehamit . In the case of Torah study, if
one is studying to learn how to fulfill G-d’s will, then it is holy. If one studies
in order to use the knowledge to humiliate another or to feed one’s own ego,
then it is not holy. This delineation is very useful in that at least it allows the
person to understand from where the impulse is coming. Even though it
does not necessarily help overcome the impulse, at least the person cannot
fool themselves as to its source. The first stage is diagnosis. If a person does
not feel well and goes to the doctor, the first relief is to find the cause of the
malady. Once the cause has been located, one can then apply the correct
medicine.
If it has been decided that the source is impure, then one must reevaluate
his or her intentions and act accordingly. The following treatment is based
on the verse in the Psalms: “ Turn away from evil, do good, seek peace,
and pursue it. ” After the diagnosis, one must “ turn away from evil . ” This
means that one should not only turn away in the face of evil, but should also
avoid a situation in which would be ripe for evil to arise. A person should
never ask for a test. The Talmud tells us that King David did ask for a test
and he failed. If a trial or tribulation comes your way by Divine providence,
you are meant to overcome it.
Everything is by Divine providence, and the very fact that such a test has
come your way means that you have the energy and ability to overcome it,
for G-d would never ask something from you that you cannot cope with. G-d
does not come with unfair claims to his creations. When He asks something
of somebody, He asks only according to their ability. This is a very calming
notion in itself. The premise is that G-d is good and that ultimately
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everything that happens is for the good. Sometimes it is revealed good and
sometimes concealed good.
When calamity strikes, a person should realize that ultimately what is
happening is for the good, even if they cannot rationalize it. This notion
applies not only to tragedies that befall us seemingly out of the blue, but
also for temptations and tests that we are confronted with on a daily basis.
Such an approach— that every temptation and every calamity is for the
best—is a massive act of faith and requires one to draw on huge reserves of
“trust” that G-d knows what He is doing.
After “turning away from evil ,” one is responsible for “doing good.” This
means that a person should become so involved with the positive, that they
don’t have time for anything negative.
Their mind is filled with the desire to fulfill the commandments and do
kindness to each other. The righteous become involved day and night with
the welfare of their brethren, not resting for a moment until the needs of the
less fortunate have been supplied. Such approach and activity can use all
one’s energy in a positive way, and nothing is left for negativity. Free time is
always used for Torah and good deeds, leaving no vacuum for anything else
to creep in.
Finally, the third stage is “seek peace and pursue it .” This means that a
person’s Nefesh Elokit must sit down and communicate with their Nefesh
HaBehamit . They must have a conversation in which the Nefesh Elokit will
tell the Nefesh HaBehamit the reasons it would be much more advisable to
channel its energies into serving G-d rather than squandering its capabilities
on vanity and emptiness
“ Seek peace and pursue it” means that the ultimate is to make peace
between the Nefesh HaBehamit and the Nefesh Elokit . It is the realization
that instead of fighting, they need to join forces in the fulfillment of creation.
It means that the Nefesh Elokit understands the great advantage of this
world being the arena where it can attach, and the Nefesh HaBehamit feels
proud to be a vehicle to the Divine.
Some people think that G-d is not bothered by such a minor detail as
whether or not one person resists one temptation. This is a mistake.
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G-d—through His Torah—has communicated to us what is important and
what is not important to Him. He emphatically states that we should serve
G-d with all our heart, soul, and might. G-d stands by every individual and
searches his heart to see how each individual serves Him.
He takes into account every detail of the individual’s situation— spiritually,
physically, emotionally, etc. In fact, G-d leaves all the supernal realms and
designates His sovereignty on Israel in general, and on every Jew
individually to see his Divine service.
Every movement, sincere feeling, each thought, and action is counted and
appreciated.
A Sukkah Preparation Meditation
Today we meditate B’Shem HaShem on the letter Vav , which relates to Tiferet /
Harmony.
Yesterday we contemplated that the Sukkah itself was Ima /Supernal Mother,
related to Binah /understanding.
We know that the most important part of the סֻּכָּה S ukkah is הַסְּכָךְ the
Skakh /covering, for it is the root of the word Sukkah , and the main reason for the
mitzvah .
The Skakh, which is the roof of the Sukkah , according to Kabbalah corresponds to
the Ohr Makif surrounding light which is the lower ½ of the Tiferet of Supernal
Mother. This Skakh has a gematria of 100, which stands for 100 lights, related to
the 100 blows of the Shofa r [also Ima ], blown on Rosh Hashana almost 2 weeks
ago. these sounds sweetened the judgments of the Day of Judgment. The sounds
blown into the air have nested in the Skakh, making it the “roof” of the womb of
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Ima /Supernal Mother, and thus creating the Sukkah into a virtual wombing
chamber for us to dwell in for more than a week, to be rebirthed pure and whole at
the end.
Tiferet is the place where kindnesses of Chesed and judgments of Gevurah are
bridged and sweetened. So we can see why the Skakh roof is the place closest to
our heads, which need realignment in the beginning of this New Year.
The B’Shem HaShem Lulav Meditation
Today we move to the letter Vav of Shem Ben , spelled as such:
יו ד ה ה ו ו הה
This V av וו r elates and looks like a the L ulav picture above.
According to the Midrash , the lulav with taste — the date fruit —but no scent
represents a learned person without good deeds.
So perhaps that is the job of the וו V av : to take the C hochmah /Wisdom gained
by learning and to channel it down to the realm of action. We all know that good
intentions by themselves lead to nothing! “ One whose wisdom exceed one’s deeds,
one’s wisdom will not last .” [ Avot ] So today we should contemplate how to take
our learning and to put it into action, because when wisdom and good deeds are
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together, as they will be in tomorrow’s meditation, the most wonderful fruit is
created!
Gathering of Chassadim /Kindnesses
Today we access the Chesed of Tiferet of Imma, a great synchronicity with our work
with letter Vav and Tiferet in general.
We meditate on the letter י of the Name אבגית’ץ related to kindness.
To access the Chesed of Tiferet , one should:
-When doing kindness use the body, and thus complete the limb of Tiferet with the
actions of Chesed .
– Attempt to love Hashem and to do actions of kindness, during the day and
especially on Tuesday.
-Concentrate in the prayer of Shemonah Esrei in the prayer Selach Lanu in the
Evening Prayer which was established by Yaakov Avinu.
-When saying the Name Kel, concentrate upon it especially during the Evening
Prayer.
*****************************************************************
Tishre 14 (day four): ה H eh, the last letter of G-d’s Name, signifies that the
Yom Kippur experience is received by the recipient Malchut /Sovereignty, and is
ready to blossom and be celebrated in full glory on Sukkot .
The second or last Heh of G-d’s Name represents G-d as He lowers and extends
Himself to be King of the Universe. This Heh follows the letter Vav , a letter that is
a straight line, symbolizing the drawing down of G-d’s light from its lofty source into
our physical world. On this level G-d is our King, and He desires a relationship with
us. G-d expects us to build on this relationship by fulfilling His Will, which is
studying Torah and doing Mitzvot.
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When we are lacking in our Torah and Mitzvot observance, we are rebelling against
G-d’s Kingship. The Baal Hatanya explains that teshuva tata’ah is the return of
the second Heh of G-d’s Name, by recommitting to G-d’s Kingship by being
meticulous in our observance of His Torah. In view of the Baal Hatanya’ s
explanation, it should be remembered that over the course of the year, our
commitment to Torah sometimes weakens, and we find ourselves rebelling against
G-d.
On this day of Erev Sukkot, may we pledge to throw ourselves into the mitzvot of
waiving the Lulav with the four species related to B’Shem HaShem , to dwelling into
the Sukkah , and to finishing and beginning the Torah anew for it’s own sake
Intention: [to be said out loud ]
On this the day of 14th of Tishre , Erev Sukkot , I meditate on ma’aseh /action, to
repair the aspect of Malchut/ Sovereignty, and all of the forms that enclothe the Heh
of the Name Havaya , the Nefesh soul level of the general aspects of the Worlds of
Atzilut , Beriah, Yetzirah , and Asiyah , and specific aspects of the Worlds of Atzilut,
Beriah, Yetzirah , and Asiyah , and all the partzufim /faces and Sefirot/emanations of
the specifics of Atzilut, Beriah, Yetzirah and Asiyah .
Silently say to yourself without making sound: יֹהֵו הֵ related to M alchut.
Tikkun Asiyah
The final letter Heh relates to the World of Asiya , that of action, of doing, of
making.
Of this, the Baal Shem Tov taught that we should always be contemplating the
question:
When will my deeds reach the level of my fathers Avraham, Yitzchak and Ya’akov ?
Our Rabbis in Zohar , Vol. III, p. 179b have identified Avraham’ s service with the
attribute of kindness ( Chesed ), Yitzchak ’s with might ( Gevurah ), and Ya’akov’s with
beauty ( Tiferet ).
Chesed reflects a thrust outward; the person gives generously, without considering
whether the recipients are worthy or not. Thus Avraham showered kindness on
people “who bowed down to the dust on their own feet.” [ See Bava Metzia 86b; Rashi,
Genesis 18:4 ] But the fact that this generosity is given indiscriminately allows for
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the possibility that it will not change the inner nature of the recipients. For this
reason, although Avraham lived among the Canaanites for decades, and they
recognized him as “ a prince of G-d ,” they did not alter their conduct.
Gevurah is directed inward. As our Sages commented in Avot 4:1.: “Who is a
mighty man? One who conquers his natural inclination.” Inner-directed activity
produces change, but that change is primarily within oneself. Although this inner
light also radiates outward and inspires others, in the final analysis, each person
must elevate himself, and thus Gevurah will not affect those resistant to change.
Therefore Yitzchak lived only in the Holy Land; he could not relate to life outside the
realm of holiness. Even in Eretz Yisrael , he had contact with far fewer people than
did his father.
In Kabbalistic texts, it is explained that Ya’akov’ s attribute, Tiferet , beauty, comes
from a fusion of Chesed and Gevurah . For neither a single motif, nor its opposite, is
beautiful. Beauty comes from the fusing of different and even opposite tendencies.
This reflects the influence of the Ein Sof , an infinite quality.
Similarly, Ya’akov is identified with the quality of Emet /truth. For Truth has a
dimension that transcends mortal limits, being above all possibility of change or
interruption. With Truth, one can reach out and change environments, for nothing
can oppose Truth.
Yesterday we did a Tikkun HaMiddot , an attempt to repair our attributes. Today we
focus on the actions that flow from those attributes. Examine the chart below,
focusing on the middot that are on the left column. Note the archetypal person
that attribute is connected to. Then check out the virtue and the vice–the positive
and negative–related to each one. Now contemplate how when you do actions of
Chesed, for example, how important it is for it to be based on love and not lust.
Consider your actions of Chesed , determining just how “pure” your motive is, as
well as your end result.
Divine Archetypal
Sefirot Person Virtue Vice
Chesed Avraham Love Lust
(kindness)
Gevurah Yitzchak Respect Fear
(severity)
Tiferet Ya’akov Compassion Indulgence
(beauty)
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Netach Moshe Efficiency Pedantry
(victory)
Hod Aharon Aesthetics Vanity
(glory)
Yesod Yosef Loyalty Promiscuity
(foundation)
Malchut David Surrender Stubbornness
(sovereignty)
Cheshbon HaNefesh
This last day relates to the physical level of the soul called the Nefesh . Now from
Elul through Yom HaKippurim , we are supposed to be doing a Cheshbon
Hanefesh : “an accounting of the soul.” Now, on this last day, we are extremely
busy getting ready for either one or two of three days of Yom To v [ when Sukkot
goes into Shabbat either in the beginning or end of the HolyDays. ] But we should
take some time from our Holiday preparations, to follow the following 5-step
program. [based on www.chabad.org ]
Step One:
Draw two large squares on a paper. Title the first one: “Me and G‑d”; the second:
“Me and My Fellows.”
Step Two:
In the “Me and G‑d” category, write down the various religious ritual mitzvot you
observe and do – e.g., tefillin , kosher and b observance – and the degree to
which you observe them. Next to each of these mitzvot, write down whether this is
an area in which you incurred a profit or loss in the past year.
Keep in mind that identical balance sheets can indicate a profit for one person and a
loss for another. For example, a man who began putting on tefillin this year who
writes, “I put on tefillin almost every day” has shown a profit; for someone putting
on tefillin since the age of thirteen, it is considered a loss.
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Step Three:
In the “Me and My Fellows” section, write down all your notable relationships—e.g.,
your children, spouse, parents, friends, work buddies, and acquaintances. Here,
too, write down next to each one whether you became closer to these people,
distanced yourself, or did things you’d have been better off not doing …
Step Four:
The next two steps are the most important ones; without them, all the time
invested in this accounting goes down the drain.
Take the “losses” of the year, and turn them into profits. Ask yourself, how can I be
a better parent? How can I ensure that I put on tefillin daily? How can I improve the
atmosphere in my home? How can I devote more time to Torah study? And should I
be expanding my business? Are there other areas that don’t even yet exist on my
balance sheet that I should explore? A new mitzvah? A new relationship?
Step Five:
Until now, all the reckoning has been relatively quantifiable, and as such not so
difficult. This step takes it to another level altogether.
Now it’s time to look beyond all the individual behaviors, and analyze the patterns.
Or to put it differently, to look at the inner nefesh /soul workings that caused all the
profits and losses.
Why are you failing in certain areas? What is your perspective on life? How
important to you are your relationships? Do you have a deep-seated commitment to
fulfill your spiritual calling in life?
Sukkot is all about our retreat into the Yesod D’Imma , the womb of our Supernal
Mother. It is the place of contemplation, to consider these questions, the inner
nefesh /soul workings that we have done, and which we need to fix.
A Sukkah Preparation Meditation
It is Erev Sukkot, and most likely one’s Sukkah i s either standing or will be/must be
before sundown!
The Ben Ish Chai recommends saying this before putting on the Skakh today:
For the sake of the unification of the Holy One, blessed be He, and his Shekhinah
–the Divine Presence in awe and love and in love and awe, for the sake of uniting
the letters Yod and Heh with Vav and Heh (by the energy of the light of Ayn
Sof –Infinite One that strengthens them and unites them) in a perfect unity, in the
name of all Israel. And for the sake of raising the Shekinah –the Divine Presence-out
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of the dust, I hereby am ready and prepared to place the Skakh on the Sukkah ,
which hints to Supernal Imma who covers in the secret of the Or Makif /surrounding
light upon [Her] children who are Tiferet and Malchut. [If one uses tree branches,
one should say. “I am ready to use branches of the Ilan /tree whose numerical
totals the word S ukkah and also totals Shem Hawaya and Shem Adnut ” ]
I am ready to place this Skakh on the roof upon three walls, so I can dwell within
them all the days of the Holiday of Sukkot in joy, to fulfill the mitzvah of dwelling in
the Sukkah according to law, as Hashem our Gd commanded us in His Holy Torah
“ In Sukkot you shall dwell for 7 days. ” May it be Your will, Hashem , our G-d and
G-d of our forefathers, that the Name of Heaven will be upon this Sukkah which I
am making to dwell in it for the sake of the mitzvah of Sukkah . And may it that the
inner light of Holiness dwell and rest within the Sukkah . Also may the surrounding
light of Holiness be upon it from outside in all its surroundings. May I merit to dwell
in it–I and the members of my family–in joy and with a good heart. And may we
merit to dwell in the shade of the light of the surrounding light which extends upon
it to encompass and surround in the form of a Sukkah , and may it draw upon us the
light from the surrounding light. May it rise before You as if I intended all the
proper intentions in these actions, as if I intended all the proper intentions to
contemplate in (1) the secret of the walls which hint to the Netzah, Hod and Yesod
of Supernal Imma, and (2) the secret of the Skakh which totals in gematria 100
which are the 100 lights, which hint to the bottom ½ of the Tiferet of Supernal
Imma. May it be as if I intended in all the details of the intentions that You require
us to intend. ” And may the pleasantness of Adonai our be upon us, may He
establish the works of our hands [above], may the works of our hands [below] be
established .” Blessed are you Adonai forever, and ever .[Say this twice]
After this one says these verses:
“ And Hashem will create over every structure of Mount Zion and those who
assemble in it a cloud by day, and smoke and a glow of flaming fire by night, for
this will be a canopy over all the honor. And there will be a Sukkah as a shade from
heat in the daytime, and as a protection and refuge from storm and from rain.”
(Yeshayah 4:5)
“ Then His Sukkah was in Yerushalayim, His Dwelling in Zion. (Tehillim 76:3)
“ He who dwells in the secret place of the most High, who abides under the shadow
of the Almighty, Will say to the Lord, My refuge and my fortress, my G-d, in whom I
trust, For he shall save you from the snare of the fowler, and from the noisome
pestilence. He shall cover you with his feathers, and under his wings shall you find
refuge; his truth shall be your shield and buckler.” (Tehillim 91:1-4)
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After this read the 6 verses from Nechemiah (Chapter 8: 13-18 ):
“ And on the second day, the heads of the fathers’ houses of all the people, the
priests, and the Levites, gathered to Ezra the scholar, and to understand the words
of the Torah.. And they found written in the Torah that the Lord had commanded by
the hand of Moses that the Children of Israel dwell in Sukkot on the festival in the
seventh month. And that they should announce and proclaim in all their cities and
in Jerusalem, saying, “Go out to the mountain and bring olive leaves and leaves of
oil trees, myrtle leaves, date palm leaves, and leaves of plaited trees, to make
Sukkot, as it is written.” And the people went forth and brought [them] and made
Sukkot for themselves, each one on his roof and in their courts and in the courts of
the House of G-d, and in the square of the Water Gate, and in the square of the
Gate of Ephraim. . And all the congregation of the returnees from the captivity
made Sukkot and dwelt in the Sukkot, for they had not done so from the days of
Jeshua the son of Nun until that day, and there was exceedingly great joy.. And he
read in the scroll of the Law of G-d day by day from the first day until the last day,
and they made the festival seven days, and on the eighth day an assembly
according to the ordinance .”
“And may the pleasantness of Adonai our be upon us, may He establish the works
of our hands [above], may the works of our hands [below] be established.” Blessed
are you Adonai forever, and ever.”
Today we meditate on the final letter Heh of S hem Havaya, relating to the World of
Asiya /Action.
The final Sefirot Netzach, Hod, Yesod , and Malchut all take the sublime energy of
“higher” emanations and channel it down into action in “the real world.”
1+2+3+4 = 10, all the emanations or Sefirot according to Kabbalah.
1 is Kutz shel Yud , the Keter , or desire to build the Sukkah and put the first nail
[kutz] in after Yom HaKippur .
2 is Chochmah , the Yud , the star points and Binah , the first Heh , the Sukkah itself.
3 is Chesed, Gevurah , and Tiferet, all melding in the letter Vav , related to the
Skakh , the Tiferet of Imma .
4 is Netzach, Hod, Yesod , and Malchut of Imma , the final letter Heh .
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The three walls of our Sukkah , as we read in the meditation, stand for the Netzach,
Hod, Yesod of Supernal Mother. We know that a Sukkah may be built with three
walls in the shape of the letter Heh ה , this being the final H eh of H avaya . The
Malchut is our heart, the etrog described below, the place which receives all the
final energy that flows from the first nail [ Kutz shel Yud ], the points of the stars
[ Yud ], the Ohr Makif /transcendent light of Ima [ Heh ], the Skakh [ the Tiferet and
Vav ] and the three walls [ Heh ].
The B’Shem HaShem Lulav Meditation
Today Erev Sukkot , we bind the Lulav while sitting in the Sukkah , connecting both
energies, both meditative paths we’ve expounded.
And we consider the beautiful etrog we passionately desired and prayed for b’reuta
deliba on the night after Yom Kippur [ page 10 above ].
The etrog , which represents the Divine Female, correlates with the final Heh of
Shem Ben as such:
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יו ד הה וו הה
This Heh הה receives all the energy of the work we’ve done so far. The etrog
with both taste and smell denotes the tzaddik /righteous person with both Torah
learning and good deeds. Perhaps our daily contemplations has even brought us to
a level higher than Yom Kippur !
When we bind the Lulav on Erev Yom Kippur , we recognize how we have
personalized our connection to the letters B’Shem HaShem both on the days as well
as in the 4 species. And we intend that when we wave–as per halacha –to keep
the lulav and the etrog connected together at all times, binding Torah and good
deeds as one.
Gathering of Chassadim /Kindnessess
On this our final of the four days, we meditate on the Chesed of Gevurah of Imma ,
and the letter ת of the Name אבגית’ץ related to C hesed .
This makes spiritual sense, as the final letter Heh of Havaya which we meditate on
receives all of the Gevurot /severities from above. Moreover this final letter Heh
corresponds to Malchut /Sovereignty.
The main mission of every person is to build up and reveal Hashem’s Malchut i n the
world. The way in which we bind ourselves to Malchut, which is also known as
cheshbon —the accounting—is by spending time every single day taking spiritual
account of ourselves, of where we are really holding. Malchut is associated with
the showbread table which was situated in the north, and what builds it up
spiritually are the Gevurot [the holy manifestations of limitation, restraint, and
judgment]. [ The table represents materiality, which is the realm of Malchut , and
the northern side is to the left when facing east, toward the place of holiness. The
left is the side of Gevurot on the array of the sefirot . ] When a person begins to
take spiritual inventory, he is acting with Gevurot —one needs a great deal of
spiritual fortitude for this process, to work against the natural spiritual entropy, to
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avoid being like “slaves who prefer idleness and lack of restraints.” It is this avodah
that builds up the Shechinah .
We access the Chesed of Gevurah by:
-When doing kindness, use the left hand and complete the limb of Gevurah with the
actions of Chesed.
– Attempt to love Hashem, and do acts of kindness in the afternoon.
-Try to concentrate in the Amidah in the blessing Selach Lanu (which is rooted in
Chesed ) in the Minchah Prayers which were established by Yitzchak Avinu.
-When saying the Name Kel, concentrate upon it and especially during Minchah.
Appendix: On the damage done from bad middot (character traits)
[ related to HaShem’s Name Havaya [ יהוה
Sha’arei Kedusha ( R. Chaim Vital ), Part I, Gate 2
Middot are fixed in the lower soul which is called “foundation [ soul ]”, which includes
the 4 levels [r elated to HaShem’s Name Havaya : [ יהוה
d omem (s ilent-as in rocks and metals) , [ H eh [ יה וה
tzomachat (g rowing-as in plants) , [ V av [י ה וה
behemit (a nimal ), [H eh [ י הוה
and m edaberet (s peaking-as in humans) . [Y ud [ יהוה
They ( the levels ) also are mixed with good and evil. And behold in this soul the good
and bad middot depend. And they ( the middot ) are “a chair”, and foundation, and
root to the higher “intellectual soul” on which depend the 613 mitzvot of the Torah
(the middot are a root to the higher soul means, for example, a selfish person will
have all his actions rooted in selfishness. In everything he does he first thinks
“what am I going to benefit from this “).
Therefore the middot are not included in count of the 613 mitzvot . However, they
are crucial preparations to the 613 mitzvot in their fulfillment or annulment because
the higher “intellectual soul” does not have the power to fulfill the mitzvot using the
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613 limbs [ and gidim ] of the body except through the intermediary of the
foundation soul which is attached to the body itself in the Sod ( secret meaning of )
” For the soul of all flesh, the blood is in the soul” ( Vayikra 17:14 ). Therefore the bad
middot are much, much worse than the sins [ of the 613 mitzvot ] themselves. And
through this, you will understand what our Sages have said ( Shabbat 105b )
“whoever gets angry it is as if he has worshipped idols” – literally, which weighs like
all the 613 mitzvot . And likewise they said ( Sotah 71 ) “whoever has arrogance it is
as if he is a Kofer b’ikar ( rejects the essence of Judaism ), and it is fitting to chop him
down like an idol tree so his dust does not budge [ in the resurrection ]…”, and many
more like these. And understand this very well because in their being crucial and
fundamental, they were not counted as part of the 613 mitzvot which depend on
the “intellectual soul”.
Therefore we find that one should be more careful of bad middot than in
fulfilling the positive and negative mitzvot . Because in being a possessor of
good middot , he will easily fulfill the mitzvot .
And through this, you will also understand astonishing words which our Sages have
said on the matter of middot , [ such as ] that “humility and lowliness brings to Ruach
HaKodesh ( Holy Spirit ) and the Shechinah rests on him.” Eliyahu HaNavi said “the
Torah is not explained except to he who is not a kapdan ( impatient, irritable person ),
so too I will reveal myself only to one who is not a kapdan .” Similarly, our Sages
described “who is a ben Olam Haba ( destined for life in the World to Come ) – whoever
is lowly and humble, etc.” They did not mention the fulfillment of mitzvot but only
good middot . Contemplate these things and you will be successful in your ways
without doubt.
Now, just like the bodies of the 4 foundations ( physical forms of earth, water, wind,
and fire ) are roots, that through them were formed the 613 limbs [and gidim ] of the
[physical ] body, so too the “souls” of the 4 foundations are foundations for all good
and bad middot through which the soul must go through in fulfilling or
transgressing the Torah and the 613 commandments are from the 4 letters of
HaShem ’s name YHVH as mentioned earlier. The fulfillment of them is the
intellectual soul which includes the four spiritual foundations from which were hewn
the 613 limbs [and gidim ] of that soul.
Understand this very well: the foundation of fulfillment of the mitzvot is
through the good middot and likewise the opposite.
Here is the matter [of the middot ]. We have already explained that everything that
G-d made includes good and evil (i.e. after the sin of Adam ), which are opposite each
other. And behold, just like the four bodies of the foundations ( physical earth, water,
air, fire [ related to HaShem’s Name Havaya יהוה ] ) which is called the ” chome r”
( physical, material ) of the foundations is mixed with good and evil, and from them
come the powers of sustaining the body or its ailments which are the four ” Marot ”
(b iles) – white, green, black, and red. [r elated to HaShem’s Name Havaya [ יהוה
Likewise, in the souls which are called “tzurot ” ( spiritual powers in these four
foundations ), are found both good and evil. And from them come the health of the
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soul in a man which are the good middot or its ailments which are the bad middot
who are drawn from the 4 impure klippot of that soul. When he removes them from
himself, the 4 letters of G-d’s name, which are light which gives life to the soul, will
[enter ] and envelope him. Then it and its body ( the man’s body ) will become a
chariot for His holiness, may He be blessed in the world of Asiyah. And remember
and don’t forget that also through toil in the Torah in the four levels whose acronym
is PaRDeS, related to HaShem’s Name Havaya : יהוה
pshat (b asic meaning) , [ H eh [ יה וה
remez (a lluded meaning) , [ V av [י ה וה
d rash (h omilitecal or interpretive meaning) , [H eh [ י הוה
sod (s ecret – mystical meaning) , [Y ud יהוה ] his R uach will become a “chair” to G-d’s
name in the world of Yetzirah .
Let us return to the clarification of the foundations which there are in acquiring
middot. Know that all bad middot are rooted in the 4 levels of the foundation soul –
from the side of evil and the klippah of them. Therefore all bad middot are divided
into 4 types [r elated to HaShem’s Name Havaya יהוה ] , and here are their details:
The foundation of Fire – [Y ud יהוה ] from it is drawn arrogance which is called
” Gasut HaRuach ” ( inflated spirit ) – in being the lightest and highest of all the
foundations. And included in it is anger, since it is because of arrogance that a man
becomes angry when “his will is not being done”. And if he were a ” shefal ruach ”
(lowly of spirit ), and he recognized his lacking, he would not at all become angry. It
comes out that anger and arrogance are one trait. There are three derivatives:
– -Kapdanut ( being irritable ) in his heart. Because without the arrogance, he would
not be irritable in his heart, similar to what we explained for anger.
— Seeking power and honor to show off to others.
— Hatred of others because they are greater than him. And this is also a branch of
arrogance.
The foundation of Wind – [H eh י הוה ] from it is drawn speech which is called
” sicha betela ” ( useless chatter ), for things which have no need at all, whether for
the soul or the body. There are four derivatives of speech:
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— flattery ,
— lies ,
— lashon hara ( negative speech about others ),
–and to reveal his praises to others in order to become great in front of them.
The foundation of Water -[ V av י ה וה ] from it comes craving for indulgence –
because water causes all kinds of pleasurable things to grow ( not sure what he
means here ). There are two derivatives:
— Chemdah ( coveting ) to steal the money of his friend, or his wife, and all that he
has in order to indulge in them.
–And jealousy , he will be jealous of his friend who has a lot of money or the like in
order to indulge in them.
The foundation of Earth -[ H eh יה וה ] from it comes sadness in all its details. And
its derivative is one – which is laziness in fulfilling the Torah and the mitzvot
because of his sadness in attaining acquisitions in the vanities of this world ( such as
money, honor, approval, etc. ), or on sufferings which come on him. And he is not
happy with his portion in any matter. Also “[yet is there no end of all his labor],
neither is his eye satisfied with riches” (Kohelet 4:8).
We find therefore that there are four roots of all bad middot :
–A rrogance and anger [Y ud יהוה ] which is included and attached to it,
–u seless speech [ H eh , [ י הוה
–l ust for indulgences [ V av , [י ה וה
— and s adness [H eh . [ יה וה
The four of them are drawn from the four klippot of the yetzer hara (evil inclination)
of the foundation soul. And their opposites are the four good middot which are
drawn from the four good foundations of the foundation soul:
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[1] Humbleness [Y ud יהוה ] – which is absolute lowliness and distancing oneself
from all forms of anger which come through arrogance.
[2] S ilence [H eh י הוה ] – “like a mute he should not open his mouth”, except
Torah and mitzvot or what is necessary for maintenance of the body and also for
honoring the public.
[3] And r evulsion from all indulgences of the body [ Vav י ה וה ] -which are
beyond the necessary.
[4] A constant s imcha (j oy) [H eh יה וה ] i n his portion (g ratitude whatever
situation you are in ), because “everything that is done from heaven is for the
good.” And also to motivate oneself to be with absolute joy in doing the service of
his Creator as it is written “I am joyful in Your commandments like one who finds a
great treasure” ( Tehilim 119:162 ). And like the Sages said “Make your Torah study
fixed ( primary ) and your work temporary ( secondary ).”
Therefore we find that when the bad middot are established in a man, he refrains
from fulfilling the Torah and mitzvot . And even if he does fulfill them, it won’t be for
the sake of heaven ( i.e. he’ll have selfish motives ) and also with great effort and
hassle. On him it is written ” Like a gold ring in a pig’s snout…” ( Mishlei 11:22 )
Because his impurity is still in him and he is clothed in the klippot . And also like our
Sages have said “If he merits, his Torah will become an elixir of life, but if he
doesn’t merit, it will become a death potion” ( Yoma 75b ). But if he empowers
himself over his inclination, wages war with it, and removes from himself the bad
middot through efforts and fulfills the Torah and mitzvot – he is called a tzadik
gamur ( totally righteous ), G-d fearing, a mighty person, who conquers his
inclination. And when he habituates himself more and more on this until he
removes from himself all the bad middot completely and his soul is not tempted by
them at all and he acquires the good middot until they become second nature and
he does not need to fight with the evil inclination at all because his body and soul
have become clean from all impurities of physicality, as it says by Moshe “remove
your shoe from your foot” ( Shemot 3:5 ), as mentioned in the Tikkuney Zohar 31 and
48 ( i.e. the shoe is the garment of the lowest part of the body, namely the heel. So too the
physical body is the garment for the lowest part of the soul and is therefore referred to as
the “shoe”), then the four letters of G-d’s name will enclothe him and he will
become a holy throne for His chariot, may He be blessed. This man is called “he
who loves G-d through love” and a total ” Chasid ” ( pious ), perfect with all forms of
perfection.
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