Wednesday, March 29, 2006

Two Enochs are better than one

Genesis 4:17 And Cain knew his wife; and she conceived, and bore Enoch; and he builded a city, and called the name of the city after the name of his son Enoch.

First there is Enoch born directly from Cain. The line continues through Lamech who apparently also is to be cursed for killing a man. In this line of succession we hear nothing about the length of years each descendant lived; only that they were alive from the seed of the other. Then we switch to Adam's direct descendants via Seth who replaces Abel the murdered son.

And Jared lived after he begot Enoch eight hundred years, and begot sons and daughters.
Once again Enoch appears coming from Adam via Seth-Enosh-Kenan-Mahalalel-Jared-Enoch.

22 And Enoch walked with God after he begot Methuselah three hundred years, and begot sons and daughters.
This Enoch walks with God and apparently has more children.

23 And all the days of Enoch were three hundred sixty and five years.
This is how long Enoch was around. It doesn't say he lived these years but rather he was around all these years and then in the next verse he disappears.
24 And Enoch walked with God, and he was not; for God took him.
He is still walking with God and then is not.
And Methuselah lived a hundred eighty and seven years, and begot Lamech.
Then there is the appearance of another Lamech not from Cain but through Adam like Enoch was.

Undoubtedly there is a lot to consider here. Using the language of symbolism we will substitute these names for concepts and see what shakes out. First there is Cain. Cain is a flawed creation. It is a thought that was conceived in negativity. Yes these thoughts tend to promote themselves as in evidence of the continuing line of Cain or the negative thinking that issues from Cain. Cain brings forth Enoch which is the first result of this negative thinking. Enoch continues through to Lamech where abruptly the line stops and we start in from Adam again. Lamech or Lemech appears this first time and is the bearer of the same kind of evil that Cain brought upon himself. Negative thinking may skip a generation but will always take root given the proper ground in this case Lamech. This is why we attempt to shut off at the root or at Cain the negative thought so that this branch is not populated with the permutations of negative thinking.

Then after a series of permutations through Seth a stronger line is evidenced by the longevity of this series. The deliberate listing of their ages here speaks to the strength of your hearts desire which continues until it reaches the Enoch generation where Enoch walks with God even as he is born. At last we come again to Lamech who leads to Noah and then the rest of the saga is born.

Lets answer some questions first to set the stage for inquiry.
What does it mean that Enoch walked with God? This is telling us that the birth of our hearts desire comes from our connection with God and issues forth first as an idea and then as an idealized form. This idea runs its course and Enoch is no more. The idea however remains in the seed of Enoch and is then expanded now on this level of manifestation represented by the stories in the Torah. The first Enoch born of Cain did not walk with God. There were ideas of course but there wasn't any connection. Remember that the plan is for each image or idea to become whole in the image and likeness of its creator. This speaks about the inspirations that we receive each day that may not be a part of the greater whole or may lead us into areas of experience that are unpleasant. This first Enoch eventually produces through his offspring or the correlates of thought Lamech. This Lamech commits the same sin of murder as Cain and fears punishments several degrees harsher than Cain. The lesson here is to resist the negative thoughts and all that they bring forth into the world. Clearly after many generations the murdering thought still appears via Lamech. This murdering thought is what sabotages our good thoughts causing us to travel on a road leading no where. The trail of this first Enoch and Lamech leads as well to no where as do all negative thoughts taken to their logical extension. Negative thought cannot build and must therefore be consigned forever to oblivion. The hereditary line of Cain stops abruptly and is never spoken of again; an allegory for how we may treat our own negative thinking.

Enoch walks with God which means that Enoch gets it. He looks for the connection and lives within the fold of listening intently for his hearts desire. Enoch so gets it that he is able to be taken up by God. This taking up by God is more of a merging with God; an acceptance in totality of the both initial thought and the realized form. Out of the is merging comes a new vibration incubated by Lamech number two and then revealed in Noah. This is how inspiration flows through us illuminating our hearts and minds and then leading us into others levels of wonderment.

Summary: Two Enochs and two Lamechs. There are no coincidences in the Torah. Yes there are hidden treasures but sometimes the best hiding place is right out in the open. Perhaps you've noticed this double entry in the past or have read a Midrash concerning this. Still today's light as with all illumined entries for Modern Kabbalah leads us into another level of discernment which we can carry through into the ever expanding vistas of blessings and wisdom that prevails where Torah touches our lives.

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