KabbalaOnline.org Gate of Reincarnations "The Left Shoulder: Root of Cain"
KabbalaOnline.org Gate of Reincarnations "The Left Shoulder: Root of Cain"
Please Note: The bold text is the direct
translation of the classic text source.
The regular text is the explanation of the editor/translator
The Left Shoulder: Root of Cain
Gate of Reincarnations: Chapter Thirty-One, Section 3
The
Root of Cain & Abel: The Shoulders (31:2)
Now we will explain the left shoulder of Adam, which is called the
Cain-root. It is considered only one limb, but as with all limbs, it
incorporates flesh, tendons, and bones. The tendons in each of these limbs are
not included in the 365 tendons of the 248 Limbs, but are small arteries in
each limb.
The
three levels of each limb, from head to heels - flesh, tendons, and bones -
divide into 600,000 soul-sparks - making up one
[complete] partzuf.
The left heel of this partzuf divides into more than the 613
soul-sparks from which come the souls of Hezekiah the King of Judah, Rabbi Akiva ben Yosef, and Akavia ben Mehalelel. There is a link joining the
souls of this root. However, the seed-drop from this heel that goes to the yesod can be
called Yaakov,
and sometimes Akavia ben Mehalelel, and sometimes Akiva - and the like.
The
entire level of the heel is the malchut of that parzuf, and
there is therefore an ability for all the souls of this heel to ascend until
the secret of 'machshava', [thought - the chochma of Arich]
- in the secret of "The woman[malchut] will
court the man[ chochma]." (Jeremiah
31:21)
"The
woman" symbolizes the awakening from below. When she is the catalyst for
the relationship, she then as if "courts the man" - ascends to unite
with and assume the male aspect. This is also called "a woman of valor is
the crown of her husband." (Prov.
12:4, Likutei
Torah)
From
the external perspective, this is a lower level. Inside, it is really higher.
The bina/feminine
aspect ricochets above chochma to keter. This is the secret of this soul
root being so essential to the final redemption, which is incumbent upon
drawing keter flow. " And those redeemed
by G‑d shall
return...eternal joy upon their heads [the place of keter/crown]." (Isaiah
35:10)
For this reason, Rabbi Akiva ascended to the level of machshava.
As the Sages indicate when they wrote about him, "Quiet! This is
what went up to machshava". (Menachot 29b)
Understand this.
Upon
seeing a vision of Rabbi
Akiva being ruthlessly executed, Moses questioned G‑d, and was answered, "Quiet!..." It seems
as if G‑d was telling Moses that the answer to the question is beyond
comprehension. On a deeper level, the answer was that Rabbi Akiva reached the
perfect inclusion in the level of machshava, the very foundations of
creation, (See Likutei Moharan II-7) as
the Rabbis teach, "At first machshava [thought], G‑d wanted to
create the world with din [judgment]. He saw that the world could not
endure [like that], so He attached to it the quality of mercy." (Breishit Raba 12 )
Rabbi
Akiva lived his life in extreme piety, fulfilling the mitzvahs to a super-human degree of
exactingness.1 In the grand finale of his death at the stake, he
connected to judgment, the initial motion of creation. His students asked him
then how he could bear such torture; he explained that his entire life he was
waiting for this moment.
But,
could judgment be the starting point of genesis? Doesn't it say, "The world is
built for lovingkindness"? (Psalms
103:2)
The
sacred works are filled with elaboration on the theme that everything was made
for good. But because G‑d wanted to give man the greatest good possible,
He originally thought to set existence on the strictest standard; the higher
the standard man lives up to, the more good he is able to receive. However,
when He saw that the world could not bear it, he toned down the din and
paired it with lovingkindness. However, there are extremely rare individuals
who ascend to the plane of the originally intended standard and merit a place
in the world-to-come that no one else can access. (Zohar II Pekudei)
Here,
the Ari explains that Rabbi Akiva was especially geared to reach such a plateau
since his soul is a major hitter in the left/din Cain-root. This
equipped him with the ability to bear and live with harsh judgment on a daily
basis, reaching crescendo in death.
One
of the major underlying themes of this Sha'ar Hagilgulim is that the Mashiach
process primarily involves the rectification and revelation of the Cain root. Since
Rabbi Akiva is one of the greatest of this root, there came a spark of
messianic energy in his generation, embodied in Bar Kochva. Rabbi Akiva did not
make a mistake. On the contrary, because of his special level, he alone
recognized that Bar Kochva actually had a part of the messianic soul, and that
it was on the verge of being actualized. The fact that it wasn't successful
does not take away from this truth - it was another major step to the
final redemption.
Regarding these two shoulders: When a defect results from a
certain sin in one of the shoulders, or if the defect is in the left shoulder,
such as when it became blemished through the sin of Cain whose place it is,
then the right shoulder also becomes blemished. Therefore, even though someone
whose root is the left shoulder will have long hairs from both his shoulders.
There will be more hair on his left shoulder than on his right shoulder, since
that is his main place. However, if the right shoulder becomes defected, which
is the root of Abel, then the sign will only
be in the right shoulder.
The
left level of din always includes the right side within itself. So, it
affects the right side together with itself, whereas the right side can as if
be alone at times.2
Hairs
are constrictions of the mental energies. (Likutei
Moharan 11) They come from din and accordingly is a vehicle
of expression for the side of din.
So we find that the hair of the left shoulder of one who is from
the left shoulder will be more than on the rest of his body, to indicate that
is the place from which he is connected to Adam.3
In
Sha’ar Ruach
HaKodesh [The Gate of Divine Inspiration], in the chapter 'Hakaras
Hapartzuf' [Recognizing Faces], a little about the letters NR"N,
etc., is explained.
[Translation
and commentary by Perets Auerbach.]
The
Root of Cain & Abel: The Shoulders (31:2)
1.As the Rabbis teach,
when the Romans imprisoned him, he received small portions of rationed water.
Instead of drinking it, he used it to wash his hands. It is important to point
out that for the overwhelming majority who are not holding by such a level,
such behavior would actually be considered a sin.
2.This is in line with
the principle, “In a place where there is a male, the female is not there
mentioned.” (Zohar)
3.There are signs on the
body for those who have the ability to discern the soul-root.
|
Click on
Subscribe to receive any of our free newsletters in your email. |
“I Love You, Ascent!”
is the new online Facebook community for Ascent’s friends and alumni.
It’s free, join us today:
bit.ly/loveascent - interact, have fun, or just hangout! See you
there :)
|
|
|
|
|
Donate here for US tax benefits Donate here for UK tax benefits Donate here for Israel tax benefits |
|
KabbalaOnline.org is a project
of Ascent of Safed |
|
Comments
Post a Comment