Bahir 172

See how now we weave the fruits of thought into the form, the counterpart, the image of the Holy One Blessed be He.

Verse 172. And what are the sons? I have already told you that the Blessed Holy One has seven Holy Forms. All of them have a counterpart in man, as it is written (Genesis 9:6), "for in the form of God He made man." It is likewise written (Genesis 1:27), "In the form of God He made him, male and female He made them." This is what they are: The right and left legs; The right and left hands; The body, covenant and head. But these are only six. You have said that there are seven. The seventh is with his wife. It is thus written (Genesis 2:24) , "And they shall be one flesh." But she was taken from his ribs, as it is written (Genesis 2:21), "And He took one of his ribs." He said: Yes from his ribs. Does he then have a rib? Yes. It is written (Exodus 26:20), "the ribs of the tabernacle." The Targum renders this, "the side of the tabernacle." And what is His side? What is this like? A king had an idea to plant ten male trees in a garden. All of them were date palms. He said, "Since they are all the same kind, it is impossible for them to endure." What did he do? He planted an Etrog among them. This was one of those which he had intended to be male. And why is the Etrog female? Because it is written (Leviticus 23:40), "The fruit of a beautiful tree, fronds of a date palm, [branches of a tree of leaves, and willows of the brook]." What is the fruit of a beautiful (hadar) tree? The Targum renders this verse, "The fruit of the Etrog tree, and the Lulav. "

Commentary: There are lots of meaning here of course and associations that could be made all across the board. Here we will choose to zone in the meanings most pertinent to this very moment. The sons represent your ideas and inspirations. In man these ideas are represented by the seven holy forms designated by the various sections of the body represented above. These representation however, go far beyond the body in these various meanings. We need to first figure out what direction are we being led into and that direction comes from the splitting off of the idea into its feminine counterpart without which these ideas cannot become ensouled in form. The body is referred to as the tabernacle and in a very true spiritual sense it is this. Why? Because the body reflects the mind and the mind in its upward glancing reflects the holy one blessed be he. The male trees give us the same kind of imagery especially as the female etrog is place in their midst. Without this parcelling or splitting of the female in the midst of the male creation does not proceed. In a mystical sense this is the effecting of the unity of Yud K and Vav and K providing the inner operation the Elohim as the above transforms the below and the cycle becomes a continuous channel. How does this help us? What practical value is there for us here?

When your thoughts are aroused on high there has to be a bridge or a connection between your thoughts and on high in order that your intentions or prayers may be realized. What is this connection? It is the Shekinah. The Shekinah is the feeling counterpart of G-d. It is isn't enough therefore to pray in sequence a list or a litany of requests. We must also engage our feelings to respond to the upper levels of awareness. Joy open up these doors as we pray in fulfillment of our prayers having already been answered. How else could we get a taste of the Divine unless we assume the feeling of both asking and receiving as part of the same operations. The date palms are called all of the same kind. It is also said that they could not endure with the Etrog planted amongst them. Our intentions no how firmly placed or placed cannot last without our feelings in particular the feelings of having and knowing that our prayers are answered. When we pray we rouse the above and also earth the below. It is a two fold intention reception. Nothing however will appear until we take heed to the first commandment.

I AM THE LORD YOUR GOD, WHO BROUGHT YOU OUT OF THE LAND OF EGYPT.

There is no transformation into form without the recognition of the power that effects all such transitions from one state of being to another. This conversation needs to be ongoing and indeed can never cease. Egypt is the status quo which must decay. G-d represents the transformation of change for the better. In order to pull yourself up you have to lift up your eyes to heaven and allow your feelings to connect in every way that you can think of by saying 'YES' to this divine connection.