Bahir Verse 199

An esoteric explanation is required here to get us beyond the surface details.

Verse 199. The soul of the female comes from the Female, and the soul of the male comes from the Male. This is the reason why the Serpent followed Eve. He said, "Her soul comes from the north, and I will therefore quickly seduce her." And how did he seduce her? He had intercourse with her.

Commentary: Think of Creation as being Female or that which takes on the Image of the Male Creator. Drop Male and Female for now and just consider the Creator and Creation. What is this Serpent? It is conditional Time. The original template for Creator and Creation is this.

Ex: 1:3 And God said: 'Let there be light.' And there was light.

The Intention is for there to be Light. This Intention is realized instantaneously. Not only does light appear but it also seems to appear in the past even before it is commanded to be it already was. What it should read here perhaps is ‘let there be light and there is light.’ The Creator sends forth its Intention which then becomes Creation. However, these two concepts are really both a part of the same process. Let us just say that there is a seamless connection between Creator and Creation. Now the concept of the Serpent is brought into play. The Serpent is the thought that no development is needed in order for Creation to process. It is the thing without the spirit of the thing. It is knowledge without the understanding of that knowledge that gives meaning to it. The Serpent co-opts the original intention substituting a shadow that entices and teases but never comes to fruition. Eve represents the imaged form that comes from the Creator. She is the budding of awareness born from within continuously anew. The Serpent represents side channel or illusory thoughts coming from without. It is our reactive nature. Eve is Adam turned on his side so that Adam will not be alone. This is the beginning of the extension of this ongoing conversation.

Gen 1:26 And God said: 'Let us make man in our image, after our likeness; and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth.'

Creator and Creation already engage in this conversation. It is One speaking to One. Now inside of the flesh of this Creation is made an image of this ongoing process.

Gen: 1: 27 And God created man in His own image, in the image of God created He him; male and female created He them.

In this way both Creator and Creation are projected inside of their own image. The unity is complete.

Then following the Gen 2:4 … ‘the generations of the heaven and of the earth when they were created…’ In other words following all of the outcomes that have resulted from this we find that man is then created again.

Gen 2: 7 Then the LORD God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul.

What was man before? Man was an image both male and female. Man was the operation of Creator and Creation simultaneously brought forth. Now for the third time YHVH appears in connection with Elohim. What is this soul of man? It is evidenced by the use of YHVH Elohim for third time in Torah alluding to the Yetzirah level of being. It is man's own cognizance of divinity within unrealized potential to be placed in operation at the fourth instance of YHVH Elohim (alluding to the level of Asaiah of being) when Man is placed (planted as a tree) in the Garden. What is this Garden. It is the world of response. Whatsoever this man thinks the Garden then takes on the impress of this thought.

The Garden remains with us in always in the background as evidence of ongoing Creation. It still receives the impress of our thoughts.

We were given free will by design. We were meant to impress the garden with our thoughts since this is by reflection the same process that was and is used for the Creator bringing about Creation. What is this Other? It is the interference between what we think and what the Other is telling us. For example, I want to experience a joyful life so then I start thinking about this joyful life and then someone comes along and no you cannot experience this joyful life. It is wrong. You should do this or you should do that. The Serpent is the inventor of lies and the inventor of the 'you should do this, or you should not do this' school. The other seeks to supplant his voice for your own that you are by the way always already receiving directly from the Creator. Once the Other is successful your voice becomes secondary and that is where all of our problems come from. This is the moment of separation that has not only continued but is promoted by every person who tells another what he or she should do. We're here to dress and keep the Garden right? How are we to do this? By listening and then embodying the voice of the Creator who impresses his thought upon her Creation. No intermediary is necessary and in fact must be avoided at all costs. The time-honored way to purify your thoughts from the impress of the Other is to change your mind activating your free will to choose which thoughts not only to think about but also to expand upon to produce the appropriate outgrowths. The trick with free will is to choose wisely from within from the limitless library of like vibrations moving ever higher in frequency as we the approach unity between Creator and Creation. This is the culmination of human experience and the highpoint of Torah when G-d’s name is revealed, as I am that I am. Whatever the Creator thinks upon is reflected and impressed upon Creation. My thoughts and the experiences that result from those thoughts are one. It has to be this unless you willfully choose thoughts to expand upon that have outgrowths that lead to chaos.

Both Creator and Creation reside within. We all have the life's journey to figure this out and build our world accordingly. We have to learn to deny the Other since this Other is merely the result of what someone has placed upon us in order to manipulate our thinking with those Serpentine words 'for your own good.' The only good that is truly ours is that which we are able to come upon by communion-connection with the Creator-Creation within.

This finishes the section on the Sephiroth that we’ve been considering since verse 123.

193. And what is the meaning of the verse (Genesis 49:24), "From there is the Shepherd, the Rock of Israel." From "There" is nourished the Rock of Israel. What is the meaning of "from There"? We say that this is the Supernal Righteous One (Tzadik). What is it? It is [the precious stone called] Socheret. And the stone that is below it is called Dar. And what are the rays mentioned in the verse (Habakkuk 3:4), "He has rays from His hand"? These are the five fingers of the right hand.

Commentary: We are repeating somewhat of what we’ve learned in the previous verses but this time we are putting them into context with each other. The meanings share each other’s radiance like the sharpened rays of a crystal will reflect through one another. What is important here is the word “there.” This tells us that there is a place within from which all the radiance of Hashem is shining. The purpose in telling us of this place is to remind us that the presence of Hashem within is a very real thing. This presence of Hashem emanates specifically from what is called the ‘rock of Israel.’ It is called the ‘supernal righteous one’ and yet as we can see these descriptions never quite pinpoint where exactly is this precious stone called ‘Socheret.’ All I can tell you about this radiant energy is that is does truly flow through us and there is what is called ‘Dar’ as a point of push off that defines the outflow of energy that in higher thought is recognized as Hashem. Coming here at the end of the section on the Sephiroth tells us that this zimzum or lightning flash is a product of inspiration that flows continuously according to our recognition of it. In keeping with that recognition the rays that are represented by the five fingers of the right hand alludes to our intention and the grounding of this energy in tangible form. The right hand reflects Chesed, which relates to the Supernal Righteous One who is a source for the blessings that ensue from the brilliance or overflowing of Hashem throughout our awakened consciousness. When you try and describe the indescribable you try and get as close as possible. After that it is up to you to take it the rest of the way. There is a deep secret here. Continue to meditate on this verse and see where it leads you.

Verse 189 And master, you are the one who told us in Rabbi Yochanan's name that there are only two arms of the world." He replied: Yes. But here "rays" allude to the two rays that are below them. And what are they? He said: With the anger of your head. And what is above? He said: The fear of God.

Commentary: What we are talking about here is the extension of awareness that takes place in response to one level influencing another level. There is subtle interplay of energies taking place between thoughts and our emotions. When it says the anger of your head we are talking about a projection of thought that starts out below and then ascends naturally by the attraction of what is called the fear of God. The pathways within are described in this manner in order to convey the spatial confluences of the various levels of discovery engendered by these questions and answers. The techniques used here throughout the Bahir and its corollary the Zohar apply to the study of consciousness through direct inquiry.

190. And what is the fear of God? It is the first light. Rabbi [Meir] thus said: Why is it written (Genesis 1:3), "And God said, 'let there be light,' and there was light"? Why does it not say, "and it was so"? But this teaches us that the light was very intense, so that no created thing could gaze upon it. God therefore stored it away for the righteous in the Ultimate Future. This is the measure of all merchandise (Secorah) in the world. It is also the power of the precious stones that are called Socheret and Dar. And upon what is the attribute of Dar? This teaches us that God took a thousandth of its radiance, and from it He constructed a beautiful precious stone. In it He included all the commandments. Abraham came, and He sought a power to give him. He gave him this precious stone, but he did not want it. He was worthy and took Kindness as his attribute, as it is written
(Micah 7:20), "Kindness to Abraham." Isaac came, and He sought a power, but He gave it to him and he did not want it. He was worthy and took the attribute of Strength, which is [called] Terror. It is thus written (Genesis 31:53), "And Jacob swore by the Terror of Isaac his father." Jacob came and wanted it, but it was not given to him. They said, "Since Abraham is above and Isaac is below him, you will be in the centre and take all three." What is the centre? It is peace, as it is written (Micah 7:20), "You give Truth to Jacob." Truth is identical with Peace, as it is written (Esther 9:30), "Words of Peace and Truth." It is likewise written (2 Kings 20:19), "For peace and truth will be in my days." This is the meaning of the verse (Isaiah 58:14), "I will feed you with the inheritance of Jacob your father." This is a complete inheritance (Nachalah), comprising Kindness, Terror, Truth and Peace. It is therefore written (Psalm 118:22), "The stone despised by the builders has become the chief cornerstone." This is the Stone that was despised by Abraham and Isaac, the builders of the world, and that then became the chief cornerstone.

Commentary: What is this first light? It is the moment of aha when you make the discovery within that has been sitting there on the tip of your tongue. This is the light as is said above that was stored away for the Righteous. Then it goes on to say that it is the "measure of all merchandise (Secorah) in the world." Let's think about this process. When you encompass an idea to the point that it thrills you this represents a raised state of discovery within. This discovery within may be extended without. This is where the idea of merchandise comes into play. The merchandise represents all of those things which mirror our expressions. Think about this. No matter what it is what your are thinking about that will make your world and your ultimate happiness. That is why we
are talking about these stones Socheret and Dar. They are symbolic of this first flash of inspiration that must be followed up on in order to uncover the secrets of our lives. Each of us receives the power that is closest to our inmost nature. Abraham received Kindness and Isaac, Terror while Jacob received Peace which the text reminds us is the same as truth. Let’s take a look at this center that is called Peace that is the stone the builders rejected. Consciousness proceeds from the Mystery yet our connection to Mystery is in myriad ways. As we see in this verse Abraham connected via Kindness and Isaac connected via Terror more commonly known as the fear or awe of Hashem. It is only Jacob who is able to maintain the center. This attribute of the center is where thoughts of Hashem arise in their pureness most powerful form. It was natural for Jacob to assume this level due to the evolution of thought that had been taking place ever since Abraham reached up and was connected-contacted here in Gen 12:1

‘Now the LORD said unto Abram: 'Get thee out of thy country, and from thy kindred, and from thy father's house, unto the land that I will show thee.’

And then when he calls there upon the name of the Lord in Gen 13: 3-4

(3)And he went on his journeys from the South even to Beth-el, unto the place where his tent had been at the beginning, between Beth-el and Ai; (4) unto the place of the altar, which he had made there at the first; and Abram called there on the name of the LORD.

There comes a moment in our lives when we realize that our thoughts are much more than random associations. They have meaning and keep growing in depth and higher in wisdom as we ourselves learn how to listen to the dictates of this inner dialogue making the necessary corrections in order to unify our awareness within the totality of being. When we speak about what Abraham received and what he was given it is noteworthy to mention this first contact, which comes from Hashem and continues until we have Abraham actively seeking this contact-connection at the altar he has made.
The complete inheritance or Nachalah is comprised of both the ability to receive the word of Hashem and the calling to reach for Hashem as in asking for this connection-contact to be a part of you during the times you need it the most. Man has to be active in his ascent becoming conscious of the pathways that lead to Hashem. It is this complete unity that Jacob symbolizes and this is the stone that the builders rejected in that they reached a certain level of unity and went no further. The level of unity intimated by Jacob’s attainment is that of the resolution of opposites that occurs in Mind as various forces are balanced in its center.