Wednesday, June 01, 2005

Bahir 23-26

Spoken from Yoda: Clear it is the way that is watered well. The next verse speaks to the heart of Kabbalah and therefore to the heart of our lives.

'23. Rabbi Rahumai said: From your words we could conclude that the needs of this world were created before the heavens. He answered yes. What does this resemble? A king wanted to plant a tree in his garden. He searched the entire garden to find a spring flowing with water that would nourish the tree, but could not find any. He then said, "I will dig for water, and will bring forth a spring to nourish the tree." He dug and opened a well, flowing with living water. He then planted the tree, and it stood, giving forth fruit. It was successfully rooted, since it was always watered from the well.'

The heart of Kabbalah is the well from which all of our inspirations spring forth. Inspiration is what produces the tree and then the fruits of our thoughts. This isn't a single case of being inspired but a wellspring which continually waters the garden of our imagination. What is being described here is the growth of being as it goes through the steps of imaging and then of manifestation. This passage here provides us with an excellent vision for meditation, one in which we will derive an unending supply of light. Before any undertaking remember this well that overflows and waters your imagination. We are being given a vision of the inner school where such visions are commonplace. More than this we are being invited to attend this school on a daily basis. Our teacher as always the voice within the waters. In this case the voice is alluded to by the King in the analogy. Continuous flow is the lesson. Think on this idea and bear your fruit in peace.

Moving on the verse 24,

'24. Rabbi Yanai said: The earth was created first, as it is written (Genesis 2:4), "[On the day that God made} earth and heaven." They said to him: Is it not written (Genesis 1:1), "[In the beginning God created] the heaven and the earth"? He replied: What is this like? A king bought a beautiful object, but since it was not complete, he did not give it a name. He said, "I will complete it, I will prepare its pedestal and attachment, and then I will give it a name." It is thus written (Psalm 102:26), "From eternity You founded the earth" - and then, "the heavens are the work of Your hands." It is furthermore written (Psalm 104:2), "He covered Himself with light like a garment, He spread out the heaven like a curtain, He rafters His upper chambers with water." It is then written (Psalm 104:4), "He makes the winds His angels, His ministers of flaming fire." Finally, it is written (Psalm 104:5), "He founded the earth on its pedestals, that it not be removed for the world and forever." When He made its pedestal, He strengthened it. It is therefore written, "that it not be moved." What is its name? "And Forever (VoEd) is its name. And [the name of] its pedestal is "World" (Olam). It is therefore written, "for the World And Forever."

Most of amazing of all is that there is this kernel of thought that speaks through this whole passage. It is speaking about the place we stand in mind where our thoughts emanate from. This place can only be evolved or revealed in symbol. Look at this place with water in the upper chambers, angels are flying by as the winds of heaven, and flaming fire arises from here. What is their meaning? Thought as angels (inspiration), as fire (higher order of angels), and as pedestal. Pedestal is something that raises something else on high. This pedestal is our certainty. Our certainty raises our thoughts to the level of manifestation where we see that which we've heretofore only envisioned in thought. Once our thoughts appear they are forever. The phrase above "for the World and Forever," means that thought remains not only to produce form (the World) but also continues forever. The light that he covers himself with is the glow from the certainty of intention. It is worn as a garment and thought spread out as a curtain is spread out from the heaven to encompass everything below. It is intention complete wrapped in holiness (again certainty raised even higher) giving forth of itself to the upper waters (rafters-the sending forth of thought incessantly transformed into raised ideation).

The idea of certainty continues in the next verse 25.

'25. Rabbi Berachiah said: What is the meaning of the verse (Genesis 1:3), And God said, 'Let there be light,' and there was light"? Why does the verse not say, "And it was so"? What is this like? A king had a beautiful object. He puts it away until he had a place for it, and then he put it there. It is therefore written, "Let there be light, and there was light." This indicates that it already existed. '

The eternal existence of light not created but called into being because it already was. This is certainty. It is always there for us to call into being in whatever world we find ourselves making. We don't have to make certainty. We take it from where it already is inside of us. This is very important to remember. We are taught how to walk but our certainty is there for the taking and is meant to be a part of our thinking process. We can reach up or within and clothe ourselves in our certainty and then think about what we want. In this very special garment our thoughts come out like wings of angels with flaming fire.

Verse 26 takes us well inside the vision and the inner working of mind imaged thought.

'26. Rabbi Amorai said: What is the meaning of the verse (Exodus 15:3), "God is a man (Ish) of war"? Mar Rahumai said to him: Great master, do not ask about something that is so simple. Listen to me and I will advise you. He said to him: What is this like? A king had a number of beautiful dwellings, and he gave each one a name. One was better than the other. He said, "I will give my son this dwelling whose name is Aleph. This one whose name is Yod is also good, as is this one whose name is Shin." What did he do then? He gathered all three together, and out of them he made a single name and a single house. He said: How long will you continue to conceal your meaning? The other replied: My son, Aleph is the head. Yod is second to it. Shin includes all the world. Why does Shin include all the world? Because with it one writes an answer (T'shuvah). '

The man of war is the strategic plan. It is thought directed. In war troops are directed here and there. In thought mind is directed to focus on this and that according to the intention. The three houses are dwelling places of thought, temporary homes which resolve into on home which is the directed intention. The first house symbolized by Aleph is the original inspiration where thoughts gather and then move in transformation to the second home sybolized by Yod. Yod is the hand of creation where the inspiration turns into the formation of what is to be. Shin includes all the world since the result of all thought is its expression into greater and greater degrees of clarity called form when brought to earth. As form and also as answer. The question inspires the answer, the final product of our inquiry.

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