Bleeding Curtain Miracle
Part II. Organ Manufacture
Curtain
Slash
Since the Jews' transgressions pierced the supernal
vessels, G-d chose a miracle that would communicate the character of their travesty.
That's why Titus's curtain slash exuded blood. G-d wanted everyone to know that
a similar crime had been perpetrated against Him.
It is inappropriate
that G-d's Light reach the extraneous forces, which is intended solely for the
Jewish people. The verse informs us, "G-d shines His Face on you." (Numbers
6:25) The Hebrew word for "face" is derived from the same root as the
word "inner." G-d's Inner Light shines only to Jews.
Making Supernal Man
What is unique to Jews that they
alone deserve G-d's radiance? Only Jews perform mitzvot, and mitzvot make vessels
for the Infinite Light. The verse confirms this, "And you shall observe all
My decrees and all My ordinances, and you shall do them; I am G-d." (Leviticus
19:37) Torah explains, "As is you made me." Jews make the organs and
vessels of the World of Emanation.
Here's how it works. Emanation
has six emotive attributes: Kindness, Severity, Splendor, Victory, Majesty and
Foundation (Yesod). Kabbala calls their construct (parztuf) "Little Faces"
(Z'eir Anpin). Every construct is a self-contained entity. No realm, though, can
function without higher intelligence. The attributes of Wisdom, (Chochmah), Understanding
(Binah) and Knowledge (Daat) operate on Z'eir Anpin's six sefirot.
Kabbala
makes the following calculation. When the three intellectual attributes are added
to Z'eir Anpin's six sefirot, they total nine. Each attribute contains an element
of the others; multiplied together, 49 is produced. Every attribute also possesses
an inner, intermediate and outer dimension, making 243 dimensions in all. Now
add the five attributes of Kindness, which direct the flow of the life-force.
What's the grand total? Two hundred and forty eight.
These
are the 248 organs of Z'eir Anpin, also called the Supernal Man of the World of
Emanation, that correspond to the 248 organs in the human body. They also match
the 248 positive commandments of the Torah, each of which makes its corresponding
organ-vessel above.
Metamorphosis Exchange
Chassidus
provides an alternative explanation of making vessels. Not only do mitzvot cause
the vessels to expand, they bring about their actual construction.
Vessels
are, after all, relatively finite entities, far removed in value from the Essence
of G-d. The Book of Formation says of the Essence, "You don't possess any
of these attributes at all." That's why Emanation's vessels are called mere
products of G-d's action.
All of Emanation's vessels must be
"built" and brought into existence to enable the Infinite Light to become
enclothed in them. To accomplish this, there must first be an arousal from below.
An object is nullified to G-d. That elicits a Divine Response: G-d shines his
Infinite Light and vessels to make Supernal Man. By our transforming physicality
into spirituality, G-d transmutes His spirituality into the "physicality"
of vessels.
Three Thoughts
Isaiah
says, "My Thoughts are not your thoughts." (Isaiah 55:8) This verse
speaks of three levels of thought; the highest of which is Thought of Thought,
the intermediate is Speech of Thought, and the lowest is Action of Thought.
Jewish
souls derive from G-d's Thought of Thought. That's why they have the ability,
through Torah and mitzvot, to effect G-d's lower Speech of Thought. From there
are emitted vessels and Light in Genesis's Ten Creation Utterances: "And
G-d said 'Let there be light." (Genesis 1:3)
But what
caused Speech of Thought to emit the letters of Creation? King David reveals the
secret, "For I said the World of Kindness is built." (Psalms 89:3) Here
G-d speaks out His heart - the highest Thought of Thought. From there, G-d's innermost
Thought descends to the level of Speech of Thought to enact Creation. That's why
David's verse concludes, "the World of Kindness is built," referring
to the vessel of Kindness of Emanation.
Folly's Free
Lunch
Jews cause G-d to emanate vessels and additional
Infinite Light into Emanation. Emanation itself is radiated from its specific
source, the Long Faces (Arich Anpin), found in the external dimension of Crown
(Keter) of Emanation. But that refers to Emanation's standard Lights, and here
we are referring to new, additional lights. Their source is the Essence of G-d,
completely removed and beyond the creation process. This aspect of G-d, called
the Infinite One (Ein Sof), shines forth Infinite Light (Ohr Ein Sof). That's
the Light Jews bring down into the World of Emanation.
Emanation's
vessels expand as Jew-inspired Infinite Light showers into their midst. Vessels
are strengthened and broadened as they acclimate to new Infinity. This is the
Light, which now shines, in Supernal Man. And when Jews' misdeeds puncture one
of its vessels, Infinite Light cascades into the netherworlds.
A
question arises: How is it possible that Light, which originates at the most sublime
of levels, bestows undeserving vitality to evil and impurity?
Chassidus
explains that Infinite Light's source is from the Externality of Essence. Its
infinity precludes differentiation - just as a circle has no beginning or end.
Before this aspect of G-d, light and darkness, good and evil, small and great
are all equal, for the Essence equally transcends everything. That's why evildoers
can also enjoy Infinite Light's benefit. This is similar to the Jews' condition
before the Giving of the Torah. Tracking through the wilderness, the Jews complained,
"We remember the fish that we ate in Egypt free of charge." (Numbers
11:5) "Free of charge" is interpreted as without mitzvot.
Light Guards
At Mount Sinai things changed: G-d introduced
mitzvot. Mitzvah-vessels have a unique character. When an object is used for a
mitzvah it becomes subjected to G-d's Will. As a result, it loses its sense of
self-identity. Now the object can receive revealed Infinity. Likewise, above,
Supernal Man's new vessels receive Infinite Light. By encasing the Light, they
ensure its illumination stays solely in the realm of Divinity.
A
verse makes this clear, "To guard all of my mitzvot." (Leviticus 19:37)
By means of performing mitzvot, G-d's Infinite Light is protected. Conversely,
transgressions pierce open the vessels. No longer able to restrain the Light,
it shines unfettered into domains of impurity.
On
to Part III