chanoch adds: also door

The adjective "dal", in Hebrew, means "poor". Thus, dalet can be seen as a feminine form of this word. Since Zeir Anpin and Nukva are back-to-back, Nukva does not receive the full flow of divine beneficence it needs.

Even though the [third letter,] kuf, does indicate a certain low-grade coupling, its "leg" is long, indicating that [the divine beneficence it channels unfortunately] extends to the realm of evil.

The kuf is formed of a slightly truncated kaf and a lowered zayin. These two letters are facing the normal way, indicating that altogether the kuf does indicate a measure of "coupling", but the lowered zayin, the "leg" of the kuf, extends below the line, indicating a flow into the lower realms of reality, i.e. evil.

chanoch adds: It is also kosher to hav a vav instead of the zion.

In order to freshen [literally "perfume", meaning to rectify, or "sweeten"] this situation, we must give charity, which fills in [the missing elements of the first three letters] as the letter hei, which depicts the true coupling, this being the mystical significance of the letter hei, as explained in the Zohar (II:104a).

The hei is seen as a perfectly balanced letter, in which the leg does not extend below the line as it does in the kuf, and there is a coupling between its two parts, unlike the dalet, which lacks a second "half" to couple with. As we will see, the hei is the rectified form of the kuf and the dalet.

Now, the kuf signifies Cain, i.e. the spreading of the impurity [of evil], while the hei signifies Abel.

The name "Cain" in Hebrew begins with a kuf, while the name "Abel", in Hebrew "Hevel", begins with a hei.

The one giving the charity should also intend to unite the letters of the name Havayah….

The one giving the charity should also intend to unite the [letters of the] name Havayah in the following way:

By giving charity, we facilitate the union of the partzufim; this then allows the divine beneficence to flow unrestrictedly.

The coin he gives to the poor person manifests the yud of the name Havayah.

The coin is the concentrated point of divine beneficence, similar to the yud, the smallest of the letters, which signifies the seminal drop of insight (chochma).

The five fingers of the hand of the giver manifest the [first] hei of the name Havayah.

The numerical value of the hei is 5.

His extended arm manifests the vav of the name Havayah.

Since the straight line of the arm is visually similar to the form of the vav, essentially a straight line.

The five fingers of the hand of the recipient manifest the final hei of the name Havayah.

This is the mystical meaning of the verse, "and the act of charity will be peace." (Isaiah 32:17)

Giving charity makes peace between the estranged letters of the name Havayah.

The purpose of giving charity [before] prayer is to unify the [first two letters of the name Havayah], yud-hei, that are separated from the [final two letters,] vav-hei.

Through prayer, we join our divine consciousness with our emotions….

The first two letters of the name Havayah indicate chochma and bina, i.e. the intellect. The second two letters indicate the emotions and their expression. Before prayer, the intellect is divorced from emotion and expression, and through prayer, we join our divine consciousness with our emotions and means of expression, so that they, too, should be G‑d-oriented.

The surest way to ensure that this is successful is by performing an act of charity or other good deed before prayer. This indicates that our intentions are good, and that we are giving concrete expression to our desire that all our emotions and deeds follow these good intentions.

Before performing the good deed or giving the charity, however, it is necessary to say, "[I am doing this] in order to unify the Holy One, blessed be He, and His Shechina, in love and fear [of G‑d], in the name of all Israel." [In this way,] he will connect the yud-hei with the vav-hei.

chanoch adds: This is the first part of the Leshem Yichud.

"The Holy One, blessed be He", is usually an appellation for Zeir Anpin, indicated by the vav of the name Havayah, while the Shechina is an appellation for Nukva, indicated by the final hei of the name Havayah.

In this context, however, it appears that "The Holy One, blessed be He" denotes the yud-hei and the Shechina denotes the vav-hei. Or, perhaps, the union of the vav and final hei leads to the larger, more general union of the yud-hei and the vav-hei.

Another mystical meaning of tzedaka: When you give the coin, intend that word [for "coin", in Hebrew, "peruta"], means "289 vav-hei".

When you join the vav with the hei, the 289 states of severity are sweetened….

The word we are translating here as "coin" is "peruta", which is actually a coin of a specific value, i.e. the minimal value that is considered money in Jewish law. If one gives less than this amount, it is not considered as if he gave anything, he has not fulfilled the commandment to give charity, and he has not accomplished any of the mystical unions described here. The value of the peruta is that of 25 mg of pure silver; the value of this in present-day money fluctuates according to the value of the currency.

The word "peruta" is spelled pei-reish-vav-tet-hei. This may be split into pei-reish-tet and vav-hei. The numerical value of pei-reish-tet is 80 + 200 + 9 = 289.

The origin of the states of severity [reflected in poverty] is the 288 Sparks [of Tohu that fell into the Lower Worlds when the vessels of Tohu shattered]. Together with the kolel, this becomes 289. The states of severity are [manifest through] malchut [i.e. Nukva], the final hei of the name Havayah.

When you join the vav with the hei, the 289 states of severity are sweetened [i.e. rectified]; this is accomplished through tzedaka.

Joining the vav and the hei ensures that the hei, the means of G‑d's (and our) expression, is driven by the vav, the rectified emotions, rather than being a vehicle for the forces of evil.

Another aspect of tzedaka: The letter kuf alludes to Cain [as above], "the nest of impurity", the spreading of the [venom of the primordial] snake.

Specifically, this refers to the "leg" of the kuf [as above].

When you give charity, intend that thereby the kuf will become a hei, as the extension of the leg of the kuf is withdrawn upward, producing the form of the hei. [When this occurs,] it prevents the forces of evil from latching on [and deriving sustenance this way].

I heard [this latter idea] from Rabbi Eliyahu Falcon, in my teacher's [the Arizal's] name.

Translated and adapted by Moshe-Yaakov Wisnefsky from Likutei Torah, Shaar HaMitzvot, and Ta'amei HaMitzvot; subsequently published in "Apples From the Orchard."

The Real Jewish Blood Rites

Part 1

From the teachings of Rabbi Yitzchak Luria; translated and edited by Moshe Yaakov Wisnefsky

Proper intentions for slaughtering are the cosmic struggle between good and evil.

[Rabbi Chaim Vital relates:] The following are the meditations my master [the Arizal] of sainted memory taught to Rabbi Yitzchak Cohen, of blessed memory.

The Jewish people were given the commandment to slaughter animals according to specific rules before eating their meat:

"You must slaughter any of your herd or flock, which G‑d has given you, as I have commanded you. Only then may you eat [of them] in your gates as much as you desire." (Deut. 12:21)

Spiritualization of the physical flesh depends a great deal on the purity of thought and intentions…

In contrast to an everyday butcher, the ritual slaughterer [called a "shochet" in Hebrew] in Judaism is a position of great honor. In order to be a shochet, a person should ideally be of exemplary character, a Torah scholar, pious, and G‑d-fearing - in addition to being well-versed in the laws of ritual slaughter and expert in their performance. This is because, as we will see, the act of ritual slaughter - the first stage towards the eventual consumption of the flesh by the Jew - is an intensely spiritual act, and the spiritualization of the physical flesh depends a great deal on the purity of thought and intentions of the shochet.

As you know, regarding the mystical intentions one should have while eating, all creatures of this world need to be rectified and refined. This is in order that they reach the spiritual level of the primal matter of which they were made when the world was created.

The primordial sin, that of eating the fruit of the Tree of Knowledge of good and evil, caused a spiritual fall in the ability of material creation to sustain spiritual consciousness. Our task in life is to refine the physical world so that it can once again be receptive to this level of divine awareness.

This [level of refinement] is similar to [that exemplified by] the donkey of Rabbi Pinchas ben Yair./p

Rabbi Pinchas ben Yair was a Talmudic sage. His donkey refused to eat untithed barley. (Chulin 7a)

It happens many times that human souls are reincarnated into animals…

In addition, it happens many times that human souls are reincarnated into animals. If the animal is slaughtered with the proper intentions, its helps extricate the reincarnated soul from the punishment it is undergoing. It can then re-enter a human body the next time it enters this world, as it was meant to originally.

There are thus two basic objectives of ritual slaughter: to elevate the spiritual nature of the material animal flesh, and, in sporadic instances, to help the reincarnated soul finish its process of rectification.

The mystical purpose of ritual slaughter, then, is to sweeten all the judgments.

Both the descent [i.e. de-spiritualization] of material reality and the rectification process of the reincarnated soul are manifestations of G‑d's attribute of judgment (which was invoked in the first place by the sin or wrongdoing of man). Counteracting this attribute by spiritualizing reality is called "sweetening" the judgment.

[Note: Certain Talmudic sages are also known to have known various animal languages.]

One Thursday, we were sitting before my master, and a goat came up to us and placed its two front paws on the table. My master began to converse with it in its language. He then told me to go buy this goat, and have it slaughtered for Shabbat. He then told Rabbi Moshe Sofino to slaughter it according to the [above detailed] meditations. […] When I later asked my teacher what this soul did that it had to be punished by being reincarnated into this goat, he said that this soul was a great scholar from Talmudic times who had engaged in marital relations with his wife by candlelight. May G‑d preserve us, Amen.

Marital relations are supposed to be conducted in the dark, for reasons of modesty and intimacy. The Hebrew word for "goat" ["eiz"] also reads as "brash" [in Hebrew, "az"].

Translated and adapted by Moshe-Yaakov Wisnefsky from Shaar HaMitzvot and Taamei HaMitzvot; subsequently published in "Apples From the Orchard." available at Kabbala Online Shop]

Materialistic Meditations

Slaughtering demonstrates the cosmic struggle between divine consciousness and gross materialism.

From the teachings of Rabbi Yitzchak Luria; translated and edited by Moshe Yaakov Wisnefsky

[Rabbi Chaim Vital writes:] The following are the meditations my master [the Arizal] of sainted memory taught to Rabbi Yitzchak Cohen, of blessed memory.

The Jewish people were given the commandment to slaughter animals according to specific rules before eating their meat:

You must slaughter any of your herd or flock, which G‑d has given you, as I have commanded you. Only then may you eat [of them] in your gates as much as you desire." (Deut. 12:21)

Spiritualization of the physical flesh depends a great deal on the purity of thought and intentions…

In contrast to an everyday butcher, the ritual slaughterer (called a "shochet" in Hebrew) in Judaism is a position of great honor. In order to be a shochet, a person should ideally be of exemplary character, a Torah scholar, pious, and G‑d-fearing - in addition to being well-versed in the laws of ritual slaughter and expert in their performance. This is because, as we will see, the act of ritual slaughter - the first stage towards the eventual consumption of the flesh by the Jew - is an intensely spiritual act, and the spiritualization of the physical flesh depends a great deal on the purity of thought and intentions of the shochet.

As you know, regarding the mystical intentions one should have while eating, all creatures of this world need to be rectified and refined. This is in order that they reach the spiritual level of the primal matter of which they were made when the world was created.

The primordial sin, that of eating the fruit of the Tree of Knowledge of good and evil, caused a spiritual fall in the ability of material creation to sustain spiritual consciousness. Our task in life is to refine the physical world so that it can once again be receptive to this level of divine awareness.

This [level of refinement] is similar to [that exemplified by] the donkey of Rabbi Pinchas ben Yair.

Rabbi Pinchas ben Yair was a Talmudic sage. His donkey refused to eat untithed barley. (Chulin 7a)

It happens many times that human souls are reincarnated into animals…

In addition, it happens many times that human souls are reincarnated into animals. If the animal is slaughtered with the proper intentions, its helps extricate the reincarnated soul from the punishment it is undergoing. It can then re-enter a human body the next time it enters this world, as it was meant to originally.

There are thus two basic objectives of ritual slaughter: to elevate the spiritual nature of the material animal flesh, and, in sporadic instances, to help the reincarnated soul finish its process of rectification.

The mystical purpose of ritual slaughter, then, is to sweeten all the judgments.

Both the descent (i.e., de-spiritualization) of material reality and the rectification process of the reincarnated soul are manifestations of G‑d's attribute of judgment (which was invoked in the first place by the sin or wrongdoing of man). Counteracting this attribute by spiritualizing reality is called "sweetening" the judgment.

The first step of ritual slaughtering is preparing the knife. The knife must be perfectly smooth and free of any nicks. The shochet must check the knife by running it gently over his thumbnail before proceeding with the ritual slaughtering.

When you inspect the knife and sharpen it on the stone, your intention should be to remove all its defects [i.e. nicks]. The numerical value of the word for "defect" [in Hebrew, "pagam", spelled pei-gimel-mem] is [123,] equivalent to three times the number of letters in the divine name Eh-yeh when it is spelled in its simple form and two iterations of its spelling-out.

These [iterations of the name Eh-yeh] are thus all manifestations of the attribute of judgment; you should intend to sweeten them.

The divine name Eh-yeh is associated with the sefira of bina. Whereas chochma is the pristine experience of transcendent insight, bina is the analysis of the insight and its integration into the pre-existing mental structures of the mind. The mental process of chochma is an experience of wonder and openness, while that of bina is an experience of evaluation and judgment. Thus, the name Eh-yeh is associated with judgment.

Will it be slaughtered in order to…augment the world's consciousness of G‑d…?

It is instructive to note that the only time this name is used in the Bible is in the exchange between G‑d and Moses at the burning bush. Moses asks G‑d what he should tell the Jewish people G‑d's Name is. G‑d answers: "I shall be who I shall be". Rashi explains that G‑d was telling Moses to reassure the Jewish people that G‑d will be with them in future exiles, just as He was with them in the Egyptian exile. Thus, even the basic meaning of the name Eh-yeh is associated with exile, a manifestation of the divine attribute of judgment.

The way this is done is by raising the number 41 to the number 42. Forty-two is the number of letters in the divine name Havayah when it is spelled in its simple form and two iterations of its spelling-out. When it is spelled out thusly, using the letter yud, there are 41 letters. When it is spelled out in the same way using the letter alef, there are again 41 letters. When it is spelled out in the same way using the letter hei, there are again 41 letters. This gives a total of 123 letters, the numerical value of the word for "defect".

Eh-yeh spelled with the letter yud

אהיה

אלף הי יוד הי

אלף למד פה הי יוד יוד ויו דלת הי יוד

41 letters in total

Eh-yeh spelled with the letter alef

אהיה

אלףי הא יוד הא

אלף למד פי הא יוד יוד ויו דלת הא יוד

41 letters in total

Eh-yeh spelled with the letter hei

אהיה

אלףי הה יוד הה

אלף למד פי הה הה יוד יוד ויו דלת הה יוד

41 letters in total

41 x 3 = 123 total letters

The divine name Havayah is associated with attribute of mercy [The problem here is, as is readily seen, that when the name Eh-yeh is spelled out with the letter hei, only 39 letters are used. The Arizal himself states this explicitly elsewhere (Etz Chaim 14:8). [I have yet to find an explanation for this. - Ed.]

The divine name Havayah is associated with G‑d's attribute of mercy. There are four standard ways in which this name is spelled-out. If we consider the first three ways of spelling the name, we note that the number of letters in the simple spelling and two iterations of spelling-out together is 42.

Havayah spelled with the letter yud; numerical value: 72

Havayah spelled with the letter yud; numerical value: 45

chanoch adds: Students of Kabbalah have seen these spelled out iterationsb before. If you nheed help with this please ask me.

[You should count only the number of letters in the spellings-out of] the name Havayah whose numerical value are 72, 63, and 45. Three times 42 [= 126, which] is the numerical value of the word for "defect" ["pagam", 123] plus one for each of the three letters that compose the word itself [pei, gimel, and mem].

These names Havayah indicate divine mercy, which you have now substituted for the attribute of judgment indicated by the 41 letters of the name Eh-yeh, as we said.

The fourth spelling-out of the name Havayah, whose numerical value is 52 and is spelled out using the letter hei, does not possess 42 letters [in its simple spelling and two iterations of spelling-out].

Therefore, it cannot "counteract" the 41 letters of the spelling out of the name Eh-yeh and does not figure in this meditation.

Now, when you slaughter the animal, have in mind that the numerical value of the word for "the slaughtering" [in Hebrew, "hashechita", spelled hei-shin-chet-yud-tet-hei] is 337, which is three times the numerical value of the word "Yabok" [spelled yud-beit-kuf, which has a numerical value of 112]. 3 x 112 = 336; adding 1 for the value of the word "Yabok"as a whole gives 337. "Yabok" (or "Jabok") is the name of the river next to which Jacob wrestled with the angel of Esau. Slaughtering is thus a specific case of the cosmic struggle between good and evil, divine consciousness and gross material consciousness. Will the animal be slaughtered in order for man to satisfy his craving for meat, to aggrandize his animal nature? Or will it be slaughtered in order to heighten the awareness of G‑d's magnificence in creating the taste and satiation that accompany eating, and by utilizing the energy gained from eating to augment the world's consciousness of G‑d through Torah study and observance of the commandments?

[112] is also the combined numerical value of the names Havayah [26] and Elo-him [86]. These two names are situated in the throat, which is where the animal is slaughtered.

This will be explained presently. Whereas during the sharpening of the knife, the negativity of the name Eh-yeh was sweetened by the name Havayah, during the slaughtering itself, the negativity of the name Elo-him will be sweetened by the name Havayah.

The ideas and consciousness of the intellect …contract in order to pass through the neck on the way to the heart…

Have in mind that the numerical value of the word for "throat" [in Hebrew, "garon", spelled gimel-reish-vav-nun, which has a numerical value of 259] is three times that of the name Elo-him.

86 x 3 = 258; adding 1 for the value of the name Elo-him as a whole gives 259.

These [three names Elo-him] are the three immature "brains" which descend there [i.e., to the throat], as part of the development process of Zeir Anpin, as is known.

As we have explained previously, Zeir Anpin passes through three stage of consciousness in the course of its development as a partzuf. These are fetal consciousness, suckling consciousness, and mature consciousness. Mature consciousness is characterized by the mature influence of the intellect over the emotions. In other words, the consciousness of the intellect must, so to speak, descend into the realm of the emotions.

The conscious powers of the soul are all associated with corresponding locations within the body. Intellect is, of course, "in" the head, while the emotions are "in" the heart or torso. Between the head and the torso is the neck, which is of much smaller diameter than either the head or the torso. Thus, we may envision the ideas and consciousness of the intellect having to contract in order to pass through the neck on the way to the heart, where they can expand again to inform and permeate the emotions. This contraction is necessary, since intellect and emotion are two different worlds, and were the consciousness of the intellect to attempt to influence the emotions without any quantum leap of level (tzimtzum), the emotions would not be able to "relate to" or internalize any of the intellect's level of awareness. This neck-stage is thus crucial for the emotional maturation of Zeir Anpin (and by extension, every human being, who is a projection and manifestation of Zeir Anpin).

So, first, the three brains (chochma, bina, and daat) descend into the neck region on their way to the heart. But, as we said, these are mentalities of constricted consciousness, created by the power of contraction of the name Elo-him. This name indicates G‑d's power and strength of restraint. In order for these levels of consciousness to be able to influence the heart properly, they must be influenced here, before descending any further, by the name Havayah, indicating G‑d's mercy.

At this point, these names are manifestations solely of G‑d's judgment. Therefore have in mind to elicit three names Havayah, indicating mature consciousness. [Combining the names Havayah and Elo-him thus] will give three times Havayah-Elo-him, which as we said, is the numerical value of the word for "the slaughtering".

By removing the blood [which embodies] the attribute of judgment, one allows the three names Havayah that embody mature consciousness to shine into the soul incarnated into the animal. This rectifies it.

Blood is red, the color of severity and judgment (gevura).

After this, meditate on the fact that there are two channels in the throat [i.e., the trachea and the esophagus]. The numerical value of the word [used here to refer to an indicator of kosher slaughter] "sign" [in Hebrew "siman", spelled samech-yud-mem-nun, 160] is the same as that of the name Eh-yeh when spelled-out with the letter yud.

The numerical value of the first iteration of the spelling out of the name Eh-yeh using the letter yud is 161. So this equivalence requires adding 1 for the value of the word for "sign" as a whole.

The numerical value of the word for "trachea" [in Hebrew, "kaneh", spelled kuf-nun-hei, 155] is the same as that of the name Eh-yeh, when spelled out with the letter hei, plus 4 for sweetening each of the four base-letters of this name.

The numerical value of the first iteration of the spelling out of the name Eh-yeh using the letter hei is 151.

The numerical value of the word for "esophagus" [in Hebrew, "veshet", spelled vav-shin-tet, with a numerical value of 315] is seven times the numerical value of the word for "man" [in Hebrew, "adam", spelled alef-dalet-mem, equaling 45]. This number [315] is also related to the 320 states of severity associated with the blood of the throat, which is also a manifestation of severity.

We are to picture the mentality of the brain figuratively descending through the two channels of the throat into the torso. The act of ritual slaughtering, which empties these vessels of their blood, neutralizes the negative forces that threaten to thwart the safe passage of divine consciousness from head to heart.

Seven is the number of emotions that compose Zeir Anpin, the archetypal man-figure, as we have noted. It is these seven emotions whose rectification depends upon the successful transference of mind-consciousness through ritual slaughter. Thus, the seven man-emotions are rectified via the esophagus.

The number 320 is derived from the 288 Sparks of divine light that fell from the world of Tohu and became embedded as self-oriented consciousness and egocentricity in the fabric of the lower worlds, including ours. To this number is added the number 32, the number of times the name Elo-him (the name signifying divine judgment and severity) appears in the story of creation. The "320 states of severity" thus signify the negativity and egocentricity inherent in creation since the fall accompanying the primordial sin, which our task is to counteract by eliciting divine mercy and love.

The equivalence of 315 and 320 is arrived at probably by adding the definite article ("the", indicated by the Hebrew letter hei, which has a numerical value of 5) to the word for "esophagus" ("ha-veshet").

Now, through ritual slaughter, the dross in these states of severity is sweetened and refined.

[Note: Certain Talmudic sages are also known to have known various animal languages.]

One Thursday, we were sitting before my master, and a goat came up to us and placed its two front paws on the table. My master began to converse with it in its language. He then told me to go buy this goat, and have it slaughtered for Shabbat. He then told Rabbi Moshe Sofino to slaughter it according to the [above detailed] meditations. […] When I later asked my teacher what this soul did that it had to be punished by being reincarnated into this goat, he said that this soul was a great scholar from Talmudic times who had engaged in marital relations with his wife by candlelight. May G‑d preserve us, Amen.

Marital relations are supposed to be conducted in the dark, for reasons of modesty and intimacy. The Hebrew word for "goat" ("eiz") also reads as "brash" (in Hebrew, "az").

Translated and adapted by Moshe-Yaakov Wisnefsky from Shaar HaMitzvot and Taamei HaMitzvot, parashat Re'eh; subsequently published in "Apples From the Orchard."

Self-Sacrifice and the First-Born

The Jewish People are likened to unblemished offerings to G-d.

By Rabbi Isaiah Horowitz; adapted from Shenei Luchot HaBrit by Eliyahu Munk

The mystical dimension of the firstling of the pure male animals is an allusion to the people of Israel, who have been described by G‑d as His first-born (Ex. 4:22). They are without blemish, a perfect congregation whom G‑d has also called "sheep of My pasture"(Ezekiel 34:31). This is why they [these unblemished sheep] may only be eaten by the priests.

When such firstlings have become blemished and been redeemed, they may be eaten by ordinary Israelites. The deeper reason for this is because the Israelites themselves also possess some degree of sanctity, for they have been called "Adam". Adam used to be holy and would have remained holy had he not sinned. This firstling animal was also holy until it contracted a blemish, the equivalent of sin. Just as sinful man can redeem himself, as we know from the verse "I give men in exchange for you"(Isaiah 43:4), so can this animal be redeemed. This is the mystical dimension of the "scapegoat", which carries our sins. The Torah (Lev. 16:22) speaks of the he-goat of the azazel, which atones for the sins of a firstling animal contracting a blemish.

Death, in our case, simply means trading a temporary home for a permanent one….

On the other hand, we are forbidden to inflict a blemish on the firstborn in order to be able to consume it (after redemption). It is quite obvious that one must not benefit from such an action. It is also forbidden to use animals consecrated as an offering for any mundane task or to use their hair after it has been shorn. The reason for this is easy to understand when one considers that the tablets which Moses had shattered also retained their sanctity.

The general rule we can derive from all that we have said so far is that the "inner", i.e. most sublime, sacrifice is Adam. This explains our tradition that after death, the archangel Michael (acting as High Priest) offers up our souls on the Celestial Altar. (Chagigah 12) This is all part of the great mystery of man having been created in the image of G‑d.

In view of all these considerations, we can understand the Torah's repeated warnings regarding how careful we must be not to take human life before the most exhaustive interrogations of the witnesses and before a thorough examination of all the circumstances surrounding the accusation leveled against someone accused of a capital crime. When an execution is ordered after all these precautions not to commit judicial murder have been taken, such a death of the accused may be viewed as death at the hands of Heaven. Just as G‑d is a true witness and a true judge, so the members of the Supreme Court, the Sanhedrin, must be as clear about the guilt of the accused before they convict him as G‑d is clear in His mind about the guilt of people whose life He revokes. Once these procedures have been followed, the verse: "Death is precious to G‑d" (Psalms 116:15) has been fulfilled.

In view of the fact that "death is precious to G‑d" (since the divine soul of the Israelite is fit to be a sacrifice to G‑d only after the expiration of its body), the Torah commands us not to inflict cuts or incisions on our bodies as a sign of mourning for someone who has died. After all, we are "children of the Lord our G‑d", unlike the Canaanites. Those nations are quite right in performing such incisions as signs of mourning; when they lose a near and dear one, he is lost forever, for he, like them, has no share in the World to Come. On the other hand, when an Israelite dies, he joins his Father in Heaven, surely not something to be marked by disfiguring our bodies.

By not having been slaughtered in the most meticulous way, a great injustice may have been done….

Death, in our case, simply means trading a temporary home for a permanent one.

Returning to our main subject, that the person presenting the offering is in fact the real sacrifice (which we derived from the wording of Lev. 1:2), this has an additional mystical dimension: It can happen that man is "sacrificed" even in our world not only when the soul is sacrificed by the archangel Michael on the Celestial Altar. Ed.]. This happens as a result of the transmigration of souls, as we have explained. It is the reason why we are commanded to slaughter animals even when we consume them as non-consecrated meat. Extreme care has to be taken in the performance of ritual slaughter so that we do not wind up eating non-kosher meat; when this happens, the verse "He committed an outrage in Israel" (Gen. 34:7) would apply. No one knows whose soul the animal in question harbored. By not having been slaughtered in the most meticulous way, a great injustice may have been done. According to the directive "Love your neighbor like yourself", the obligation to kill the animal in such a way that its death elevates it spiritually is included. Should the animal die of natural causes (any cause other than approved ritual slaughter), the spirit of impurity which was contained in that animal will not have been released but will suffuse it. On the other hand, if it is healthy and contains some spark of sanctity and is killed by means of ritual slaughter, the soul will exist in purity.

chanoch adds: The description – spirit of impurity suffuses the animal – is accurate, in my opinion. It relates to the suffusion of adrenalin throughoutn the animal.

You will now understand that if someone eats tissue from a living animal (one that is not completely dead) he may possibly be practicing a form of cannibalism, i.e. eating tissue of a fellow human being whose soul was reincarnated in that animal. This is the mystical dimension of the Torah telling us, "Do not eat the soul with the flesh". (Deut. 12:23). The entire legislation about domestic animals, free roaming beasts, or even birds which are "impure" is connected to the possibility that such animals harbor a spark of holiness by being host to a soul which had once inhabited a human body, a soul which had originated in the celestial spheres. It is irrelevant in this respect whether the soul in question originated in the "left" or the "right" side of the sefirot.

Translated and adapted by Eliyahu Munk, from Rabbi Isaiah Horowitz; adapted from Shenei Luchot HaBrit by Eliyahu Munk

Miracles Prove Nothing

Just as in a human relationship, so love of G-d is proven only by having been successfully tested.

Translated and annotated by Rahmiel-Hayyim Drizin from PaRDeS HaBahir

This series is translating the Sefer Bahir.. The translator has chosen to utilize different commentaries from different Sages and categorize these comments according to the 4 levels of Torah referred to as Pardes = Garden. The Pshat level is the Pei of Pardes. Pshat refers to simple or naked energy level. The Raish is the Remez = hints in the Torah. The Dalet is the drash level of Torah. This is the ethical level. The Samech is the Sod level or secrets of the Torah.

"If there will arise among you a prophet, or a dreamer of a dream, and he gives you a sign or a wonder." (Deut. 13:2)

Peshat (basic meaning):

Rashi: "and he gives you a sign"

There are two different versions of his commentary in the traditional texts.

chanoch adds: Just as Avraham was tested to go against his nature by sacrificing his son Isaac and Isaac went against his nature by accepting the binding each of us will need toprove our love of HaShem by being asked to go against our natures.

Ramban: Scripture commands that we don't listen to he who prophesies in the name of G‑d to worship idols nor take note of the signs and wonders he will make. And it mentions the reason - because we know from the Exodus from Egypt which was an actual event—not a vision nor a mirage—that the earth is G‑d's, and He is the Creator, the One Who wills all, and the Omnipotent, and there is no god beside Him, and we further know from the revelation at Mount Sinai that, "face to face," He commanded us to walk in this way, not to worship anything at all beside Him, and that He has not given His glory to another god. Thus the prophet has spoken perversion against G‑d, Who never commanded him so, or he spoke perversion against His Glory, for it is not proper to worship another god.

Lubavitcher Rebbe: "G‑d is testing you to know whether you do in fact love G‑d"

The stronger one's faith remains even under adverse circumstances, the sooner it will become clear it was all a matter of a test. But this faith should not be merely a matter of lip service, but must have the full force of conviction.

Sod (esoteric, mystical meaning):

Zohar Va'era Midrash Neelam 106:

Rabbi opened by quoting the verse: "Now these are the nations which G‑d left, to test Israel by them..." (Jud. 3:1) Rabbi said: I have been looking into that world, and saw that the world can exist only because of righteous people who have control over the desire of their hearts. As it is written: "this he ordained in Yehosef for a testimony..." (Ps. 81:6) Rabbi Yehudah then said: Why did Joseph/Yehosef merit that high level and the kingdom? The answer is because he overcame his lust. As we have learned, the heavenly Kingdom awaits he who overcomes his lustful desires. G‑d has created the Evil Inclination solely for the purpose of trying humanity.

As Rabbi Aha has said: G‑d has created the Evil Inclination solely for the purpose of trying humanity. And does G‑d intend on trying humanity? Yes. How do we know this? From the verse: "If there arise among you a prophet or a dreamer of dreams...And the sign or the wonder came to pass...For G‑d your G‑d tests you..." (Deut. 13:2-3)

BeRahamim LeHayyim:

What to make of dreams? The Talmud calls them a "sign/letter," and if you fail to interpret them, it is like a letter unread. Think about that. A letter sent to you from your inner Maggid/story teller, telling you something you need to know from the higher and more concealed realms. If you don't kick it around, it goes unread. And when you do, Beware! — Dreams follow their interpretation!

Got a bad dream? We Jews even have a mechanism all set up called "Amelioration of a Dream": One who has a bad dream should see 3 buddies to declare that the dream should be interpreted for the good. This is based on the concept that a dream may include a portent of things to come, as the Talmud illustrates that most indications can have either a good or a bad result. So, the sincere good wishes of the 3 listeners can bring about a dream's favorable interpretation. (Berachot 55b)

The dreamer need not tell his friends the dream, but he should have it in mind during the ritual that appears in most traditional prayer-books. It is good to fast and do teshuvah, , but not required. If the dream is very upsetting, one may even fast on Shabbat or Yom Tov. (Shulchan Aruch, Orech Hayyim 220, 286)

We are also told that our thoughts during the day prepare the way for dreams at night. Naughty thoughts lead to Naughty dreams.

Sounds simple, but probably has lots of truth. The above Zohar additionally reveals the danger in accepting another's dream as a prediction from G‑d. We need to be careful about accepting another's reality or belief structure hook, line, and sinker. The Torah warns about such a "dreamer", saying that it's all a test from G‑d to keep us on the straight and narrow path.

Translated and annotated by Rahmiel-Hayyim Drizin from PaRDeS HaBahir